No One Should Be Shamed for Using a Mobility Aid

Taylor’s own mother has ME/CFS, and has received backlash from family members after using a wheelchair to attend a family wedding. “Wheelchairs are critical for this community,” Taylor says. “And it’s harmful to their access to daily life when they’re confronted for ‘not being disabled enough.’”

Though a wheelchair is the visual symbol for disability internationally, it’s far from the only tool. These days, Tang primarily uses a forearm crutch to walk around their neighborhood, as it fits on the narrow sidewalks. Their home, which they share with a roommate who is also disabled, is too small for an electric wheelchair. And while a regular wheelchair gives them some help moving freely, “they’re hard to propel,” says Tang. “Also, if you have hEDS, your shoulder might dislocate, which mine have.”

As a result, Tang uses a rollator most often. It has also made public transit more accessible. “I’ll sit on a train seat and put my legs up on my rollator, so I can have my legs elevated,” Tang says.