The last thing anyone wants is to be harassed.
It can be downright scary, especially if the person harassing you is a man and you are a woman.
TikToker and amputee Allison E. Long posted a video about an incident where a man harassed her because he assumed she was faking a disability.
“I’m at Walmart and I hang my pass,” she says, showing the pass hanging on her dashboard rearview mirror.
“And this middle aged man comes up to my window and knocks on it. I don’t roll my window down because it scared the **** out of me.”
“Through the glass, he’s telling me, ‘Miss, you can’t park there and you can’t use your Grandma’s pass and park in handicap.'”
It’s a common reality for people with invisible disabilities, many of whom receive unsolicited comments and questions from ignorant people who are oblivious to how rude they are.
“So, I fling my door open and show him this.”
She switches her shot to reveal her prosthetic leg.
“Excuse me, sir. I have one leg.”
He responds, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know!”
That’s right. He didn’t know. Yet he made an assumption and used it to harass her.
“You look too young to be disabled!” as if that gives him a free pass to judge and harass young people using handicapped parking cards.
“Sir, not every disability is visible. So don’t judge.”
Watch the full clip.
@allisonelang Second of all sir, I’ve been disabled my whole life… was i too young to be disabled at birth? Disability doesn’t have an age – anyone can become disabled at any age. Please stop approaching people in parking lots and calling them liars. When i wear pants you cant see my disability. #disability #disabilitytiktok #disabilityawareness #amputee #accessibleparking
Here’s what people are saying.
Many people shared similar stories. Why are people like this?!
I love this comeback. These ignorant jerks need to be put in their place.
No one should be abusing people just because they have invisible illnesses or disabilities.
Good! This is satisfying. I hope they reported him.
Oh, goodness. This makes no sense.
You have no idea what someone is going through.
Remember that and keep your mouth shut.
If you liked that story, check out this one about a Costco customer who got their cart stolen… so she hatched a plan to get it back!