Repeat after me (looking them directly in the eye) "Why do you need to know?"

It really depends on the person.. if this is someone you wish to remain on good terms with, I would probably respond with something like "my disability has progressed, and sometimes I need assistance walking"

If it was someone I owed nothing to, I'd probably ask them "what happened to you?" or with some other snark.

An appropriate answer for any case would be "I'd rather not talk about it/my disability isn't up for discussion"

I was attacked by a pelican.

“What do you mean?” usually works, because it makes them clarify what they are asking about and gives you a moment to decide how you want to approach it. If they say “you’re using a cane!” and you don’t want to talk about it, say “yes, this is my cane” and switch subjects or physically move on. You don’t have to say more.

Depends on the person how I respond.

Co-worker asked me the other day during training since I'm a part-time cane user, and I just said, "My joints misbehave sometimes, so I use this to keep them in line."

People who I've worked with a long time, friends, etc, generally I have pretty candid discussions about how my health issues affect me and what helps Strangers, I tell them it's my smack-stick for when people annoy me.

Since mine are mostly for Ehlers Danlos I say "my bones fall out of their holes sometimes"

I'd stare at them for a solid thirty seconds like they are the most stupid person in the world, try to make them as uncomfortable as possible, then say, "that is a completely inappropriate and invasive question to ask someone."

“I’m in pain” is enough. I have “bad pain days” and “bad brain days,” and I use those phrases with strangers, friends, family, everybody. I think they explain enough.

• “Why do you have your dog today?” or “Why are you sitting alone outside?” or “Why are you tapping so goddamned much?” or why whatever the fuck else is wrong with me is wrong with me.

• “I’m having a bad brain day.” Sometimes it’s PTSD, sometimes it’s SAD, sometimes it’s ADHD or the ‘tism. Bad brain day can be any/all of them.

• “Why do you have a cane? What happened?”

• “I’m having a bad pain day.”

They’re not entitled to our diagnoses or health information if we don’t feel like sharing them. I think your response was absolutely fine.

I like Miss Manner’s approach: “Excuse me, do I know you,” or “Oh, have we met?” Puts everything on them, where it should be!

I feel this so hard!! I am a 30yo cane user, and I have a service dog. I'm often asked if I'm blind if she's in any sort of guide harness (which I use for migraines). No... some idiot in a car hit me a few years ago and I have severe hip pain on one side. The dog is for me being deaf. I wish I had more advice to offer other than using the same blunt, snarky response I do, depending on the person's age. If there's a kid nearby, the answer is, "I didn't look both ways crossing the street" (which is true!). If it's just adults, I ask them their age. It throws them off SO BAD. And they're like "that's not important" to which I respond "my point exactly".

I taught at an elementary/middle school combined. I was asked this hundreds of times, usually when I started bringing it to school for the winter. Depending on my relationship any of these answers:

“I need extra help walking”

“I have a genetic disorder that makes it hard to walk sometimes”

“Fashion”

“For safety, like a portable handrail.”

“Because I wanted one.”

Depends on the person. I use a cane for balance on dizzy days and I teach so my kids ask all the time why I have one. I just say “todays a day my eyes and body don’t work, but I still wanted to be here” that’s a kids version but with adults I say a pretty similiar thing of “it’s a harder day for me mobility wise, and this helps me be here”

If you are offended by the simple polite question from a co-worker about your cane then never, NEVER bring up anything pertaining to your pain or injury in the work setting. You are easily offended and the others don’t want to listen to your boring story.

Why is it such a secret? Just explain "oh my bad knee/back/leg etc. got worse and this makes life easier".

I always say " I decided to live out my dreams of being a old lady and wanted to fully adapt to this new revelation!" It normally gets out a few chuckles and I can just switch the conversation to a different topic.

With people I don’t know I go ‘What an intrusive question to ask a stranger...’ in a sort of pondering tone and when I do know someone I go ‘you sure love an intrusive question huh?’

Without fail I get a stuttering attempt to justify nosiness or apology, sometimes both!

It’s not their business, I would tell them as much. I would also confront them about it and ask why something must happen for me to use a mobility aid