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Blog: Unpacking Disability

Welcome! This blog developed very slowly, from a single, deaf neurodivergent girl’s dating escapades to a solid, middle-aged deaf neurodivergent mom’s resource library and place to voice opinions. I’ve come a long way. Sometimes I wince while reading older posts. But that’s part of the process, isn’t it.

text reads "opinion" and has an image of a brown girl in pink jacket, hands at waist with upturned face, looking serious/confrontational

Opinion

unpacking, understanding & empowering: disability

Parenting

parenting with & without a disability, parenting kids with disabilities

text reads "community" over and over against a yellow background

Community

cross-disability community: stories, interviews

grey background, with a child with brown skin and curly afro hair smiling while signing. text reads "resources"

Resources

disability-specific resources, systemic navigation, “how-to”

text reads, "Media" image of a filmstrip with a woman making faces

Reviews

book, movie, clothing, product reviews with disability in mind

Latest Blog Posts!

FaceTime Captions and How to Turn On FaceTime Captions - image of a person's back as they face a phone and talk to a friend on FaceTime

FaceTime Has Captions! Here’s How to Enable Them

Read More FaceTime Has Captions! Here’s How to Enable Them

deaf books, books with deaf characters, image of the cover of the book, true biz

A List of Great Books with Deaf Characters

Read More A List of Great Books with Deaf Characters

image of a black woman with strong hair wearing a black t-shirt that has deaf slang words on it in rainbow colors. made by elevenbee, a deaf-led company

Deaf Made Gifts: Support Deaf Businesses!

Read More Deaf Made Gifts: Support Deaf Businesses!

google chrome captions - image of a laughing woman against an orange background. text in caption format reads "google chrome will caption anything. here's how"

Chrome Can Add Live Captions to ALL Videos! Here’s How

Read More Chrome Can Add Live Captions to ALL Videos! Here’s How

actually deaf content creators deaf influencers and deaf performers

46 Actually Deaf Influencers and Content Creators to Follow

Read More 46 Actually Deaf Influencers and Content Creators to Follow

speech to text apps: a man with glasses has his mouth open and letters are flying out

The Best Speech to Text Apps for Live Captions & Recording

Read More The Best Speech to Text Apps for Live Captions & Recording

Blog Posts on Disability Pride

Why have disability pride? Is there even such a thing, and doesn’t that feel… wrong somehow if you are told you are supposed to overcome it all, struggle with it?

Let’s talk about this.

do we have to feel disability pride? image of a square peg being shoved into a round hole

Why Do We Need to Feel Disability Pride?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This is a discussion essay on disability pride, models of disability, sparkle sauce and glitter…

the disability pride flag: parallel stripes of red, yellow, white, blue and green with a light black background

Updated: The Disability Pride Flag

Reading Time: 4 minutes

the disability pride flag: what it represents, who it’s for

pride is a protest: image of a head of a peacock, blue, looking out to the distance

Pride is a Protest: The Radical Act of Cultivating Disability Pride

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This is about developing disability pride. You can listen to me read it by clicking…

3 reasons to say disability instead of special needs

3 Reasons to Say “Disability” Instead of “Special Needs”

March 1, 2017

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Read More 3 Reasons to Say “Disability” Instead of “Special Needs”

the disability rights movement

A Short History of the Disability Rights Movement

April 28, 2022

·

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Read More A Short History of the Disability Rights Movement

ID: cultural value of disability: a face with paint parks all over it looks up in an expression of fierce thought, arms seem outstretched with green, red and multicolored cloth on. background is green and rust red

The Cultural Value of Disability

October 10, 2021

·

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Read More The Cultural Value of Disability

Disability pride and acceptance of disability: penguins all of the same color and a blue penguin in the middle

How to Grow Your Disability Pride

February 7, 2021

·

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Read More How to Grow Your Disability Pride

So Many More Blog Posts on Disability, Wellness, Movie Reviews…

lipreading

“Can You Read My Lips?”: The Lipreading Experience

>Read< “Can You Read My Lips?”: The Lipreading Experience

definitions of little d deaf, big D Deaf and Hard of hearing; woman appearing asian holds up hands in sign for I love you

The Definitions of Deaf, deaf and Hard of Hearing

>Read< The Definitions of Deaf, deaf and Hard of Hearing

definition of disability, definition of disability pride, disability rights movement

Definitions of Disability, Disability Pride

>Read< Definitions of Disability, Disability Pride

amazon prime day with a focus on deals for the disability community

Best Prime Day Deals with Disability in Mind

>Read< Best Prime Day Deals with Disability in Mind

Moxie’s Going to Camp!

