You know what really rubs me wrong? Articles written about the “broken” disabled. You knows what makes the rub worse? When it’s written by a parent of a child with a disability and they are supposedly trying to make things better in the world for their child. If you have a child with a disability that…
You know what really rubs me wrong? Articles written about the “broken” disabled. You knows what makes the rub worse? When it’s written by a parent of a child with a disability and they are supposedly trying to make things better in the world for their child. You know what’s even worse? – When they are Christian….
I gotta admit that I was getting a little annoyed. First there was a lot of dead silence from disability organizations in the US that I was trying to contact to make connections with other groups or people in Mexico. I mean, I know people are busy, but gimme a break! Not responding at all,…
Dear Friend, This letter isn’t about appreciating your child. It’s not about loving your child, it’s not about protecting your child or about fighting for access for your child. I know you do all of that already. This is also not about pointing fingers or trying to shame or make you feel bad. You don’t…
Dear Friend, This letter isn’t about appreciating your child. It’s not about loving your child, it’s not about protecting your child or about fighting for access for your child. I know you do all of that already. This is also not about pointing fingers or trying to shame or make you feel bad. You don’t…
living with moxie: sometimes what you fear the most to do is the very thing that will set you free – live your one precious life with a little moxie This is continuing the conversation on living with courage – the original post is here, and the part about commitment is here. I’d love it…
Getting to Know You Your name: Anne Finger What’s your connection with disability? Had polio as a young child, part of disability rights/justice/arts community. Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek (original series watched on black and white television in 1967) If you could live in any other country for 2 years, where would you…
I’ve been fortunate to know Rachel for a long time – since she was a student at Cal. I feel like our friendship has been a gift in that we both mentored one another at a particular period. She mentored me in disability studies, giving me a place in which I could ask hard questions,…
This is part of the monthly Community Blog Hop, 3 on the 21st. A truth, a tip and a photo. Read more about it here. And join yourself! *** One truth: Disability isn’t a big deal. Disability is a natural part of the human experience – it’s a chance and an opportunity to explore the world…
This monthly blog hop is a community project. The code is set up so that everyone can participate by adding their link to their post – and host if they want, by adding the code to their own post! So, just follow the instructions through the linky tool (below). (3): One truth (about Down syndrome/our…
I need to write this post. Even if you hate me after reading this, even if you never want to read this blog again, I need to write this post. You see, I am deeply disturbed by parent bloggers writing – and claiming enormous attention for – their particular spin on “special needs”. On disability.*…
I loved Simi Linton’s book, My Body Politic. I love her voice, energy, commitment. She is loud, proud and powerful. She is a champion of the arts and of disability. She is a woman that I am proud and honoured to introduce to you. Simi Linton. *********************** Getting to Know You 1. Your name: Simi…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I don’t know if you remember that video that going viral earlier this year, with the boy with “special needs” who handed the basketball? I don’t know if you remember the uproar that came on its heels, and the blog post which flew through disability circuits with the clearest, strongest, most resonating message which represented…
You probably already heard, but that bastion of glam fun, my ultimate wonderland of merriment, Sephora, released a lipstick by Kat Von D called, yep, you guessed it, “Celebutard” Oh, ha. Ha. haaaa. How funny, how ironic! How awfully clever, tongue-in-cheek! Right. Only it’s not and you, my trusty friend, knows it isn’t. Because it’s…
Voices from the Disability Community: Meet Katherine, teacher, mother, iPhone lover!
