How much would you give to put the (wheelchair) brakes on a Trump presidency? It is a question afflicting many gay and disabled individuals such as myself in the days following Trump’s official inauguration.
It is estimated that nearly 50 million American adults aged 18 years and older are affected by disabilities, according to the CDC. While the exact number of disabled and LGBTQ individuals is hard to determine, there is no denying that the feelings surrounding Trump’s presidency remain the same for many disabled, LGBTQ people. Hint: They aren’t good.
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“Honestly I haven’t even fully processed [Trump’s win],” says Paul Wright, a gay and disabled accountant with from Seattle. “I just have this overall feeling of anxiousness, and that’s hard to figure out.”
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Wright was born with arthrogryposis, a physical disability that limits the functioning of ones joints. It is the same disability as shared by Serge F. Kovaleski, The New York Times reporter Trump allegedly mocked in a video that went viral in 2015. Paul remembers the video vividly.
“I remember when it came out and learning he had the same disability [as me],” Wright says. “It shocked me. I already thought [Trump] was awful, but it just felt so much more personal. It’s a rare disability and for it to be in the news [in that context] was just so overwhelming.”
Kyle Ankney, a 26 year-old gay man born with cerebral palsy, says his worries about a Trump presidency only intensified on election night. “Watching the results on election night, I was in complete shock; completely disheartened,” he says. “I couldn’t believe that the country I’ve always called my home, was going to be governed and represented by an individual who continually mocked my core identities.”
For other disabled individuals, Trump’s presidency goes beyond mere anxiety.
In a personal essay written two days before Trump’s inauguration, Julia Bascom, Executive Director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, talked about how, as a disabled individual (whose sexuality is never specified), she was “terrified” of Trump’s administration. But it wasn’t the Trump-mocking video that kept her awake at night, she said–it was the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
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More than 10 million persons living with physical or mental disabilities require costly ongoing assistance with day-to-day or other instrumental activities, according to a study by the American Public Health Association. For many of these individuals, including Bascom, the Affordable Care Act was a godsend.
“The ACA is arguably second only to the Americans With Disabilities Act when it comes to game-changing disability rights law.” Bascom wrote. “No insurers would meaningfully cover [disabled individuals], so many disabled Americans historically had to live in poverty in order to qualify for Medicaid. By banning discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, the ACA made it possible for millions of Americans with disabilities to enroll in commercial insurance, afford needed medical care, move, and change jobs.”
As for the future, several disabled LGBTQ people remain hopeless, both in the United States and abroad.
Josh Hepple, a gay, disabled resident from the United Kingdom, says he is glad to live across the pond. “I’m glad I’m in the U.K., as I think a country lead by hate is very disturbing,” he says. “I’m sad that someone who teaches hate can be so popular.”
Wright, the Seattleite with arthrogryposis, agrees, and remains perplexed by the current political climate.
“A lot of people are saying things wont change,” he says. “But the fact that I have to even question my rights [as a gay and disabled individual in the era of Trump] in the first place is both concerning and scary.”
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Opine2
A lot of this is “before the vote” anxiousness sure its going to be different, I’m in the UK and we will be leaving the EU, laws are going to change, things aren’t clear people are uncertain of the future, they get anxious it’s natural, but lets not get our knickers in a twist before we need to.
Watching the behaviour of the losers both sides of the pond, I’m deeply concerned at the intolerance shown by the self declared ‘liberals’ riots, non-platforming, demanding re-runs of votes and so on refusing to accept the democratic result of a vote, these are things that should really scare you.
Heywood Jablowme
What the heck does “non-platforming” mean?
Who is “demanding re-runs of votes”? Haven’t heard about that in the U.S. Do you mean Brexit?
How many people with disabilities are rioting?
Heywood Jablowme
Btw, I don’t understand why Brexit is taken so-o-o seriously over there. It was a NON-BINDING referendum. It passed only 52-48. Why not re-run it?
In the U.S. we have states where voters pass BINDING referenda and the state legislatures simply ignore them – rewrite the stuff into something unrecognizable.
captainburrito
You don’t re-run it because the result was clear and although it is non binding they know what the majority wants and should carry it out if they care about legitimacy. Repeating votes to get the result you desire is illegitimate. It is also politically pointless as close to 50% will be unhappy regardless.
ErikO
*yawn*.
NateOcean
“…The New York Times reporter Trump allegedly mocked…”
“Allegedly”? The was nothing “alleged” about it.
t
“Well, since that their [sic] Donny Trump says he ain’t made fun of him then it gots to be true,” says a right winging, bible-thumping, toothless, mindless, God-loving christian. There, now everything Chump says on video and audio recording is now “alleged” when he says it’s not what he actually said or did. “It’s a fraudulent video. It’s been hacked.” That is our new presidential administration. Anything is acceptable if it accomplishes their objectives.
John
He mocked Ted Cruz the same way….His “mocking” is more a general mocking of confusion. The NY reporter that was supposedly mocked didnt move in those motions, with his disability there is no jerking, twitching etc…but in our PC society the media/bloggers and all those so enlightened will “spin” it to make it the worse case scenario.
Mo Bro
I too am concerned about the president’s promise to round up all the disabled gays, line them up in front of a long trench, and execute them, just as I was concerned when Obama claimed he was going to eradicate the military and sell the U.S. to ISIS . . .
Oh wait, that never happened, either.
Heywood Jablowme
The article (which you obviously didn’t read) specifically mentions the ACA and how repealing it might clobber anyone with a “pre-existing condition.”
The article should have also mentioned possible cuts to SSDI in tandem with possible cuts to job services. Republicans SAY they want everybody to work… unless they have disabilities, or are over age 55, etc in which case apparently they should just die?
Jack Meoff
@Heywood don’t try to apply reason where logic doesn’t preside. Trolls are gonna troll.
Mo Bro
@Jack Meoff:
@Heywood Jablowme:
It is a scientifically proven impossibility to take seriously the opinions of men who call themselves Jack Meoff and Heywood Jablowme.
Heywood Jablowme
@Mo Bro: Ha. That’s lame even for you. What’s “Mo” about you, bro? I’m guessing it’s not your IQ score, or even your FICO score. Maybe your “bad cholesterol” score?
dwes09
@ “‘Mo”: True to form, “Haywood” posts facts and actual content and you respond with baseless and smug snark (as your original post was nothing but lame right wing snark).
You seem unable to understand what that says about you.
If you feel that disabled people have nothing to fear from Trumps seeming lack of understanding of the needs of most Americans (let alone Americans with disabilities), post fact. Otherwise you simply provide another opportunity for reasonable people to laugh at you.
BriBri
Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy 8 years.