'Lying, thieving bastards'? That's not the half of it: Disabled people describe the everyday insults they've suffered on Twitter
Claims that workers at Triage – a private company the Government is relying on to deliver its £5bn Work Programme – were less than complimentary about their clients prompted people affected by the reality of disability discrimination in modern Britain to come forward with their own stories. Using the Twitter hashtag "#Heardwhilstdisabled", they showed that abuse remains commonplace.
Here is a selection of their stories:
@DamonLord #heardwhilstdisabled "that's so sad. That baby will grow up with a blind father. We should call Social Services on them" About me and my son
@Quinonostante #HeardWhilstDisabled: "mental illness could be eradicated though right?" Me: "how'd you mean?" The reply: "By sterilising people"
@Imbecillis #heardwhilstdisabled Person: "You don't look disabled..." Me: "I'm sorry I didn't realise the neon sign was compulsory these days."
@RedRubyGem #heardwhilstdisabled My housebound daughter was told if she didn't attend interview at job centre her benefits would be stopped
@lauraevans311 Learning about DMD [muscular dystrophy] – fellow med student: "If they're only going to live that long, what's the point in educating them?"#heardwhiledisabled
@major___tom 'I don't want to vaccinate my kids in case they end up autistic like you' #heardwhiledisabled
@thisisamy_ #HeardWhileDisabled Train conductor saying 'you don't look disabled some people are in right states' when I presented my disabled railcard
@TwinsMa #Heardwhiledisabled "If you'd stop coddling him, he'd quit being so clingy."– says a former pediatrician to me about my autistic son
@claireOT told I'm "a bloody disabled" by a taxi driver when refusing to pay an extra £2 to carry my scooter #heardwhiledisabled
@thebeardlessone "You won't make any friends if you keep making noises" #heardwhiledisabled (Actually, he's the only person to diss my tourettes to my face)
@latentexistence #HeardWhileDisabled While visiting psychiatrist for suicidal thoughts, in a wheelchair: "You just need to exercise more."
@usherchic2 #heardwhiledisabled so do you just tell your guide dog the plan for the day in the morning & he sorts it all out? Me:......
@Geeketteuk "Hitler was wrong about the Jews but right about people like you" (thanks for not being anti-semitic !) #heardwhilstdisabled
@Fire_Rosa #heardwhilstdisabled At the Dentist with Husband and Carer, receptionist" What home do you come from?* my own?
@lizmcternan #heardwhilstdisabled at a buffet, me in wheelchair, helping blind friend choose: 'You people take up so much room'
@PottsMcG #heardwhilstdisabled "Don't stare at her, she's not all there" as said about my 9 year old sister in law, who has down's syndrome. Vile
@AvoidedDrowning Frequently been told off for using a walking stick because I'm "too young to need it" too #heardwhilstdisabled
@hypatia "you people shouldn't use rush hour transport, it's for people going to work". (me in suit with backpack) #heardwhilstdisabled
@MatthewJFowler #heardwhilstdisabled. Your not albino you haven't got red eyes
@sparklygoth #heardwhilstdisabled 'You don't look deaf.' & that looks like what exactly?
@badfanfic "They'll diagnose anyone with autism these days" – my doctor #heardwhilstdisabled
@SarahsLogin Multi-choice: I know a bloke/lass/dog with no legs/arms/brain at all and he/she/it can still [insert wild claim here] #heardwhilstdisabled
@CarrieBeckwith #heardwhilstdisabled "we don't have a ramp cos we don't get disabled customers" – prob cos they can't get into our shop!
@Wheelchair_Dave #HeardWhilstDisabled Someone asked wife "Did you know when you married him 15 years ago, he may have an accident & become disabled"
@WTBDavidG #heardwhilstdisabled Office fire warden 3 "You're so disabled we need you to wait before using stairs, but not so disabled u need an evac plan"
@VictoriaMWright "i want singers for an event im holding, blind or in wheelchairs but not any with learning disabilites & we cant pay" #heardwhilstdisabled
@Tigerfan11 #heardwhilstdisabled yobs when I was 6 ran behind my brother pushing my chair throwing lit matches in as "dont want a cripple at our school"
@eximplode German teacher makes a mistake while writing something on the chalkboard; "Oh I just had an autistic moment". #heardwhilstdisabled
@Becca_Boot #heardwhilstdisabled bus driver lowering ramp "i don't have to do this, im going out of my way to help you, you better behave on here"
@VictoriaMWright Man: "she.. (gestures at me) makes me wanna (makes vomitting sound)" #heardwhilstdisabled
@WelshWallace #HeardWhilstDisabled police officer to me after being mugged – your not going to be much help as your blind & not able to give a description
@MelG1804 When refused access to restaurant with guide dog, relative said they shouldn't have to take dogs if they don't want to. #heardwhilstdisabled
@touretteshero #heardwhilstdisabled I know what would cure you – an exorcism #Tourettes
@Beakboo #heardwhilstdisabled My Irish mother, when she saw an obviously disabled person, in a loud whisper "would you look at that poor creature"
@theeternal "I thought autism was only in children."#heardwhilstdisabled
@ScottTweed #HeardWhilstDisabled my personal favourite was "if you're mum had seen a medium when pregnant then you wouldn't of been born disabled"
@cvonruhland #heardwhilstdisabled Elderly landlady: 'Why do disabled people need 'rights'? They're disabled, aren't they.' Gobsmacked
@urbanhippie21 #HeardWhilstDisabled hubby, in a swanky Shoreditch bar – is there a disabled loo? Them – no. There's no demand for one. Him – I'm demanding
@supermattachine #heardwhilstdisabled "Hahahaha it's so funny when you freak out when I come up behind you"
@TheRealKeori "But how do you have sex? – said by a stranger to me and my wheelchair-bound bf. My response: "Better than you do!"#heardwhilstdisabled
Independent
Here is a selection of their stories:
@DamonLord #heardwhilstdisabled "that's so sad. That baby will grow up with a blind father. We should call Social Services on them" About me and my son
@Quinonostante #HeardWhilstDisabled: "mental illness could be eradicated though right?" Me: "how'd you mean?" The reply: "By sterilising people"
@Imbecillis #heardwhilstdisabled Person: "You don't look disabled..." Me: "I'm sorry I didn't realise the neon sign was compulsory these days."
