Reacting to 'Lazy' Product Ad Comments [CC]

In my previous video, we talked about how hatred for laziness impacts disabled people, in this video we're going to respond to some comments beneath the ads for some "lazy" products to discuss how they are used as accessibility tools. You say lazy, we say accessible.

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Annie Segarra (Annie Elainey) creates mainly first-person videos on introspective topics, social topics, sharing her experiences and thoughts on disability, body image, LGBT topics, gender equality, etc, as well as creative content; a variety of music/artistic media and short films. Annie identifies as a queer disabled (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) Latinx woman and uses she and they pronouns.

[CapriUni]

Also (regarding the comment that the people in the ads don't look disabled, even beyond the point of "not all disabilities *look* like disabilities"):

If the companies who make these products *DID* market them as items made for disabled people, then they'd have to get the products approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) which can take *years* and jack up the price by orders of magnitude, and would mean that you'd have to get a doctor to sign off on it before you could buy, and hope that insurance would pay for it … All for a cleverly shaped piece of plastic that makes it possible to get dressed by yourself.

Marketing these things to the "General Public" keeps them accessible, both in terms of just being able to find them and afford them. (Besides, the Disabled *are* the "general public").

[LiteraryStoner]

As someone who was born disabled it will never cease to infuriate me that people assume all disabled people are old. "you're too young to need that cane" "you're too young to need that wheelchair" "you're too young to be in all that pain" I was born this way but...ok sure. Of course people can also become disabled AT ANY AGE.


Wonderful video!

[felsi]

The comment with the socks and the people in the add being young... I get the comment soooo often. "Why are you wearing old peoples tights" or "You are to young to have this". Because a lot of people believe that only old people need medical compression tights when people like me need them to be able to walk without pain.

[littlebeeandnutmeg]

When I take the elevator one level at my uni and people say it’s lazy and why bother and how it’s just inconveniencing them from getting to their higher levels faster. Their ignorance hurts my feelings and pressures me to take the stairs when I shouldn’t

[silverbroom]

I hate how this is clearly about not giving a crap about disabled people. Because inventions like dishwashers, washers and dryers, TV remotes, drive through car washes, etc. aren’t considered lazy or wasteful, and the only difference is that they’re tools that also help abled people. Once it’s something that is not of use to them, the rest of us can just be thrown under the bus.

[Rachel]

I use a straw because I have trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disease that affects my lips on my affected side. Drinking straight from a glass causes me a lot of pain. With a straw, I can not only position the straw on my non-affected side (TN affects only one side of my face), but aim the liquid so that it doesn't touch the affected sides of my tongue or mouth. TN is known to the medical community as one of the worst pains a human can experience, and straws greatly improve my quality of life.

As for other things that get overlooked, I wear a face mask/balaclava outdoors, even in the summer. Wind, cold, and rain are huge triggers for TN, and the masks help a lot! Laws that ban face coverings, which are always rooted in anti-Islam hatred (and maybe also surveillance), would be totally inaccessible to me. Like, I would literally never be able to leave my house.

[pandapunkscreate]

I think a big one that people don't think about is services like doordash, uber eats, or even grocery delivery services. There are times I'm in too much pain to get up and go to the store. There are times when I'm in so much pain I can't even deal with cooking. Am I supposed to just starve? Services like this provide me with a way to get some form of sustenance, even on my worst flare days.

[imnotirish]

The spaghetti twirling fork is a product that is called "lazy." It looks great for people with arthritis.

[emcrolls]

Also people are so quick to dismiss “Adaptive” equipment as laziness or luxury but wheelchair/DME are assumed to grow on trees and all be the same. No, finding your best fit for equipment often takes years and reams of paperwork. There are choices, but not luxury. It’s do you want to function or not?

[Lellowcake]

Mandolin/vegetable slicers, pre-made salads, audiobooks, pre-sliced/grated cheese.

A more expensive one is the need for an exercise machine instead of a gym membership/exercising outdoors.

[omnichrome]

My 12 year old child with an autism diagnosis uses the sock slider because it helps them properly align their socks so they can put the socks on correctly. They also used plastic straws until recently (though they used a reusable type) due to the oral sensory input it provided (including being able to bite it). People with oral sensory issues often benefit from straws to help them so they don’t harm themselves (or others) through biting/chewing or other harming outlets to meet these needs.

[barrelracer]

I blame marketing. These useful products for individuals with disabilities, but the adds make it seem like it's only for lazy people because the marketing team failed.

[mycomments]

I called out people out in, ' the vegan of New York ' Facebook group for their attitude about their anti cut up produce. One of the people ignorantly said if a person couldn't cut up fruit she doubt if they are living alone. 🙄

[susanwilliams]

Another one for your list of straw users :) Some blind folks. For me as a functionally blind, Autistic person, my personal go to is reusable silicone straws, because I have sensory issues with plastic and metal (but others could just as easily have sensory issues with all reusable straws but not the plastic disposable kind.)
Keeping a glass level and drinking from it without a straw is normal for many blind people, but really tricky for others, I don't find it too bad, but a straw can be nice. The main thing I use straws for is cups with lids. I knock over my glass around the house multiple times a week, with a cup with a lid and a small hole for a straw I can keep the mess to a minimum. It means I can stay hydrated withlout sharing it with the floor. Especially since I have to lightly flavour my water with juice or cordial because of sensory issues meaning I gag on straight water.
I love that you didn't blast other types of straw, too many people do with the 'straw debate'. Disposable plastic straws should absolutely be readily and legally available, but they aren't the best option for everyone, and the outrage people rightly feel at the banning of plasticv straws too often turns into outrage at all reusable or alternative straw tyopes. Variety in accessibility aids is good for everyone, the more potential options, the more likely you are to find something right for you.
Thank you Annie, another beautiful vid

[NorseButterfly]

The electric shopping cart at the grocery stores. I get so many dirty looks when I use one, I just don't even bother, even on really high pain days. I'd rather skip grocery shopping than deal with people.

[HowCaseySeesIt]

Such a wonderful video. Thank you so much for speaking up about this. I can’t drive so I get groceries delivered to my house and I’ve heard people call those services lazy before. It’s sad.

[Penguinspolarvears]

Thank you!! Awhile ago I was in my class and all my peers were saying technology makes people lazy and I said technology helps me as a blind person to do my chores and they dismissed me. Cancel ableism!

[mikkicapra]

Amazingly many of these “Lazy” designs and products are actually designed for people with disabilities. However, marketing teams have determined that products are more profitable when anyone in the public uses them and that people won’t buy a product if the person using it in the ad are disabled.

TL;DR: many of these products are for disabled people, but marketers want more money and so market the item in a way that is harmful.

[mxpronounced]

"We'll survive on the dollar menu" is pretty funny to me because it's so freaking accurate. So many of us live off of benefits since we can't work, some aren't even that lucky. If I can't cut my own fruits and vegetables, my other option is often cheap junk food.

[nergregga]

I sometimes need straws because cafes often use unwieldy cups and overfill them, so it's impossible for me to lift them without spilling. I'm privileged because my problem is easily solved by getting a to go cup or a travel mug but I don't always have access to those.