Yes, I think about this too.  I was startled while watching the Gay and
Lesbian March in DC. I heard a public official from New York speaking to the
throng of spectators about groups that had been discriminated against.  He
never mentioned the disability community.  Furthermore, he stated that the
gay and lesbian communities suffered the most discrimination.  The crowd
cheered and applauded.  In all of this speech I heard not one mention of us.

What percentage of the gay and lesbian community is unemployed?

What about gay and lesbian attendant care?  Do they have to worry that their
things might be stolen, or that they will be sexually/generally molested?  Do
they have to worry that their attendant will not show up?

I'm not saying there is no discrimination there; I know full well there is
and plenty of it.  I say it just doesn't compare.

It's probably better elsewhere; I hope it is, but the H/C transportation here
might come and pick you up at your appointment time.  Better yet, they might
show back up to take you home.  "I know it was a doctor's appointment; get
over it!"  Then you look on your next doctor's bill and find a charge for
$95.00 -- missed appointment.  Why?  Because it's the third time this year
that Metro Access didn't pick you up, and the doctor's office is sick of
booking time for you and making book that you won't...uh...make the time.

What about accessible housing?  In the Washington Metropolitan area, your
nation's capital (if you're a US citizen), there are but a handful of places
where I can afford to live, and they are in questionable neighborhoods.
There is an affordable housing list (HUD); the waiting list is only one and a
half years long.  The only place, the ONLY place where I can afford to live
in this, my home town -- my father's and grandfather's hometown, family
hometown since the days of George Washington (John Carlyn), is the house
where I am living now.  When my Mom dies it will be my house.  This is not a
matter of gay bashing, but the town is heavily populated with gay and lesbian
people.  The point to be made is that they don't seem to be restricted to the
home of their parent, knowing that when he or she dies they will own
something in their own blasted home town. Angry -- hot -- livid?  You betcha.
 I'll have a federal retirement, my circumstances are excellent compared to
some of us.  If I can't live in my hometown without living with a parent (or
roommate), something is way wrong.

I truly have never felt so shoved around in my life (I know, "welcome to the
club").  Gays and Lesbians experience discrimination here, sure.  I don't
mean to imply that they don't, and I don't mean to imply that it isn't
serious.  But I'm willing to wager that it's a hell of a lot less than the
disability community knows, unless they can match all of the above examples.
Personally though, I'd settle just to know the employment figures.



In a message dated 05/21/2000 7:14:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<  I have been involved is other causes, but when it comes to disability
rights,
 I always have a nagging question at the back of my head. And that is: where
 are all the civil rights activists? Where are all the activists when it comes
 to disability rights? We are in this struggle by ourselves -- oh, a few AB's
 but nowhere in sight are the people who walked in the peace marches, nowhere
 in sight are the people who protested with Martin king, Jr..  So, I have
 decided to make disability rights my cause, because we can't count on the
 Able's.

  >>