@RedRubyGem #heardwhilstdisabled My housebound daughter was told if she didn't attend interview at job centre her benefits would be stopped
@lauraevans311 Learning about DMD [muscular dystrophy] – fellow med student: "If they're only going to live that long, what's the point in educating them?"#heardwhiledisabled
@major___tom 'I don't want to vaccinate my kids in case they end up autistic like you' #heardwhiledisabled
@thisisamy_ #HeardWhileDisabled Train conductor saying 'you don't look disabled some people are in right states' when I presented my disabled railcard
@TwinsMa #Heardwhiledisabled "If you'd stop coddling him, he'd quit being so clingy."– says a former pediatrician to me about my autistic son
@claireOT told I'm "a bloody disabled" by a taxi driver when refusing to pay an extra £2 to carry my scooter #heardwhiledisabled
@thebeardlessone "You won't make any friends if you keep making noises" #heardwhiledisabled (Actually, he's the only person to diss my tourettes to my face)
@latentexistence #HeardWhileDisabled While visiting psychiatrist for suicidal thoughts, in a wheelchair: "You just need to exercise more."
@usherchic2 #heardwhiledisabled so do you just tell your guide dog the plan for the day in the morning & he sorts it all out? Me:......
@Geeketteuk "Hitler was wrong about the Jews but right about people like you" (thanks for not being anti-semitic !) #heardwhilstdisabled
@Fire_Rosa #heardwhilstdisabled At the Dentist with Husband and Carer, receptionist" What home do you come from?* my own?
@lizmcternan #heardwhilstdisabled at a buffet, me in wheelchair, helping blind friend choose: 'You people take up so much room'
@PottsMcG #heardwhilstdisabled "Don't stare at her, she's not all there" as said about my 9 year old sister in law, who has down's syndrome. Vile
@AvoidedDrowning Frequently been told off for using a walking stick because I'm "too young to need it" too #heardwhilstdisabled
@hypatia "you people shouldn't use rush hour transport, it's for people going to work". (me in suit with backpack) #heardwhilstdisabled
@MatthewJFowler #heardwhilstdisabled. Your not albino you haven't got red eyes
@sparklygoth #heardwhilstdisabled 'You don't look deaf.' & that looks like what exactly?
@badfanfic "They'll diagnose anyone with autism these days" – my doctor #heardwhilstdisabled
@SarahsLogin Multi-choice: I know a bloke/lass/dog with no legs/arms/brain at all and he/she/it can still [insert wild claim here] #heardwhilstdisabled
@CarrieBeckwith #heardwhilstdisabled "we don't have a ramp cos we don't get disabled customers" – prob cos they can't get into our shop!
@Wheelchair_Dave #HeardWhilstDisabled Someone asked wife "Did you know when you married him 15 years ago, he may have an accident & become disabled"
@WTBDavidG #heardwhilstdisabled Office fire warden 3 "You're so disabled we need you to wait before using stairs, but not so disabled u need an evac plan"
@VictoriaMWright "i want singers for an event im holding, blind or in wheelchairs but not any with learning disabilites & we cant pay" #heardwhilstdisabled
@Tigerfan11 #heardwhilstdisabled yobs when I was 6 ran behind my brother pushing my chair throwing lit matches in as "dont want a cripple at our school"
@eximplode German teacher makes a mistake while writing something on the chalkboard; "Oh I just had an autistic moment". #heardwhilstdisabled
@Becca_Boot #heardwhilstdisabled bus driver lowering ramp "i don't have to do this, im going out of my way to help you, you better behave on here"
@VictoriaMWright Man: "she.. (gestures at me) makes me wanna (makes vomitting sound)" #heardwhilstdisabled
@WelshWallace #HeardWhilstDisabled police officer to me after being mugged – your not going to be much help as your blind & not able to give a description
@MelG1804 When refused access to restaurant with guide dog, relative said they shouldn't have to take dogs if they don't want to. #heardwhilstdisabled
@touretteshero #heardwhilstdisabled I know what would cure you – an exorcism #Tourettes
@Beakboo #heardwhilstdisabled My Irish mother, when she saw an obviously disabled person, in a loud whisper "would you look at that poor creature"
@theeternal "I thought autism was only in children."#heardwhilstdisabled
@ScottTweed #HeardWhilstDisabled my personal favourite was "if you're mum had seen a medium when pregnant then you wouldn't of been born disabled"
@cvonruhland #heardwhilstdisabled Elderly landlady: 'Why do disabled people need 'rights'? They're disabled, aren't they.' Gobsmacked
@urbanhippie21 #HeardWhilstDisabled hubby, in a swanky Shoreditch bar – is there a disabled loo? Them – no. There's no demand for one. Him – I'm demanding
@supermattachine #heardwhilstdisabled "Hahahaha it's so funny when you freak out when I come up behind you"
@TheRealKeori "But how do you have sex? – said by a stranger to me and my wheelchair-bound bf. My response: "Better than you do!"#heardwhilstdisabled
Independent