Introduction: I’ve known Katherine for a long time – since she was just started off at UC Berkeley. I’ve followed her career trajectory with great interest, fascination and tremendous awe. This single mother of 3 pushed herself through school (- at a non-traditional age) and went on to complete her Master’s and is now teaching…
Okay, friends We’ve been talking a lot around on the whole ‘overcoming’ thing. Overcoming disability! Overcoming having no legs! Overcoming having one arm and only one arm! Overcoming deafness! Overcoming this, overcoming that. But always overcoming things related to disability – that is, overcoming something that is different from how the mainstream will think, walk,…
Okay, friends We’ve been talking a lot around on the whole ‘overcoming’ thing. Overcoming disability! Overcoming having no legs! Overcoming having one arm and only one arm! Overcoming deafness! Overcoming this, overcoming that. But always overcoming things related to disability – that is, overcoming something that is different from how the mainstream will think, walk,…
I’ve got to admit that when I joined the “special needs” community 3 years ago by way of Moxie, I was confused with all the “special needs” this and that. “Disability”, I was and am completely used to. But “special needs”? I wasn’t sure about it all, it really didn’t seem to make sense. It…
All righty, okay, you want to show you are cool with disability, “special needs”, but you are not sure how to do it. Should you forward the meme on Facebook of that kid with Down syndrome? What to do? Well, these are some things that would work for me – but bear in mind that…
If I had a dollar bill for every time someone said something to me along the lines of, “you know, I’ve never thought of you as ‘disabled’, Meriah, you just seem so NORMAL!’, well, I wouldn’t have a mountain of money piled up to my chin,but I’m sure it’d reach my knees (- I”m tall)….
If I had a dollar bill for every time someone said something to me along the lines of, “you know, I’ve never thought of you as ‘disabled’, Meriah, you just seem so NORMAL!’, well, I wouldn’t have a mountain of money piled up to my chin, but I’m sure it’d reach my knees (- I’m…
.. I’m not sure if you read the news? A mother who was denied services for her autistic daughter attempted a murder/suicide recently. The news of it is all over the place. Here is the story: Teen With Autism Hospitalized But this is the story I think you should read. It’s by an autistic disability…
Mikey and I decided to introduce the children to that great American classic, “The Coneheads“. Okay, that kind of came out like a pre-thought thing – it was more like he was surfing movies with Micah, they started watching it and I caught wind of it and was all, “WAAAAAIT!!! I LOVE THE CONEHEADS!!!” –…
Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around this morning… Then, a comment from a Full Radius dancer in response to my post on Saturday about Axis founder/dancer, Bonnie Lewkowicz , led me…
Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around this morning… Then, a comment from a Full Radius dancer in response to my post on Saturday about Axis founder/dancer, Bonnie Lewkowicz , led me…
Watch this video by Norman Kunc. It’s hilarious! (in a face-palming, snorting down your breath kind of way) And! Let’s flip the switch. If the world was made for people with disabilities: May the World be Made for You and this last one – also a favorite The baby may not have Down syndrome……
When I was dated, I dated. I dated men from pretty much every race and I was completely non-discriminatory in terms of country of origin. When I was dating guys from different races – or they, me – we learned of each other’s struggles in our respective areas. My Japanese boyfriend in Japan had no…
When I was dated, I dated. I dated men from pretty much every race and I was completely non-discriminatory in terms of country of origin. When I was dating guys from different races – or they, me – we learned of each other’s struggles in our respective areas. My Japanese boyfriend in Japan had no…
Child Safety: I’d like to be able to just let my kids roam freely. But my daughter Moxie figured out a way to escape recently. She took her brother’s stool, put it under the door, unlocked the slide lock turned the handle, walked down the flight of stairs and slipped under the gate to go…
There was a great story on this lady who is, like me, a fierce deaf lipreader and she wrote about what a great equalizer Facebook has been for her. That it allows her to participate in ways she’d never be able to, in real life. (the story is here) I couldn’t agree more with everything…
Feel-good feels good. A light, alive, inside. We want it, we need it. Parents of kids with “special needs” (– disabilities) really, really need the feel-good, especially when/if we are not used to a world of disability that has chosen us. We want to know life is going to be sweet for our kids,…
Feel-good feels good. A light, alive, inside. We want it, we need it. Parents of kids with “special needs” (– disabilities) really, really need the feel-good, especially when/if we are not used to a world of disability that has chosen us. We want to know life is going to be sweet for our kids, that…
