Thread by @Tinu

Lots of new people, hi! A thing I do every few nights is talk about #myspoons - in #spoonie parlance it’s shorthand referencing energy.

A #spoonie is a person w an invisible #disability. You might not realize it but we’re everywhere. If you're hiding illness you might be one.

The term comes from The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino (@bydls)

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Why should you care about #spoonies & our plight? Odds are you have one in your life. If you don't it may be you!

(We #spoonies hope not. We have great members, but we low-key hate that the club has to exist. Kinda like I love being black, hate racism.)

Tonight, some quick things you can do to help your neighborhood #spoonie. These may not apply to all, ask your #spoonie what theirs are.

#AbledAllies Tip #1. Believe us. We have no reason to fake our pain. Very few can, less do. If you're in doubt, offer to drive us to the Dr.

Kills two birds with one stone. We get a ride to our dozens of doctor trips a month, you'll get to see how much BS we go through.

#AbledAllies Tip #2. Ask us before giving advice about our ailments. Most of us HATE unsolicited advice. New #spoonies not as much. So. ASK.

#AbledAllies Tip #3. Please be understanding. Sometimes we literally cannot. Often we don't know that we can't until the last second.

Sometimes it means we can't go out. Sometimes we can't sit up. Or we can tweet then rest then tweet, but can't do a blog post.

We wish we could. We do our best to join the world. It's not always possible. Maybe bring the world to us sometimes?

Ok 2 more things. Then more rest. Been a day.

#AbledAllies Tip #4. Can you please think of us when you're building the world? When you're planning a protest? When you're having an event?

We'd love to be able to watch conferences we can't attend on livestream. Or present via Skype. We'd come out more if we could be comfy.

AbledAllies Tip #5. We're just people. Everyone has something extra. Our is a trait too. You're allergic to cashews, I have #chronicpain.

It's the world we're born into that makes #disability seem a bad thing. It's just a thing for me. I'm short. I don't love it. But I love me.

Fellow #spooonies if you have some tips for #AbledAllies please use the hashtag if you'd like me to amplify. Thanks for your attention!