It was late in April, or early May, when trailers was released for what would soon become the love story of the summer. The name of the movie? Me Before You. I remember seeing the trailer for the first time as a commercial. Then I start to see it more often, and realize that the actor Sam Claflin (you may remember him as Finnick from the Hunger Games movies) is in the wheelchair! The question/curiosity of whether this is ableist gave me the answer during a Q&A with Sam Claflin on Twitter on May 23, using the hash tag #asksam. Who are the opponents fighting to be recognized? Disability activists.

In the days after the Twitter chat with Claflin, so many articles have shown up, either written by disability activists or journalists/bloggers about why Me Before You is an ableist film, along with the fact that people with disabilities do deserve to continue living. Isn't it considered bullying when telling people with disabilities that they are better off dead? After discovering what has happened, I started to think about writing my perspective on Me Before You. The two problems I had was that Me Before You is being slammed by activists (I could not write my perspective with words that are not mine), and I didn’t know the story to write about it. With some money on a Amazon gift card I got for my birthday, I bought the Kindle version of the book.

Despite the hatred and criticism surrounding Me Before You, I was prepared for whatever this book may hold. In the five days I have read this book, I have found plenty of ableism, indications of depression, and some mentions of suicide. For a book that has 27 chapters, along with a prologue and epilogue, this was an emotionally heavy book. Hollywood has made a consideration that Me Before You is a romantic comedy/a love story; after I finished reading Me Before You, I considered the story as a tragedy (almost like a modernized version of Romeo and Juliet). I've read the book, but I still have no plans to see the movie, as the story is revolting. When Me Before You could have actually given the representation for the disability community, it goes wrong by using Sam Claflin, an able-bodied actor, to portray as Will Traynor (a leading role with quadriplegia).

While reading Me Before You, I have managed to write quick notes on issues that comes up throughout the book using my iPad. Jotting down quick notes as I read leaves me with all kinds of feelings; some of these feelings include anger, depressed, stress, annoyed, upset, and trying to be empathetic while being analytical. When I was finally done reading, my heart was feeling heavy, and I am thinking: "how could this happen?” While it was a good read, and it allowed me to come up with my own perspective on Me Before You, I had run into some issues that the story has:

1. Louisa has a lack of experience.

In the beginning of the book, Louisa is looking for a job; when hearing about the job care assistant, Louisa assumed that caretaker was "wiping bottoms.” I found that a little annoying because care assistants are doing so much more than wiping people's butts.

2. Will's family is not so supportive; there is a huge lack of being there for him.

This issue comes up a couple of times, but Will's family as a whole can be seen as discouraging. Despite how many issues people with disabilities may encounter with their family, every family is different in accepting someone with a disability. The Traynor family appear as if they want to have nothing to do with Will.

3. There is contemplating of allowing Will to commit suicide.

What is there to contemplate about when Will's family could be there for him? This truly has triggered an annoyance because nothing is being done.

4. Louisa is hired to be on suicide watch.

Thought it was a care assistant job? It partly is, but let's throw in a plot twist that Louisa is actually doing suicide watch. The worst part is that Louisa had to find out while overhearing Will's mother and sister; Louisa also is the only one to be giving the emotional support that Will truly needs.

5. Being in the wheelchair is considered a form of punishment.

I am a wheelchair user, and I am proud of it. The wheelchair does help to give people with disabilities a sense of freedom. Able-bodied people should not judge wheelchair users if they have a lack of understanding of what being in a wheelchair is like.

6. Louisa tries to make experience better for Will, but it becomes uncomfortable.

With the new knowledge about being on suicide watch for Will, it becomes Louisa’s job to come up with adventures for Will to change his mind about considering to commit suicide. With Louisa’s first couple of tries, she has had made the experience more uncomfortable for Will to the point where there is some sympathy due to being disabled.

7. Camilla Traynor (Will's mother) criticizes Louisa for living her life.

Never mix personal life and work life. Louisa was making a decision to move into her boyfriend’s place, and Camilla finds out. Louisa was only moving out of her family home, but makes a comment about how she has been doing everything for Will while Will's family had not been there for him at all.

8. Louisa is hopeful, but Camilla expects something to happen.

While on suicide watch, Louisa does extensive research to find new adventures to get Will out of the house and possibly change his mind about committing suicide. The biggest challenge in this task is Camilla having high expectations for something to happen. We all have expectations when going into something, but we all need to remember how certain things can take a good amount of time before it can even happen.

9. Lack of emotional support.

Since the accident, Will no longer did anything and stays at home most of the time. Will struggles with depression and thinks of committing suicide due to having little to no emotional support from anybody he knows. Louisa is there for Will, but she is only one person; it is hard for her to be the only emotional support for Will.

10. It wasn't enough to change Will's mind.

This is the part where I started to consider Me Before You less as a romantic comedy, and more of a tragedy. Despite how much Louisa has planned and how big her plans were, it was not enough for Will. In making the confession, Will has told Louisa that he could not bear another day in the wheelchair and that he already made his final decision.

No matter how anybody feels about Me Before You, life is precious and we all should be living it despite anything that is against us.

If you or a loved one is suffering from depression, or considering suicide, please call 1-800-273-8255.