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Every country should have options for free/affordable accomodation for disabled people who don't want to live with their families and I'm so serious. Personally I'm in the process of realising that my current living situation is actually making me feel miserable lmao, and I was fortunate enough to stumble upon an opportunity to live somewhere else, where I would have 24/7 care without having to see my parents every day. I'm still on the waiting list, but it honestly can't come soon enough. The codependency between disabled people (especially people who were born disabled) and their parents isn't talked about nearly enough (or at all?) and it's a huge fucking shame because I think that if it was more present in the discussion on disability rights, there could be more tools in place to help disabled people who want to be independent from their families while still receiving the care they need.
And still it feels like it's not talked about because families should "stick together" and "sort it amongst themselves" and their disabled relatives are "their cross to bear". Like. Has anyone asked the disabled people in question whether they want to be their family's cross to bear? Whether they want their parents to be the people they see and talk to the most throughout the day? Whether they want to have only them to depend on, and if they were both sick or something, then I guess they're fucked lmao?
So. Accomodation for disabled people who seek independence from their families. Now 🤲🏻
Housing is a privilege.
“Fewer than 5 percent of units have the features needed to accommodate a person with moderate mobility difficulties. The percentage of wheelchair-accessible units is even smaller; less than 1 percent of all units are equipped with features that would allow a wheelchair user to live independently.”
Marriage is a privilege.
“The [SSI] monthly maximum Federal amounts for 2023 are $914 for an eligible individual, $1,371 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse.”
Minimum wage is a privilege.
“Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act authorizes employers, after receiving a certificate from the Wage and Hour Division, to pay special minimum wages — wages less than the Federal minimum wage — to workers who have disabilities for the work being performed.”
We still need to fight for accessibility and equity for all disabled people.
Despite the ADA, equity is still out of reach.