Oh man do I know that feel. I am not obviously disabled, but I have had
students come up to me and very carefully hand me accommodations like
"don't expect eye contact from me mmkay" and "my anti-anxiety meds are
making my hands shake uncontrollably oh NOOOOO" and, well, I also do
usually proctor our extra-time exams.
So if I casually go "yeah that's fine, got it" without blinking--you know
how people get about accommodations, like they're either a huge hassle or
they fall over backwards to be accommodating and make a big thing (less
common)? I feel like there's a similar thing to coming out, whereas just...
treating it like the normal thing that it is makes people perk up and think
"one of us?" I don't recall talking much about it with my students, but
the disability office gave me a teaching award after I started TAing this
lab, so I think I must be doing something right. (It's a little clock with
a very soothing tick. I am endlessly proud of it.)
My tiny children have so many Obvious Feelings just generally, and the
queer ones and the ones with brain shit who have the context to peg me back
I think... yeah. It's okay, though, because I have so many feelings right
back for them, even though I have no idea how to go about showing it.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2019-01-25 03:34 pm (UTC)Oh man do I know that feel. I am not obviously disabled, but I have had students come up to me and very carefully hand me accommodations like "don't expect eye contact from me mmkay" and "my anti-anxiety meds are making my hands shake uncontrollably oh NOOOOO" and, well, I also do usually proctor our extra-time exams.
So if I casually go "yeah that's fine, got it" without blinking--you know how people get about accommodations, like they're either a huge hassle or they fall over backwards to be accommodating and make a big thing (less common)? I feel like there's a similar thing to coming out, whereas just... treating it like the normal thing that it is makes people perk up and think "one of us?" I don't recall talking much about it with my students, but the disability office gave me a teaching award after I started TAing this lab, so I think I must be doing something right. (It's a little clock with a very soothing tick. I am endlessly proud of it.)
My tiny children have so many Obvious Feelings just generally, and the queer ones and the ones with brain shit who have the context to peg me back I think... yeah. It's okay, though, because I have so many feelings right back for them, even though I have no idea how to go about showing it.