Do We Look Tragic to You?: Media Influences and Systemic Ableism
[Image Description: A group of disabled queer Black folks talk and laugh at a sleepover, relaxing across two large beds. Everyone is dressed in colorful t-shirts and wearing a variety of sleep scarves, bonnets, and durags. On the left, two friends sit on one bed and paint each other’s nails. On the right, four people […]
Accessible Adventures in TTRPGs with Sara Thompson
Movies. TV shows. Holiday commercials, even. For the first time in history, the integration of disabled bodies in popular culture is more pronounced than ever. And what better place to add in disabled representation than in fantasy TTRPGs, where anything can happen? This is what designer Sara Thompson (she/they) sought to do with their design of […]
Dear Able Bodied People: Your Disabled Friends Aren’t Your Search Engine
July is disability pride month, and that means your social media is (hopefully) flooded with posts on disability, awareness, and research. This might be the first time you’re learning that one of your closest friends has a disability—one that you’ve never even heard of. So, of course, you’re asking them about it. Starting a conversation. […]
Disability Pride: Five Disabled LGBTQ Activists Who Connected Communities
Pride today largely consists of celebrations, rainbow-clad community members, and corporations capitalizing on the opportunity to seem inclusive. The major strides in advancing LGBTQ rights combined with the nearly nonexistent inclusion of our history in school curriculums can allow us to perceive the past through rose-colored lenses. It is easy to forget the myriad of […]
“My Disability is Not a Lie” and More Statements I’ve Had to Tell at School
Most able-bodied people have an image in their mind of what they think a disabled person is and I’d bet the whole two dollars in my bank account that nine times out of ten that person is sitting in a wheelchair. Using this logic, me, a disabled person who can walk without obvious visual issues, […]
How “Crip Camp” Invigorates My Fight As a Young Disabled Activist
If you’ve spoken to me at all over the past two months, you’ve likely had the chance to listen to me rave about a movie that has completely changed my life. If you haven’t had the pleasure, here’s your opportunity to hear all about it. Crip Camp, directed by James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham, was […]
Disabled People Are Not Your Scholarship Opportunities
A good story always starts with an introduction and a setting: In my senior year of high school, I became an activist for disabled rights. Senior year was a breakthrough for me because I had finally accepted who I was instead of pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Despite finally being proud of myself, I […]
Is Social Media Really Activism? Yes it is, and Here’s Why That Thought is a Little Ableist
I spend a lot of time on my phone. This is common in my generation, much to the dismay of our parents and various older relatives who, “back in their day,” spent time outside and actually socialized with people. I understand the disconnect, and realize that it can seem as though scrolling through Twitter or […]
Inaccessibility at Movie Theaters, Community Activism, and More with Ace Ratcliff
Image Description: An illustration of an empty movie theatre. The screen is projecting the symbol for Closed Captioning. People with disabilities are constantly facing accessibility issues. Whether that’s building access with wheelchair ramps, hearing accessibility and captions, audio translation for those with sight loss, these options are difficult to find. Ace Ratcliff, a writer and […]