Since becoming a full-time wheelchair user, I’ve learned to navigate more than aisles and doorways. Public spaces come with curious looks, awkward questions, and sometimes well-meaning but misplaced offers of help. Most of the time, these moments are easy to brush off with patience.
But one afternoon during a routine shopping trip, I experienced an interaction that was different. It wasn’t just uncomfortable — it highlighted how easily people can make assumptions about disability when they don’t understand what they’re seeing.
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