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Originally Posted by RobinF
I do realize this. There are two spots for wheelchairs on our busses (and one on light rail, but I don't use the dedicated spots there), and it's very, very rare to see even one of them in use. I've never had anyone denied access to a bus because I was using it. If it happens, it happens though. As I said before, I don't believe my need for a wheelchair is any less valid than anyone else just because mine isn't a physical need.
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I wonder how a person who physically needs a wheelchair would feel if it does happen. What would it take to enable people to see BIID as a valid reason to use resources originally intended for people with physical disabilities?
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Originally Posted by RobinF
I never claim to not be able to walk, so the latter situation you're pointing out isn't an issue for me. I keep my forearm crutches with me when using my wheelchair, which makes it pretty obvious that I can walk short distances with them.
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People would still want to help, like by holding doors open when you use the crutches, like with doors held open by electromagnets that are turned off when there is a fire alarm. You'd still be somewhat slower with crutches. What if there was stuff falling from the fire making things collapse?
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Originally Posted by RobinF
Most people I've talked to in the medical field have been more curious than anything else, and have spent lots of time asking questions. I haven't had any really bad experiences with the medical community around being transabled.
There are very few studies about people with BIID, and I don't know of any around brain scans. It's very hard to get a sizable number of people with BIID to participate in studies, first of all because there aren't that many of us to begin with, and secondly because real-life studies have obvious anonymity problems. Most transabled people are extremely careful that their transabledness not get out, so meeting with people in real life for studies isn't something most of us are willing to do.
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If you haven't had bad experiences with the medical community regarding this, why be afraid of participating in studies? It's not like they'd publish a list of names of transabled people.
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Originally Posted by RobinF
It's not something I have an explanation for, just how I am. 'want' isn't a good word for it, 'need' describes it a lot better. I agree most people don't and can't understand why I need this, and I don't even claim to understand it. It's just how I am.
I've not heard of anyone like that, pretty much every transabled person I've ever met has had a need for some condition that does exist and does permit life.
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I read
here that people who like wearing leg braces are commonly in the age range that would make them young children when polio and therefore leg braces was more common. This suggests that such things are like imprinting, where a kid sees someone with something like a wheelchair or leg brace, then wants to be like that. This is also supported by the apparent nonexistence of people who feel like they need to have nonexistent disabilities or conditions that won't permit life. I bet that if anybody developed the technology to keep beheaded heads alive, there'd be transabled people who feel like they have to be like that.
In earlier posts, I linked to case studies, like the one of a deaf wannabe who had a low self-esteem and was apparently using deafness to build one. I'm wondering how many BIID people are like that. Some people might think that means such people have a desire to get pity and feel special. Is there anybody who feels like that?