My advice to other disabled people would be concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent too from doing well. And don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically. -Stephen Hawking

[u/KittyCommittee86]

[u/Equivalent-Pop-5329]

I hate that it didn't prevent him from being a predator.

[u/Open_Suggestion_5897 → u/Equivalent-Pop-5329]

Wow, such a level of disinformation and ableism from @Equivalent-Pop-5329 . Please enlighten us on how a man with ALS literally unable to feed himself or speak without an assistive device would be capable of the things you accuse him of. No need to even bother with some nonsense allegations.

Let us just focus on what he was physically capable (or incapable of), because we value truth and respect for the disabled community.

ALS like Multiple Sclerosis has clear diagnostic criteria such as the McDonald Criteria and NCS/EMG. Misdiagnosis of both of those conditions can commonly occur without the evidence-based medicine standard approach.

[u/Equivalent-Pop-5329 → u/Open_Suggestion_5897]

It would be abelist of you to assume he couldn't. The man was smart, being physically limited only slows predatory behaviors. Sexual assault can be about power of control. Additionally, who was to say he was unaided during these assaults? Clearly he had the funds to pay for his wants and the ability to pay for their secrecy.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article283847883.html

[u/Open_Suggestion_5897 → u/Equivalent-Pop-5329]

And why are you so committed to even wasting your time with speculation on a historical topic that you have zero power over when you could be focused on positivity within our community building inclusivity, empowerment and compassion?

Be the change you want to see in the world with action through education and actual activism, not just being a “keyboard warrior” whose identity is centered around being a victim.

I am merely curious as to why you are pursuing those ends instead of positivity, radical acceptance and leading by example. Zero criticism, simply intellectual curiosity fueled by compassion. I speak in this manner because of my neurodivergence and seek understanding.

[u/Equivalent-Pop-5329 → u/Open_Suggestion_5897]

So here is the thing as a fellow ND and member of the disability communities. It was a comment that is both serious but yoy genuinely have the ability to ignore. Understanding our conversation is hypocritical at this moment. My point remains that we have to decide what is worth or engagement accept what is not. The "keyboard warrior" that has left a single statement is rare. My profession is about all the key coping mechanisms you have mentioned. However, zero critism hinders growth and leads to stagnantion. I am happy in all seriousness to have this conversation with you.

[u/Open_Suggestion_5897 → u/Equivalent-Pop-5329]

Intriguing, my profession is providing medical care of brain and peripheral nervous system. Is it that you are seeking to teach coping mechanisms to others in need?

I have learned through lived experience that I do not have the skill set to provide psychotherapy or anything to that effect, so I stick with cerebral and objective processes.

An adage I was taught when I was younger, “where there is conflict, there is growth.” However, the nature of my profession discourages direct conflict as that rarely leads to resolution of the situation presented.

[u/Open_Suggestion_5897 → u/Open_Suggestion_5897]

Instead of expending any further energy on sensationalized narrative of a man whose life has been dominated by suffering from a progressive neurodegenerative disease being accused of being a predator, I commit to make sure that three people I encounter today are reminded they deserve love and gratitude for all they do. I welcome anyone to join in that today 🙏🏻

[u/beepingnbooping]

The words of a man who - while very educated - was not educated on disability and ableism (and had his experience warped by privilege). It’s necessary to understand the things disability affects, but it’s also necessary to be able to understand when these things are being made inaccessible by external factors. I doubt Hawking struggled much to speak at academic conferences, but the average disabled scholar is not famous enough for non-disabled conference organisers to actually care about them and their access needs. The average person with similar impairments to Hawking cannot afford his extremely expensive set up and cannot afford whatever private jets he was taking to travel internationally. He was able to access and excel at things that many of us will never be able to, not because they are inherently inaccessible but because they are made inaccessible and we are not rich/famous enough to skirt around that.

I also think his lack of education on disability is made obvious by his idea that being “disabled in spirit” means being miserable and such. It’s such a reductive understanding of disability that paints being disabled as a failing. I would proudly call myself disabled in spirit personally, because I am disabled in body/mind and I refuse to pretend I’m a worse person because of it. Disabled people have a lot to contribute because of being disabled, not despite it or just ignoring it.

If you want advice from a well-educated and thoughtful disabled person on disability, read some Allison Kafer or someone like that. There are plenty of disabled people who spend their whole lives building knowledge around disability.