AIBU to feel upset by comments about disability rights at work?

[constantlyoverthinking00]

I had cancer 4 years ago and when I returned to work I had a few reasonable adjustments. I work in retail so one was use of a chair if I felt tired and the other was shorter days (mornings). Without these adjustments I would have struggled.
Some of my colleagues were resentful towards me because of them and I was subjected to a lot of hurtful comments.
I ended up leaving and have recently started at another job. Yesterday there was a conversation going on about disabled people during lunch and one colleague said - so disabled people get more rights than normal people you get discriminated for being normal these days, its better to be abnormal.
As someone classed as disabled under the Equality Act it hurt to be called abnormal. Not sure if I am just over reacting or being over sensitive due to past experiences in the workplace.

I always say … shall we swap and you get to feel how I feel and live / suffer like I do and I will have your healthy body / life … I empathise with you OP. People who don’t have a medical issue will never understand- until they have to 😕 !

I think you just have to brush it off. Everyone has opinions good or bad. Disability rights should be supported big problem is company's not compensating by recyritng extra staff etc so sometimes ends up follow workers having to take more of the work etc

The person who said that is an ableist arsehole.

I know it's easier said that done but please try to ignore because their opinion on the subject isn't worth tuppence.

I feel you on that. I was told in my job that I can't be seen to have too many reasonable adjustments because others will think I've got something they haven't, and it's not fair.

I would swap with them any day to be healthy and not need the adjustments.

Everyone seems to (rightly) go on about stopping sexism, misogyny, homophobia, but ableism and disabled people are yet again always left out.

There is vast amounts of agism everywhere, everyday. The world isn’t woke.
it isn’t that disabled people are getting left out. White people are being stabbed by racists. Girls are being raped by mysogynists.

it’s called Life.

Everyone seems to (rightly) go on about stopping sexism, misogyny, homophobia, but ableism and disabled people are yet again always left out.

Yes, I was thinking of this recently with all the visibility of pride - why isn’t there equivalent time, money, attention given to other protected characteristics?

I suppose the answer is that those who shout the loudest seem to get the most attention.
Also, for many companies it’s cheap and easy to put rainbow flags up, but accommodations for disabled employees might end up costing them money, so they don’t bother.

Sorry OP, it’s shit.

A disgusting thing to say and also just really really stupid.

Yanbu

I empathise. I have reasonable adjustments in my role (slightly more WFH than the rest of the team) and although I do work in a lovely team and my manager is excellent, I feel guilty and end up burning myself out working extra hours trying to make up for it which is weird but I can’t help it. No one has ever said anything to my face and my manager assures me no one has said anything to her either but I can’t help feeling it does cause some resentment.

Blooody help what’s wrong with people?! Tell them they’re out of line or just go to HR and complain about discrimination

You aren't unreasonable, but are oversensitive. People often get jealous of what they see as special treatment, which is what reasonable adjustments can look like.
Ignore the comments.

You are enjoying your knee jerk offended position. Good luck with it. Have a look for the anti Agism marches and flags, while you’re at it.

Be careful I did this and I’ve ended up applying for and being approved for I’ll health retirement which is ok for me but o literally hibernated when not working for a couple of years, lunchtime snoozes a d when I got worse I had to retire as I could no longer work like that

Can look like to ableist short sighted idiots perhaps!

I think the word you're looking for is 'ageism'. I'm not sure what you think it has to do with this thread. If you just want a rant, why don't you start your own thread?

Some people are just shits. Most people are kind and compassionate and I hope you meet more of them.

I've said this for years

Pronouns at work etc are a way for companies to pretend they care about inclusion without any effort or inconvenience

See also, TWAW is a men's rights movement

You've left out what (if anything) you said to them?

HR are part of the problem! I did get (some) adjustments but can't help but feel they are a closely guarded secret with management.

Unfortunately this sort of attitude is on the rise. It stems from very right wing thinking and insidiously creeps into society. By media, social and mainstream.

There are people who are not disabled who exaggerate and pretend to be. This then gets turned into all disabled people are bad.

The same people who think disabled people should be killed at birth never imagine their own child might become sick, maimed or develop a condition or disability. They may well also hate anyone who is brown and in all probability will dislike anyone who is gay.

It is a mindset that we must not accommodate. It leads to a very bad uncivilised place.

I would let your new manager know. And whilst hard, and especially in a new office it is best to speak up and explain you are sure they didn’t mean to be offensive but that what has been said is to you. And to many people. Keep terribly polite and nice. But don’t let it ride.

Sadly some people just don’t understand what’s it’s like to be in a disabled persons shoes.

It's awful, and I'm sorry. People, quite rightly, get annoyed if outdated language that's now considered racist/sexist is deliberately and mockingly used. People with disabilities are expected to tolerate this, and be left in physical pain, and have to pay for treatment/devices they might need (the NHS does not pay for a lot of the things).
Yet abelism is taken less seriously! Report them, please. Would you report a man who pinched a 16 year old girl's bum if she was working there (this used to be seen as fine, by some people)? Decent people need to challenge offensive behaviour.

Just to say I much prefer the term disability discrimination to ableism.
Disability discrimination is clear and to the point. And everyone would understand its meaning.
I am less convinced saying to someone they are ableist that this would be so.

There is no justification for behaving in such a way towards someone with a disability. No matter how you want to try to do so.
None.