Disabled toilets and invisible impairments

DavidJ

As we are talking about toilets I thought I would mention my take on access and use of by certain members of the community .
I am not being judgemental at all this is just an opinion based on what I see from wheelchairs height.
With recent changes and proposed changes to blue badge eligibility re mental health and disability that cannot be seen I find myself living in a minefield !!
Back a few years it was acceptable to challenge someone using a disabled toilet who did not “look “ disabled! Now there’s a stupid phrase if I ever heard one ! What “does” a disabled person look like anyway ?
Now in 2018 it’s not for me to judge or criticise someone who is using a disabled toilet . There are hundreds of invisible disabilities . Mine is too ! If I get out of my chair you would not know I was disabled .
So I certainly do not challenge anyone’s right to use the dis wc . I respect everyone s disability hidden or otherwise . Has it made me soft ? No it hasn’t for the simple reason I was brought up properly , and as a child of the 50/60s I knew right from wrong because I and my siblings were taught it . I have no intention of lowering my standards just so someone can have a slanging match over the use of a disabled  toilet .
Its not down to us the chronically sick and disabled to fight our corner it’s society itself that’s meant to help us . As we all know there is good and bad in every section Of society even ours the disabled one . It only takes a few ignorarant and don’t care less people to ruin it for all of us . They know who they are and they don’t care because there is nothing or anyone to stop them .we are in the “snowflakes “ era now and respect from where I am sitting is disappearing fast .
On a better note there are also those with the same high standards as myself . It’s called respect for ones fellow man and it’s free .Doesnt cost a penny but in the correct context is worth a fortune .
Live long and prosper.
Have a good week and thanks to @Pippa_scope for jolting  my memory 

Pippa_Alumni

Thanks for sharing this with us in such a mindful way, @DavidJ. In my experience it's often fellow disabled people who are least judgemental towards those with invisible impairments! It would certainly be interesting to hear others' thoughts on this too.

DavidJ

@mikehughesca you are so right Disabled or Accessible are just words . I am old school and I really hate the baby changing facilities in the “accessible “ toilets .
I have had more than one “accident “ whilst waiting for baby getting changed