Being disabled in some way already comes with a whole host of extra difficulties, but one thing many folks aren’t prepared for is just how entitled other people can become. From the dumb misconceptions to truly bizarre comments, sometimes people need to learn how to hold their tongue.

A disabled woman shared her hilarious comeback to a man’s insensitive comment about her wheelchair. He had decided that it might actually be fun to “drive” around everywhere and didn’t take even a moment to consider his words. We reached out to her via private message and will update the article when she gets back to us.

Some people just can’t figure out how to not be insensitive

Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)

So one woman decided to make a man regret his rude comment

Image credits: evgenia1964 (not the actual photo)

Image credits: MrsL4747

Many people have regressive views of disability

Many disabled people have to contend with the fact that a lot of folks see them only in the context of their disability. Researcher Ria Cheyne has written that even positive portrayals of disabled folks “are widely assumed to be inherently regressive,” since they still “reduce” a person to the status of a disabled person, not just a whole human with their own achievements and desires.

This is ultimately dehumanizing, since the person ends up being treated as an “other” and not just a fellow human being. For example, in this story, the man fully ignores the reality of the woman’s life experience because he is momentarily enthralled by the idea of driving a shiny vehicle around a store. It’s insensitive at best and downright cruel at worst.

This isn’t just some fringe issue, around 10% of the human population is severely or moderately disabled. Yet they often remain somewhat invisible, creating the impression that disability is a lot more uncommon than it actually is. This is a vicious cycle, as people don’t come to grips with living around disabled people and, as a result, don’t work towards a world that makes it easier for them to actually be around.

Entitlement often removes a person’s ability to empathize with their fellow humans

This man’s comments, while not the pinnacle of anti-disability rhetoric, still represent the casual insensitivity some folks have. For example, openly talking about how great it would be to skip the lines at the airport or get access to disabled parking, while ignoring the fact that these are barely a salve for all the difficulties disabled folks face. These little “bonuses” are not bonuses, they are necessary for these folks to actually be able to leave the house and function.

However, entitlement does have a way of inhibiting people’s ability to sympathize. The man saw a “fun toy” and immediately made a terrible joke about it. The fact that he regretted it is little comfort to the larger issue, that he didn’t even see the issue with his words until the woman pointed it out.

Unfortunately, the internet is absolutely littered with stories of entitlement, as people just manage to have no sympathy or even common understanding with others. At least in this case, the woman was able to put him in his place very quickly and, one hopes, actually make him think a little more about her situation and his actions.

Other folks shared similar encounters

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