M is for mobility aids. Canes, walkers, wheelchairs, AFOs, crutches, and more are used by people with disabilities all over the world and throughout history. Mobility aids are freedom! I am far more independent with my mobility aids than without.
I am an ambulatory wheelchair user. Because of my heart condition (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS) I have issues with standing, heat intolerance, and circulation. Using a combo walker/wheelchair at museums, art exhibits, concerts, and networking events can be so exhausting without my mobility aids. But with them, I’m able to actually attend and not worry as much about blacking out in public.
M is for medical marijuana. Beyond the gross over-policing of Black and Brown folks for growing, selling, and using this plant, there are so many stigmas surrounding the medical use of marijuana. When you think of marijuana (medical or otherwise), what comes to mind?
In legal for medical AND recreational use Colorado, I am lucky enough to have access to significantly more products than just THC. I use surprisingly little THC, focusing mostly on CBD, CBG, Delta-8, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), CBN, and other full-spectrum cannabinoids.
Because THC is the profit driver in marijuana, full-spectrum, CBD, CBG, etc., are often left behind—meaning medical marijuana patients aren’t getting what they need in favor of profit from recreational marijuana sales. Commercial growers focus on the highest THC percentage possible often breeding out the other helpful cannabinoids that help with inflammation, pain, sleep, digestion, and more.
M is for mental health. Those with mental illness, learning disabilities, and mental disorders fall under the disability community umbrella. Beyond anxiety, depression, trauma, and PTSD, people with disabilities often face compounding mental health issues from gaslighting, identity related aggressions, isolation, and exclusion we face.
M is for marriage equality. People with disabilities who receive government assistance do not have marriage equality. When married, people with disabilities are often cut off from government benefits like Medicaid, affordable housing, and other benefits. If they are not completely cut off from benefits, they often face a reduction of the already minuscule amount of funds they receive. For more on the fight for marriage equality, check out this article by Carly Stern.