One thing about me is I don’t like to be controlled. If someone said to me, “Wear a hat tomorrow” in a forceful way, I wouldn’t do it. That’s my choice. Or, “You can’t go out with that guy. He’s too quiet and not energetic enough.” But that is what I like, calm, quiet guys, and if I think that he’s smoking hot, I’m going to date him.
This is how I came to be like this. I had a service coordinator in high school that graded me on everything from posture to communication. This person was not a teacher. She thought she did have the right to grade and she would have continued to in senior year, but I said something to my grandfather and he stepped up.
Because I have a disability, people think that I need them to step up and become in charge of me. That doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t do well when I’m controlled and I won’t stand for it. I wasn’t raised to let other people walk all over me.
I don’t like to be taken advantage of, or controlled. I like my freedom of choices. If I was to get an apartment tomorrow, people could give me advice on how to design it, but I have something in my head. With their ideas, the design may be altered. But I want to have the final say in the decorations.
Please don’t control anyone that has a physical disability and can think for themselves. There are people that just are trying to help, but there are ones that are too forceful.
If someone said, “I think that you should paint your room a hot pink because you’re a young woman and you should have a vibrant color”, and you say, “Aw, but that’s too loud. I think I should do it a soft lavender or an earthtone color”, then the subject is open to a discussion. You have to be careful how you word things to people with disabilities because they could interpret your intent wrong. Please keep this in mind.
Thank you