A lot of ableism isn't deliberate: that makes it more pernicious! A walker is representing being at lower faculty, by your description.
I tweeted this on the other site: "The way walkers are used in media/culture is truly revolting -- & this rep prevents ppl from using what is a useful tool."
Using the walker on the magazine cover is not deliberately ableist.
And at some point people are going to have to learn discernment and how to view creative media within the context it’s presented.
The walker on the cover is to the point of an elderly person no longer being at full faculty.
Walkers repeated used to point out infirmity/old age becomes fewer people being willing to use walkers or being seen using one. Walkers are mobility/stability tools: we might think of that as a neutral or even as a positive thing, if not for the cruddy way walkers are maligned - like in that cover.
i'm young and pretty and tall and outwardly look good at standing/short walks and i use a rollator and it fucking rocks: i can take instant sitting breaks as often as i need; it's extra support; and i get a basket for carrying shit.
i hope my being out in the world helps shift perceptions a bit.
