Along the way, disability bashing of my partner for using a walking stick occurred, a work capability assessment (WCA) of the same took place in which he was declared fit to work and four weeks later, miraculously and irritatingly arbitrarily, the DWP decided he was too ill to be placed even in the work-related activity group (WRAG). Friends who have too little money to do their weekly grocery shopping have gone hungry, the sick children they care for have nothing to look forward to but more institutionalised disability denial instead of a humane and inclusive transition into adulthood. Another friend was too skint to take herself to a work-capability assessment centre while yet another one with fatal heart disease faces eviction or, at best, an extortionate increase in rent she will not be able to pay, while her home-care situation is so bad she goes unassisted for hours, sometimes days. In the world of politics, we have seen the death of irony and, possibly satire (which appears to be the new reality), in conjunction with the fallout from the vastly irresponsible referendum.
Many I have spoken to ask themselves if we matter at all anymore and if there is even the slightest chance of being heard. I understand, and sometimes share, the feeling of hopelessness and a sense that while ‘anything goes’ nothing matters one bit.
..................well, you wouldn't have guessed it, of course.)