Getting to Know You Your name Neil Jacobson What’s your connection with disability? I have always had Cerebral Palsy. I also consider myself part of the disability community as well as an advocate for people with disabilities Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek If you could live in any other country for 2 years,…
Today is the day in which I’m going to finally do something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time here on this blog: profile an interesting person with a disability each week. Without further ado, please meet my first guest, Rich Donovan. ________________________ Getting to Know You Your name: Rich Donovan, CEO of…
Sometimes I wonder what the point of blogging about disability is. It just feels like being in this really small church, preaching to this really small choir. All we do is circle the same words and see who can say it in a different way – but it’s the same old, same old. The people…
I wasn’t going to write about the “inspiring” story that’s going viral now, where the basketball player tossed the ball to a boy with a disability – who played for the opposite team (you can watch it here). I’m just kind of sick of this stuff, frankly – the “inspiring” pieces floating around like glitter-slathered…
I started a book club! I figured it’s about time for us to bite our teeth into a book of our collective choice and knash/lavish words over words. Right? It’d be fun! The theme for this particular club will be disability – books as high or low brow as we want. I’ll get…
This is the third and final part of my mini series exploring the question,“Are People with Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?”. In this piece I want to explore Intellectual Disabilities- what about the people who don’t talk or communicate in a way I understand? What about the people that are really, really different from me…
This is Part Two in my mini series exploring the question that blogger Ellen Stumbo raised, “Are People With Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?” To recap, she delved into the question on her blog and stated that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong,…
This is Part Two in my mini series exploring the question that blogger Ellen Stumbo raised, “Are People With Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?” To recap, she delved into the question on her blog and stated that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong,…
“Are people with disabilities contributing members of society?” Blogger Ellen Stumbo recently asked this question on her blog, delving into the question and stating that people with intellectual disabilities: offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong, real. They radiate joy as they celebrate the simple things in life….
“Are people with disabilities contributing members of society?” Blogger/writer Ellen Stumbo recently asked this question on her blog, delving into the question and stating that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong, real. They radiate joy as they celebrate the simple things in…
By now most of the internet knows that blogger Kelle Hampton caught some major flack for posting a full frontal of her daughter, Nella on instagram. If you don’t know about it yet, here’s an article from Today. While I personally think a full frontal of a child, any child, crosses the line, I do…
In the excellent PBS documentary, "Lives Worth Living", film maker Eric Neudel takes the viewer on a journey through the history of the Disability Rights Movement. A two-minute trailer is embedded below. I will wait while you watch it. Watch Like an Emancipation Proclamation for the Disabled on PBS. See more from Independent Lens. "Sometimes…
I'd love for this to be a lovely, comprehensive post but in reality, it won't. I have too much to take care of today. But I wanted to quickly address this excellent post that is making waves in the Ds Community on Facebook today: Answers Left Unquestioned with some links that shed light on ways…
13 books for understanding disability pride, culture, rights and history
Re-reading older posts, I was dismayed aghast at how angry my original “chosen” post was. Here’s Take 2. **** Visualize: “Janey”. Her hair is dark, she’s got a Master’s degree in biochemistry, which is her field of passion. A rockin’ job, supportive boss, 6 figure salary. A husband that loves her, one young son. Parents…
I’m still trying to find the right words to say what I mean. Here’s Take 2. **** Visualize: “Janey”. Her hair is dark, she’s got a Master’s degree in biochemistry, which is her field of passion. A rockin’ job, supportive boss, 6 figure salary. A husband that loves her, one young son. Parents who adore…
I know this is by and for parents of kids with special needs…but somehow when I watched it, I also heard the echoes of the voices of my friends with typically-developing kids. Everyone goes through that period – the one where you are like, WHAT IN THE HELL DID I JUST SIGN UP FOR?! …