[Harp-L] My Experience with Ableism in the Harmonica Community

[Amy Rister]

I'm very nervous right now as I haven't posted in a while and wondering how
are people going to react to me now because I was bullied off the forum the
first time I was in here. People haven't been the most kind to me,
especially the certain type of harmonica player whom thinks that I'm
mentally unwell, I should learn to "control" my disabilities or everybody
should ignore me just because I have an experience that this type of player
never had to deal with. Ableism is in every community, including the
harmonica sphere. I feel like I'm the only one who experiences this type of
hate. I'm not baiting or manipulating anything or anyone, but I have to be
strong and not to refer anybody who bullied me by name.
>From the many players on this forum that I've met prior on Facebook have
told me that I should go to dangerous therapies that will cause me trauma,
to quit thinking about my special interest, to give up the instrument
because I'd hyperfixate on my favorite player or I found his stuff too be
very difficult months before I met my teacher, that I should play like a
certain artist because he's "more successful" than my favorite or more
"bluesy" than him, that I should work a "normal job" and not be a musician
or file for disability because I appear to be "high functioning", and I
even got called the R slur because I don't like a popular song that the
general public liked. I wish to be treated as an equal and even though some
people out there are nice, I've met more mean people more than the nice
ones.
To the people that my mom sent emails because you were complaining about me
and my disability, either be nice to me or don't interact with my posts. I
shouldn't have to mask myself for your pleasure nor be talked to as if I'm
a baby. To everybody else, I hope you have a nice day.

Sincerely,
Amy Rister