Gregory Mansfield (@GHMansfield) / X

Gregory Mansfield

35K posts

Gregory Mansfield

@GHMansfield

Disabled Lawyer. Disability Rights and Disability Justice. Gregoryhmansfield at gmail.

NYC

Joined October 2011

Pinned
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jul 29, 2018
Man at bus stop seeing me, a wheelchair user: “I don’t have time to wait for a wheelchair to get on.” Wheelchair users know about waiting.The resistance to us riding buses kept them inaccessible for years. Your wait is minimal. Our wait for access persists.
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Feb 24, 2022
Me, a wheelchair user: “What are you doing?” Man on bus: “I’m hanging my groceries on the back of your wheelchair. I don’t want to put the bag on the floor.” Me: “Please take if off now.” Hanging anything on someone’s wheelchair without consent is unacceptable.
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Aug 14, 2023
Hospital staff enters my room, sees wheelchair and asks: “Is this your wheelchair?” Me: “Yes.” Staff: “Can I borrow it for a while to transport another patient?” Me: “Sorry. I don’t loan my chair to anyone. It never leaves my sight.” Don’t ask to borrow someone’s wheelchair.
3.8M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Aug 17, 2024
Hospital staff: “Can I use your wheelchair for another patient?” Me: “I’m sorry. I don’t let my chair out of my sight.” Staff: “Are you sure? It’s just for a little while? Me: “I’m sure.” (Staff shakes head and leaves) Don’t ask to borrow a wheelchair user’s wheelchair.
1.9M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jun 6, 2022
Nondisabled man on bus sitting in wheelchair seat: “I’m not moving. I was here first.” Bus driver: “If you don’t move so I can let the guy in the wheelchair on, I’m putting the bus out of service. Now, please move.” (Man moves) Nicely done, bus driver.
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Sep 3, 2023
Roommate in hospital: “This is the third time they asked me if I want to sign a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order. I wish they would stop. I don’t want a DNR.” Repeated requests concerning a DNR order are ableist, coercive and harassment. No means no.
2.2M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jul 26, 2023
Me a wheelchair user boarding the bus: “Where am I supposed to go? Bags are blocking the wheelchair section.” Owner of baggage: “I was here first.” Bus Driver: “Are you disabled?” Owner: “No.” Bus Driver: “This is wheelchair priority. You have to move.” Nicely done, bus driver.
820K
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jul 24, 2023
Hospital employee: “Do you have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate order)? Me: “No.” Employee: “Do you want one?” Me: “No.” Employee: “Why not?” Me: “I want to be resuscitated.” A DNR is a personal decision. Extensive questioning about it is coercive and harassment.
1.7M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jul 1, 2023
Doctor to me a wheelchair user: “I’d like to examine you. Can you get on the exam table?” Me: “No. Not without assistance. It’s much higher than my wheelchair.” Doctor: “Ok. Maybe next time.” Doctor’s post-visit notes: “Patient declines exam.”
1.6M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jun 17, 2023
X-Ray Tech to me, a wheelchair user: “Can you walk?” Me: “No.” Tech: “Can you stand?” Me: “No.” Tech: “Can you hop up on the table?” Me: “No.” Tech: “With your disability, this won’t be easy.” Me: “If you had an accessible exam table, it would be easy.”
1.2M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Aug 8, 2023
Me, a wheelchair user, to 3 people standing & talking on curb ramp: “Can I get get down the ramp?” Person: “Can’t you see we’re talking?” Me: “If you stay on the ramp, I can’t cross the street.” Person: “You can’t wait until we’re done? That’s rude.” Seeking access is not rude.
999K
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Apr 26, 2023
Bus driver to passenger in wheelchair seat: “Can you please switch seats? I have a guy in a wheelchair getting on.” Passenger: “No. I was here first.” Driver: “Are you disabled?” Passenger: “No.” Driver: “Then you need to move.” Passenger: “This is unfair.” Nicely done, driver.
910K
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Dec 20, 2022
Man at bus stop: “Who gets on first, us or the wheelchair?” Woman at bus stop: “We should get on before the wheelchair. It’s cold waiting here.” Bus driver: “The wheelchair gets on first.” Does anyone realize there’s a person using the wheelchair?
1.2M
Gregory Mansfield
@GHMansfield
Jul 13, 2024
Hospital staffer: “We’re going to keep your wheelchair out in the hallway.” Me: “No. I need it at bedside. I never let it out of my sight.” Staffer: “Sorry. It’s protocol.” Me: “I don’t care about protocol. It stays here.” Don’t ever separate a wheelchair from a wheelchair user.
516K