As Someone with Cerebral Palsy, Here's How I Made My House a Sanctuary
Getty Images // Illustration by Ananya Rao-Middleton
A year ago, when I moved into my own apartment, I aimed to cultivate a setting that made me feel safe. As a woman born with cerebral palsy, I have legs that bend inward at my knees when I walk, creating a gait that resembles scissors opening and closing with every step. Balance requires a near-constant focus in public, where my eyes perpetually scan for a clear path and I’m always on alert for anything that may act as a restful seat when needed: a bench, a step or in desperate cases a ledge. It can be tiring, though these considerations feel as natural as can be: I have to go to the grocery store and I want to visit a beloved restaurant, and sometimes that can take effort. But in private, I didn’t want to work as hard. When it came to my home, I hoped to mitigate the stress often posed by surroundings through furnishing with accessibility in mind.
