the political hug of a crip!

There's nothing so annoying as the 'Political Hug of a crip'.

Now I use the word 'Crip' in the same way gay people sometimes use 'queer'. It confronts and it is an unashamed expression about your own lived experience / reality. My strap line of who I am is 'The Crip with the Whip'. I don't find the word in any way offensive. i embrace it. i love it.

You need to have been in the disability movement a long time to understand disability language and even so many have different views about it.

But its not language here that worries me - it's HUGS. and HUGS come in all shapes and in all guises.

'The Political Hug' is very pernicious and deceptive.  The hugging politician is predominantly male, white, not disabled and keen to self-promote.  And a really GREAT way to win votes is the 'Crip Hug'.

The Crip Hug takes many forms...I've sort of described them with useful 'titles'  Some hugs are non-contact, others contact. All have the same meaning and purpose. Political gain.

1. The creeper huger = they weasel their way through a crowd of 'normal's' to get near YOU , yes, the one in the wheelchair - you spot them coming - your spine goes tingly in creepiness denial - but they insist /persist, more the chance to get that all important 'pic with a crip' photo  shoot. you've just no idea how valuable this pic is
2. The Bow Huger - these come up to you and bow at the middle - over you, above you, eyes bore into the hair roots of you. its sorta like an umbrella man (or woman) . You have to bend your head back to look up to converse with the 'bow-er'. 
3. The Squeeze Huger - this is defo hands on. Its the arm around the shoulder or waist, drawing you closer. Like Daddy used to when a child. Oh but Daddy it ain't. It's the touchy feeley pose for a Political Hug a crip day! 
4. The Lean -on huger - This is a tired politician - leaning on your wheelchair for support. Its the politician careful not to touch - but does touch - but its not your body but your wheelchair. That's ok - yes?  NO! Its NOT OK. it's never OK.  
5. The hold your hand huger - OK Daddy appears again, holds your hand. Its solidarity - aint it?! I mean holding hands is nice - yeh?  NO! 
6. The Gift Huger - on a cold day Enda Kenny gave a cup of tea - or was it coffee? To Martin Naughton - God Rest his soul, outside Leinster House. Martin of course was a-begging respect, dignity, equality and got.....a cup of coffee ...or was it TAE?  But that is not a hug you might think/say.  Oh but it is. it SO is. 
7. The Pole Huger - this is statuesque. Its that important pose of the politician. Stand beside, behind, but stands tall - beside, behind the crip in a wheelchair. This looks like equality - until you look in the eyes. 
8. The Charity Huger - now this huger engages in all things disability charity. The political hug is Charity support, fund raising, marathon, walk, hospital visit...etc This is a GRAND huger. So look - yeah - isn't He (or She) just GRAND. Saint Politician? 
9. The video-film huger - I'll just film myself at your protest and put it on my blog. OK?

there's lots more...where they come from...and not just politicians either. 

Are there no nice, welcome hugs? 

yes, there are...when a politician hugs you for no other reason other than to shout 'WE WON', 'WE GOT IT' , 'WE DID it' 'WE MADE IT'.   I love the 'WE HUGER'  the 'nothing about us - without us huger. The Social model huger. The rights huger. The REAL huger. The NO political gain huger. The no photo huger...

they are ok 

i'm off to bed.