Every time I read the “Toph is a bad example of a disabled character because of her bending.” I want to Physically leap over a table and then flip that table because NO!!!! You do not understand!!!
Toph’s bending is assistive technology!!! It’s a medical aid!!!!!
Toph’s bending allows her to full access her world the same way my mobility aids do, or my medication does. There are times when due to inaccessible surroundings that her aids are rendered harder or impossible to use.
Not unlike my own greatest enemy, stairs.However, when she is fully accommodated she’s able to be just as successful and thrive just as much as an able-bodied person albeit differently. Which is the ultimate goal of assistive technology.Toph’s parents also tried to limit her bending because they saw her as dependent upon them, which is a great example of how society denies disabled people access to assistive technology.
A lot of people have a weird (ableist) assumption that if you show a disabled person being in any way competent, like Edward Elric, Solid Snake, Bentley, Darth Vader or Hiccup, it somehow negates the fact they’re actually disabled
Toph and Edward Elric really work for me because I never once felt like the writers forgot they were disabled. Edward is constantly repairing his prosthetics. Toph can’t read or use her aids on certain surfaces. And these aren’t things that show up once and then never again - they’re constantly referenced through the shows.
Particularly love the scene atop the airship where Toph is rendered thoroughly blind by her standing on an unbendable surface, and Sokka offers her his arm for stability.
It’s so subtle but illustrates how her friends support Toph without treating her as helpless.
strangefestivalbread liked this
strangestcase liked this i-beg-your-pardonn liked this
timdrakessweatyhands liked this
sp00nz liked this
takibikaen liked this
therebelknights reblogged this from rebelknight
renza15 liked this pitbullterrier12 reblogged this from sokkastyles
pitbullterrier12 liked this
its-booklovr reblogged this from zutaraverse
its-booklovr liked this gemsandjunk liked this
spookymirrorsprite liked this
81441thebooknerd reblogged this from questionable-bones-n-slime eatersgrin liked this
seaweedthegenie liked this gift3d reblogged this from vriskca
chicken-scratch-on-the-wall reblogged this from asbestostrain
insertaceattorneypun liked this yoshspace liked this
paravellex liked this
ideaticaphelion reblogged this from vriskca
ideaticaphelion liked this
techniic0l0r liked this
vriskca reblogged this from cure-cosmo
apri-aego liked this
riftwingdesigns reblogged this from cyrilthewolf
riftwingdesigns liked this gnomeniche liked this
vikingsquash reblogged this from picrossingguard
knife-teeth liked this salamandersorcerer reblogged this from turntechbookworm
atropicalyptic reblogged this from spooky-lord
krispyjb reblogged this from snow-points
weisskreuz reblogged this from snow-points
snow-points reblogged this from picrossingguard
snow-points liked this owlcreme liked this
picrossingguard reblogged this from cure-cosmo
kaylakat2 reblogged this from asbestostrain
greasy-ice-cream liked this
turntechbookworm reblogged this from spooky-lord
turntechbookworm liked this
bopeepwritingsheep posted this
- Show more notes