In 2020, Please Include Disabled and Chronically Ill People in Your Activism

As another decade comes to an end, I can’t help but think of all the activism that has been achieved for different communities and people. But I also feel conflicted and sad for those of us within the disabled and chronic illness community.

We have struggled our way through getting our voices heard for years. We have screamed, cried, protested and fought for our rights. The rights we deserve as people — as human beings.

Including disabled and chronically ill people in your activism is important for us — as an outside support system, and getting healthy individuals to be voices and join our cries for help.

There are many reasons why activism for us is needed. We still struggle with inaccessible doctors’ offices, stores, public transport, schools, even streets and sidewalks. We need activism in schools, the workplace, and for government funding. We have the right to be treated fairly — like human beings.

Without activism, we are left feeling hopeless. Our self-worth is stripped away. We deserve equal rights to those of other communities. We deserve the right to gain an education, to safely and fairly work, to receive the benefits we deserve.

We deserve love and activism just as much as anybody else.