#being human
hierarchy of disability mobility aids
[Video ID: A video of tiktok user ‘josephakibler’. There are yellow captions that pop up across the middle of the screen. They begin the video in a wheelchair and switch to other mobility aids throughout.
Transcript:
(Speaker is facing a door at the back of the room. They turn around to face the camera in a wheelchair. Speaking begins)
Speaker: “So my neighbour saw me in my wheelchair for the first time today and asked what was wrong and if I was okay so welcome to my new segment-”
(Speaker slowly stands up out of wheelchair)
(A very quick transition and a black cane appears in their right hand. The wheelchair is no longer on screen)
(The title ‘Cane and Ableism’ flashes up on screen in bigger yellow font)
Speaker: “So shocking bit of info up top, I’m disabled. But whether I’m using this”
(Speaker gestures to cane. There’s a very quick transition where the cane disappears and is replaced by two red forearm crutches)
Speaker: “Or this. Or wheelchair.”
(Another transition. The forearm crutches disappear. The wheelchair is back on screen and the speaker slowly sits back down)
Speaker: “It shouldn’t be treated any differently. However whether it is consciously or subconsciously, society has created a hierarchy, a evolutionary chart of disability mobility aids, where wheelchairs, power chairs are at the bottom.”
(A short pause. Speaker stands up. Wheelchair disappears after a transition and the red forearm crutches return)
Speaker: “Crutches, walkers etc. In the middle”
(Right forearm crutch is held up higher and then another transition. The Crutches are replaced again with the black cane in the right hand)
Speaker: “The cane is just above that, and, of course, the alpha….”
(cane disappears, there are no mobility aids in shot)
Speaker: “To nothing at all. Now this is where it can get tricky, and this line of thinking can lead to ableism and internalised ableism, because the people who need mobility aids are doing everything they can to fight against it so they can stay right here.”
(speaker gestures to self, standing without the aid of a mobility aid)
Speaker: “So is here better? Well for me personally, here’s where I have the most pain. Now if I were to go to this”
(Quick transition. Cane pops back into frame in speaker’s right hand)
Speaker: “This (the cane) has less pain.”
(Transition between cane and red forearm crutches. The cane is gone. The crutches are on either arm.)
Speaker: “This (the forearm crutches) is less pain”
(Transition. Forearm crutches have disappeared. The wheelchair is back on screen. The speaker lowers themself to sit in it.)
Speaker: “And this (the wheelchair) barely any pain at all. So when we say what’s better, what we’re really saying is what’s better for society, when we should be saying what’s better for you.”
(Speaker points quickly to the camera)
Speaker: “And you’re the one that matters the most.”
(Speaker turns back around in wheelchair to face a door at the back of the room) /end ID]