Moxie’s Going to Camp!

>Read< Moxie’s Going to Camp!

girl with Down syndrome smiles, she has light brown hair, big red glasses and is tilting her head. she holds a brochure for pals camp. text reads "sponsor moxie to get to camp"

Sponsor Moxie to go to Camp!

>Read< Sponsor Moxie to go to Camp!

Aging with Cerebral Palsy

Aging with Cerebral Palsy

>Read< Aging with Cerebral Palsy

image of a white baby with black hearing aids. orange and red background with white text reading "does medicare cover hearing aids?"

Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?

>Read< Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?

Best Books for Understanding Autism in Women & Girls

Best Books for Understanding Autism in Women & Girls

>Read< Best Books for Understanding Autism in Women & Girls

This is Why You Shouldn't Buy in to the Blue or the Puzzle

“Light It Up Blue” is Bad. This is Why You Shouldn’t Buy in to the Blue or the Puzzle

>Read< “Light It Up Blue” is Bad. This is Why You Shouldn’t Buy in to the Blue or the Puzzle

Developmental Disability Awareness Interviews: image of 4 circles with images of people inside the circles: one is a white woman with glasses, wearing a green shirt, with short light hair, one is a black person with short curly hair and nose ring with a purple shirt, one is an asian man with a suit on, with short dark hair, and one is a Latin man wearing a suit and glasses

Get the Real Story on Developmental Disability Awareness: 4 Interviews

>Read< Get the Real Story on Developmental Disability Awareness: 4 Interviews

differences between fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: woman in gray long sleeve shirt

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Understanding the Differences and Similarities

>Read< Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Understanding the Differences and Similarities

Bridging the Gap: Neurodivergent Girls Connect!

Bridging the Gap: Neurodivergent Girls Connect!

>Read< Bridging the Gap: Neurodivergent Girls Connect!

Fibromyalgia: Treatments and Cures

>Read< Fibromyalgia: Treatments and Cures

Fibromyalgia and Lupus

>Read< Fibromyalgia and Lupus

Alexa as disability accommodation - image of a girl with Down syndrome smiling by an Alexa device

Alexa: The Disability Accommodation You’ve Been Waiting For

>Read< Alexa: The Disability Accommodation You’ve Been Waiting For

woman and girl looking at each other

Love Grows Courage

>Read< Love Grows Courage

how to use air pods as hearing aids

How to Use Air Pods as Hearing Aids

>Read< How to Use Air Pods as Hearing Aids

Super Bowl 2023 ASL Performances for Rihanna and Pregame and Plain Indian Sign Language

Here’s the ASL Performances from the Super Bowl

>Read< Here’s the ASL Performances from the Super Bowl

is fibromyalgia a women's disease? image of a woman holding her neck., she expresses pain

How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Women?

>Read< How Does Fibromyalgia Affect Women?

choosing moxie: a birth story of bravery, disability and down syndrome

Choosing Moxie

>Read< Choosing Moxie

scholarships for students with disabilities

Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

>Read< Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

enabling live captions on chrome: image of a woman with light skin and brown hair and eyes pointing to a computer screen and looking back with a faint smile

How to Enable Live Captions in Google Chrome

>Read< How to Enable Live Captions in Google Chrome

woman with glasses and red hair with a fluffy black dog. in a polaroid looking photo, text reading "almost 50: part 2"

Almost 50, Part 2

>Read< Almost 50, Part 2

with Down syndrome are not what we expected! image of 4 children or young adults with Down syndrome, of various ethnicities.

Our Kids with Down syndrome Are Not What We Expected!

>Read< Our Kids with Down syndrome Are Not What We Expected!

time, the middle aged mom and me. photo of white lady with reddish blonde hair and a black cat on her shoulder. she is wearing thick glasses and smiling slightly

Almost 50

>Read< Almost 50

ID: green background with a woman's head peeping up with eyes looking up at the text that reads "scholarships for the deaf and hard of hearing" against a lighter green background

Scholarships for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Huge Guide

>Read< Scholarships for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Huge Guide

ID: purple interlocking triangles, symbols of moebius syndrome

Get to Know Moebius Syndrome: The Rare Condition Affecting 1 in 50,000

>Read< Get to Know Moebius Syndrome: The Rare Condition Affecting 1 in 50,000

the thyroid gland, nestled in the neck like a butterfly

Do You Have a Thyroid Problem? Here Are the Symptoms

>Read< Do You Have a Thyroid Problem? Here Are the Symptoms

best books featuring deaf and hard of hearing children, image of children of various races looking at book, they are smiling

