BuzzFeed contributor Louise Bruton has some hilarious and totally accurate insights to share about what you should know if you use a wheelchair. It seems like these aren’t so much things you should know as they are things you’ll simply come to know as a wheelchair user.
In 24 Things All Girls In Wheelchairs Should Know, she reminds us:
“Staying fit is easier than you think…You just have to think outside the box.”
So true, Louise! You can definitely Sit and Be Fit. She also points out that it’s important to:
“Remember to pack a mirror.”
Yes to this! Just because a mirror in a public restroom may be too high for us to see ourselves, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to check ourselves out if we want. And of course, wheelchair users can:
“Redefine what sexy means.”
Disability doesn’t take away from true beauty, that’s for sure. But even when you look and feel fabulous, people can make comments about your wheelchair that might bring you down. To that, I say, let it roll…off your shoulders. Like Louise points out, you’re not just “pretty for a girl in a wheelchair” and it’s not amazing that you’re “out and about.” You’re just living your life and being awesome, and that’s exactly how it should be.
-Emily Ladau, News Editor
Photo courtesy PhotoAbility.net
Featuring Monica Quimby, Ms. Wheelchair Maine 2011