Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People With Disabilities Are Sharing All Of Their Weird And Cringe-Worthy Encounters With 'Ableds'

People With Disabilities Are Sharing All Of Their Weird And Cringe-Worthy Encounters With 'Ableds'
PeopleImages/Getty Images, @OuchMouse8/Twitter
Make us preferred on Google

From the odd, to the inappropriate, to the downright unprofessional, people with disabilities are sharing stories about their strange encounters of the abled-kind with the hashtag #AbledsAreWeird.


Out in public, despite plenty of stares from the able-bodied, the lived experiences of the disabled still remain invisible.

So along with navigating the challenges of daily life, they are often also saddled with managing the misguided assumptions and ableist behavior of those around them.

Imani Barbarin is hoping to change all that by giving voice to those invisible experiences.

Barbarin, who has cerebral palsy, is a writer and an advocate for the "representation, inclusion, and empowerment of disabled people." However, one of the many challenges the disabled face has nothing to do with their disabilities.

"When it comes to disability, ableds tend to lose all sense of common sense and instead act in ways that are completely strange and at times dangerous," Barbarin said speaking with Romper. "This isn't the behavior that they would [display] around other abled people, so why would they do it with us?"

Those bizarre experiences with the abled-bodied led Barbarin to Twitter on Friday where she created shared one her own encounters using the hashtag #AbledsAreWeird.


Barbarin of course wasn't the only one who had to deal with such experiences.

Others were inspired to share their own weird and cringe-worthy encounters using the now viral hashtag.







Unfortunately, bizarre, cringe-inducing behavior isn't the only type of ableism.

"Many of the stories shared were about consent of disabled bodies either being outright violated or not asked for in the first place," Barbarin told Romper. "Following someone into the bathroom or grabbing them without their permission, even if you're justification is to 'help' us, is in violation of our right to dictate what we want for ourselves."






Shockingly some of the worst offenders were medical professionals whom one might assume would be a bit more understanding. Nope.




While some of these #AbledsAreWeird stories can seem funny in their absurdity, one poster points it isn't a joke, but a bracing look at how social barriers are often more of a handicap for those living with disability.

More from Trending

Jake Lang making a fool of himself at a cat adoption event.
@JakeLang/X

Far-Right Activist Dragged After Crashing What He Thought Was A 'Furry' Convention That Was Actually For Cat Owners

Far-right lunatic and grifter Jake Lang is once again the laughingstock of the internet for seemingly confusing cat owners with furries.

Like many right-wingers, Lang, who received a pardon from Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 coup attempt at the Capitol, has made a career out of being a deranged provocateur online.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot from C-SPAN
C-SPAN

Trump Dragged Over His Desperation After Calling Into C-SPAN Show—And Even The Host Is Caught Off Guard

During the premiere episode of C-SPAN's Washington Journal Primetime, viewers were stunned to hear MAGA Republican President Trump calling in to speak with surprised looking host Mimi Georges.

Trump answered some questions off the cuff about his immigration policies and his Iran War. As usual, he embellished the truth to flatter himself and denied any wrongdoing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pete Hegseth; Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Pete Hegseth Just Claimed His Controversial Military Operations Were All 'Ordered' By Trump—And Everyone's Making The Same Point

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was criticized for saying that military operations in Iran and Venezuela were "ordered" by President Donald Trump while responding to articles of impeachment brought against him by Republican Representative Thomas Massie.

The impeachment resolution brought by Massie alleges that Hegseth abused his office in several ways, including launching military action against Iran without congressional approval, failing to safeguard civilians, and overseeing deadly strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.

Keep ReadingShow less
Abdul El-Sayed; Peggy Flanagan; James Talarico
Finn Gomez/Getty Images (left and right); Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images (center)

The Incoming Freshman Democratic Senators Posed For Their First Selfie At Orientation—And It's Honestly Everything

Social media users can't get enough of the first group selfie featuring incoming freshmen Democratic U.S. Senators, including Abdul El-Sayed and James Talarico.

Last week, Democrats swept midterm election races to win back both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in a clear repudiation of the Trump administration.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lori Huang and Jensen Huang attend the 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at Barker Hangar.
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Tech Billionaire Apologizes To Wife Of 40 Years After Affair With Alleged Chinese Spy: 'I Am Deeply Sorry'

Most cheating scandals end with awkward family dinners and a whole lot of explaining. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's comes with allegations involving Chinese intelligence and questions about American national security.

And somewhere in that mess is Lori Huang, his wife of more than 40 years, who just received a very public apology.

Keep ReadingShow less