Best Books Featuring Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

>Read< Best Books Featuring Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

daisy woodworm changes the world

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World: A Book Review

>Read< Daisy Woodworm Changes the World: A Book Review

the best deaf movies

A Big List of Great Deaf Movies

>Read< A Big List of Great Deaf Movies

apple accessibility ad i am the greatest, man with dark brown hair in two braids sits in a wheelchair with his legs crossed. his phone is propped on the arm of his wheelchair. he wears glasses and is looking down. the background is grey

Apple’s Incredible Ad Had Me in Tears

>Read< Apple’s Incredible Ad Had Me in Tears

a swirl of rainbow colors - for What does it mean to be on the autism spectrum?

What Does it Mean to Have Autism?

>Read< What Does it Mean to Have Autism?

abstract art in keith harding style of people celebrating - 3 Reasons to Care About International Day of Persons with Disabilities

3 Reasons to Care About International Day of Persons with Disabilities

>Read< 3 Reasons to Care About International Day of Persons with Disabilities

disability organizations that rock! - image of blue background with red alternating strips ending in a red circle. a pink ball is behind a pink globe with white disability icons (- person using wheelchair, person with cane, brain, signing hands, etc). text reads "disability organizations that rock!" in curved, black text

The Disability Organizations Doing the Best Work These Days

>Read< The Disability Organizations Doing the Best Work These Days

listening fatigue: image of a white appearing woman with glasses, rubbing her eyes under her glasses. she looks very tired

If You Get Listening Fatigue, This is What to Do

>Read< If You Get Listening Fatigue, This is What to Do

year of the tiger by Alice Wong, image of a book with drawing of tiger on it, the book is flanked by two Mexican black cat figurines, and a black and white hello kitty figurine.

Year of the Tiger, by Alice Wong: A Review

>Read< Year of the Tiger, by Alice Wong: A Review

blue and green peacock feather

What is Neurodiversity?

>Read< What is Neurodiversity?

what is neurotypical? image of a mechanical person with a brain visible, hand to chin, looking thoughtful

What Does “Neurotypical” Mean?

>Read< What Does “Neurotypical” Mean?

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medicare: red background, girl with dark brown skin and cat eye glasses and floral top has hand on face in thoughtful position, her braided hair is pulled back. White text reads, "everything you want to know about" in cursive, and under, in block outline, "medicare". blank medicare cards and a social security card float next to the image of the girl. at the bottom reads "meriahnichols.com"

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medicare

>Read< Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medicare

a white unicorn with sparkles and glitter and a rainbow mane and golden horn

Coming to Terms with Disability in My Life (AKA, Rainbow Farting Unicorns)

>Read< Coming to Terms with Disability in My Life (AKA, Rainbow Farting Unicorns)

do we have to feel disability pride? image of a square peg being shoved into a round hole

Why Do We Need to Feel Disability Pride?

>Read< Why Do We Need to Feel Disability Pride?

the disability pride flag: parallel stripes of red, yellow, white, blue and green with a light black background

Updated: The Disability Pride Flag

>Read< Updated: The Disability Pride Flag

pride is a protest: image of a head of a peacock, blue, looking out to the distance

Pride is a Protest: The Radical Act of Cultivating Disability Pride

>Read< Pride is a Protest: The Radical Act of Cultivating Disability Pride

Girl with light skin and Down syndrome stands in the ocean water. There is a mountain behind her, and clouds. She is looking at the camera, eyes half closed and smiling. She is wearing a bathing suit with a unicorn on the front. The photo is black and white with sepia tinges at the bottom

“I Hate Down syndrome”

>Read< “I Hate Down syndrome”

image of a record cover, text reads "Woodstock", "Heather Maloney, Darlingside. The image appears to be a watercolor of a lake or a field with flowers and of mountain in the background

“No Shortcuts” – Song of the Week

>Read< “No Shortcuts” – Song of the Week

silhouette photography of person

God Gave Us Choice

>Read< God Gave Us Choice

Here’s How to Find ALL the Disability Stuff on Netflix

>Read< Here’s How to Find ALL the Disability Stuff on Netflix

10 Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation, ID: black and white image of a a woman with short hair swept up, with black framed glasses. she is unsmiling. Text below her reads, 'Nanette, a memoir situation, by Hannah Gadsby" there is a blue block to the side., and a black frame on one half of the image of the woman

“10 Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation”

>Read< “10 Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation”

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© 2023 Meriah Nichols

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