dogwrites:

i-lessthanthree-words:

silvertalonwriteblr:

concerningwolves:

dogwrites:

dogwrites:

i rarely see more than one (1) disabled person in fiction, and at that i rarely see disabled people that don’t have on sight disabilities. ya know i just wanna see a character or two having type one diabetes, better at that, i wanna see them be in some sort of fantasy fiction.

off topic of this, but i hate the “character with x disability gets disability ‘fixed’ once in fantasy/magical land” trope, like why are people so quick to fix us? why can’t people just make living with disabilities easier in fantasy lands instead of erasing them?

like i’d love to have a tiny pocket dragon that could sense my blood sugar highs or lows, i’d also think it’d be cool that a wizard could give me a potion that lets me eat cake or pizza or pasta without dying.

I think a lot of the time, abled writers are under the impression that they’re doing disabled people a “favour” by providing escapism from what they consider to be awful lives. The thing is though, when you’ve got a disability you tend to be quite good at finding ways around it, and honestly? Can you imagine how wild that would get in a High Fantasy? It’d be fantastic. Consider:

Pocket service-dragons like OP said, trained to monitor vitals and blood sugar. They’re good at helping people with cardiovascular-type problems, epilepsy, diabetes and asthma. All the dragons require in return is permission to hoard pocket lint in caches around the home.

A different, slightly larger breed of dragon will sit on the shoulders of those who are Deaf and/or blind. They’re probably about the size of a crow. These ones act as guides and signed language interpreters, and are able to communicate in more code (or a fantasy equivalent) by tapping with their claws. Plus, they’ll breathe fire at anyone who is being an ableist piece of shit.

Fantasy hearing aids that are part magic, part tech. They mould around the ear in whatever shape the wearer wishes (bonus if they look like serpents or vines with a silver sheen) and, if not being used, can coil around a wrist or finger. (Do you have any idea how many times I’ve almost lost my aids bc they fall out of pockets or get misplaced??)

If the wizarding world of JK Rowling gets wingardium leviosa, then fantasy can totally have magically enchanted supports – walking frames, crutches etc – that come to the person’s aid when needed. Also, levitating charms? Clothing that supports the wearer so that a lower-limb amputee can whisk around places? Just think about Doctor Strange’s magical cape.

And then, after all that, your fantasy world can literally just have the same aids as ours. There are many, many creative options and every single one of them are preferable to being erased from the world of fiction.

*sigh* I’ve already made an addition but this idea is SO under-explored. So please also consider:

• The literally limitless possibilities for prosthesis, including having a character stand on their flying prosthetic foot in order to fly/levitate, prosthesis that remains awake while they sleep and can defend them in the night, prosthesis that looks completely real but is just packed with compartments, prosthesis that functions precisely like a real limb and is directed normally by the brain, invisible prosthesis, magnetized steampunk prosthesis, limb prosthesis that is basically a floating hand/foot with the limb between missing- like, can’t be touched missing,
• A full menagerie of mythical beasts that can serve as service animals, up to and including keeping the soul in the body while waiting for healers to arrive so that the heart can be re-started much longer after it has stopped beating. Some mythical birds were said to steal nightmares and fly away with them as well.
• Horse-sized intelligent dragons used as mobility aids
• Chariot/chair/wheelchair mobility aids that levitate and/or move quickly
• Emergency communication devices that will alert the other holders of a crisis with location and specifics even when you’re is unconscious, such as with epilepsy or passing out from low blood sugar
• Hearing aids/glasses that not only aide impaired hearing/vision, but also allow the user to hear/see in other specified places in the world
• Magical devices that stimulate dead nerves in cases where a limb goes dead, reducing the need for amputation
• Similar magical devices that straight-up reanimate dead limbs, so that you can leave your arm lying around and still use it when you walk away (so much plot opportunity, SO much)
• Magical capsules you can swallow that give you lots of healthy energy, which can be used for various disorders that lead to fatigue but can also be used as a first aide to aide healing of wounds/illness
• Pill cases that remember what you need to take and what you’ve actually taken and WILL get in your face if you’ve forgotten
• Capsules or spells for cleanliness that reduces the need to bathe for those for whom it’s difficult
• House plants that release chemicals your brain SHOULD be producing so that you breathe it in- possibly in conjunction with medication that helps to regulate so you don’t overdose on serotonin what you’re trying to sleep
• Plants you can eat that will literally replace your compromised immune system
• A ritual that will take a magical 3D photograph of your current physical condition, and, if you’ve taken one, you can use this complicated spell to have your physical body go back and become exactly what it was at that point- like a computer backup. 
• Many, many options for spells, healing herbs and rituals that will ease chronic pain

I think ya’ll mentioned why abled writers ”fix” disabilities. Magic. Why give you a magical hearing aid when they could just magically fix your hearing? It’s magic, there’s no limit to it. I see what you’re all saying and it does sound cool af, but I’m just saying. If any of ya’ll write a story with what you’ve been saying tho, I’d love to read it.

But we’re asking these writers why they wanna “fix” us when magic is right there with so many more options, why “fix” us when there are so many things you can do for us with this magic? Like left and right we see ourselves portrayed as “wrong” or “flawed” and it reasonably irks us that people believe we need to even be “fixed” in the first place.

I obviously don’t speak on behalf of all people like me, but I don’t want some magic trick to fix a characters pancreas if they have type one diabetes, I want to see them be able to live a better quality of life. An easier one. That’s it! I don’t want to see them be fixed and turned “normal”, make their life easier than it is whether it be with magic potions for carb intakes or pocket-service dragons, and whatever else! Just don’t erase us.