I signed up for a coffeehouse event geared toward people with disabilities. I initiated a convo with a parent sitting next to me, and I did not realize at the time that a few of her questions were too personal. At least she was being polite about it, but when I look back, I felt that I was being treated on a lower pedestal than her. Like as if no matter how much I would have accomplished, she would've judged me based on a diagnosis. No matter how well integrated into society I can become, it's like it's never good enough. I hate that elitist attitude. I know I just have to know how to respond and deal with it.
She asked me if I own my place or not, and granted, I understand people wanting to know that, but it's really none of their business and people meeting you for the first time should not be asking that. I should've asked her that back just to see how she would react.
She also told me that 6 years of teaching is "not a long time." She has no idea that most people who teach have only stuck with it for 2 years on average. Teaching is a reputable job too, especially full time teaching with typical urban populations.
She also asked me what I ate on my own. I should've just said I felt uncomfortable, but instead I gave her an answer I am kind of embarrassed about. I feel like there are all these expectations I'm expected to live up to that should not be made a big deal about.
I've already been and continue to show that I can function in society, hold a job full time that's hard for me to hold, be open to other opportunities that might be better for me as an individual, and to try to learn to take full responsibilities of general daily tasks outside of the job too including caring for oneself, feeding one self, paying bills, having a little bit of fun and making it all one good balance.
It's not fair that I should be asked such questions only to get slighted, albeit possibly unintentionally, but I'm still annoyed that I didn't think about how to answer better. There's a time to stand up for yourself a bit more, and this was probably one of those times.
It doesn't help that the people around me don't reciprocate well if at all. Like I know you can't be yelling at them for their irresponsibility or anything like that even if you're right because it then shows that you have no composure and would make those people seem right about you! Instead, I have to play this constant game of coming up with excuses or reminding people because they don't want to use a calendar. I don't keep chasing people down. One person, I only call last minute now and I don't leave VMs most of the time, cause he's not dependable, but very respectful otherwise. Life has been a struggle, and I guess it always will be. But at least I'm always trying to make it work.
She asked me if I own my place or not, and granted, I understand people wanting to know that, but it's really none of their business and people meeting you for the first time should not be asking that. I should've asked her that back just to see how she would react.
She also told me that 6 years of teaching is "not a long time." She has no idea that most people who teach have only stuck with it for 2 years on average. Teaching is a reputable job too, especially full time teaching with typical urban populations.
She also asked me what I ate on my own. I should've just said I felt uncomfortable, but instead I gave her an answer I am kind of embarrassed about. I feel like there are all these expectations I'm expected to live up to that should not be made a big deal about.
I've already been and continue to show that I can function in society, hold a job full time that's hard for me to hold, be open to other opportunities that might be better for me as an individual, and to try to learn to take full responsibilities of general daily tasks outside of the job too including caring for oneself, feeding one self, paying bills, having a little bit of fun and making it all one good balance.
It's not fair that I should be asked such questions only to get slighted, albeit possibly unintentionally, but I'm still annoyed that I didn't think about how to answer better. There's a time to stand up for yourself a bit more, and this was probably one of those times.
It doesn't help that the people around me don't reciprocate well if at all. Like I know you can't be yelling at them for their irresponsibility or anything like that even if you're right because it then shows that you have no composure and would make those people seem right about you! Instead, I have to play this constant game of coming up with excuses or reminding people because they don't want to use a calendar. I don't keep chasing people down. One person, I only call last minute now and I don't leave VMs most of the time, cause he's not dependable, but very respectful otherwise. Life has been a struggle, and I guess it always will be. But at least I'm always trying to make it work.
