Thoughts on Biden’s Stutter From a Stutterer
Watching a presidential candidate open up about stuttering has made me think of my own speech dysfluency and how I feel about it. Even though I am a disability advocate, I seldom discuss my stutter. My stutter doesn’t feel like other aspects of my disability. Stuttering and communication disorders feel taboo even in disability spaces. […]
15 Cripped-Up Characters That Deserved Better Representation
Inspired by our recent roast of the newest adaptation of “Come As You Are,” here are 15 Disabled Characters That Should Have Been Played by Disabled Actors. Warning – this article comments on plots containing suicide, abuse, and disabled slurs. #15: Sean Penn as Sam Dawson in I Am Sam To start us off, we […]
YouTube Plans to Discontinue Viewer-Submitted Captions
In the latest news of accessibility removal, YouTube announced that they will be removing community captions on September 28, 2020. A screenshot of YouTube’s announcement to discontinue community contributions. Image description: An announcement from Youtube stating: Community contributions will be discontinued across all channels after September 28, 2020. Community contributions allowed viewers to add closed […]
“Come As You Are” – But Only If You’re Cripping Up
A quadriplegic, a wheelchair user, and a blind man are walking down the road when a cop pulls up next to them. Finding them alone on a busy highway, the cop calls it in: “Yeah, I’ve got two handicapped guys – “ “Actually,” the quadriplegic corrects, “it’s ‘person with disabilities.’” The cop gives the ragtag […]
‘Wicked’ Attempts to Inspire the Golden Rule in Viewers – But Instead, Only Inspires Ableism
Image illustrated by staff artist, Ellie Darby-Prangnell Envision this scenario in the eyes of an able-bodied individual. The house (which is the seating area, for you non-theatre nerds) is filled with hundreds of ecstatic theatre-goers ready to see the critically acclaimed musical, “Wicked.” Hundreds of people of every age are at the edge of their […]
What It’s Like to Be An Interabled Couple, and More with Shane Burcaw and Hannah Aylward
Shane Burcaw and Hannah Aylward are content creators living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, documenting their lives as an interabled couple online. Together, they share a YouTube channel, Squirmy and Grubs which has acquired over 600,000 subscribers in just under two years, where they openly discuss their journey together as an engaged couple. Shane, a writer, public […]
A Grandmother Seeking Asylum Was Separated From Her Disabled Grandson At The Border. It’s Been 10 months.
Image Description: Immigrants shown in a line, that are outside of a bus. A police officer is in the near background that seems to be approaching the immigrants. Ten months ago, Maria Vandelice de Bastos and her 16-year-old grandson arrived at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry in nearby New Mexico. The pair told federal agents […]
Kat Von D Coming Out As An Anti-Vaxxer Also Means Coming Out As Wildly Ableist – Here’s Why
Image Description: Kat Von D’s face in the middle of the photograph, and wears winged eyeliner and drawn stars on her cheek. Von D has her hand positioned slantly as she holds her eyeliner above the star on her cheek. Beauty entrepreneur Kat Von D took headlines this past week for posting an Instagram picture […]