My Disability is Not Your Costume
Halloween is just around the corner, and despite the CoronaVirus pandemic, many people are still planning their costumes for a variety of activities. Personally, I’ve never been much for the Halloween festivities anyway. Growing up as a wheelchair user, it just wasn’t accessible. Still, I love a good costume as much as the next person. […]
The Cripped-Up Horror of Halloween Movies
What do Split, Phantom of the Opera, A Quiet Place, and Bird Box have in common? All four movies utilize disability as a means to create thrill and horror. But do they all do disability justice? CW: This article contains descriptions of murder, gore, trauma, and suicide within dramatic film. Split (2016) is a horror movie featuring a villain […]
It’s Okay to Grieve the Life You’ve Missed Out On
Because of my mental health, I have missed out on more things in life than I ever would have expected. Granted, I am also much more mentally ill then I would have expected: over the past six years a number of mental illnesses have worked their way into my brain, taking up much of my […]
“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, […]
My Disability Does Not Make My Life Worth Less in COVID-19 Pandemic
Coronavirus has changed a lot of things, and it has changed a lot of things very quickly. Everyone is being forced to adjust to a radically new routine, and nobody really knows what to expect next. Living through a global pandemic is, undoubtedly, a scary time for everyone. But it’s an especially scary time for […]
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 […]
What Does it Mean To ‘Come Out’ As Gay and Disabled?
I hid from my first date for a good hour before agreeing to finally meet with him. I met Rory on MySpace, back when I first started talking to boys online. My profile mentioned nothing about Cerebral Palsy; let alone I use a power wheelchair when I know long distance travel is involved – but […]
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 […]
What Non-Autistics Don’t Understand About Autism
I hung out with two autistic children today (Jane, 5 and Harry, 7) and realized a few things. I spent an hour or so playing Minecraft with Harry and talking with Jane about how excited she is to be having a baby sister come this weekend. I told their mom (my godmother) that I simply […]
The Shape of Ableism: Why I Will Never Watch Another Guillermo del Toro Movie
Image description: still from The Shape of Water: Elisa and the creature face each other lovingly through the glass of his tank. I didn’t get to the The Shape of Water until well after it had been awarded the Oscar for best film. A few months late to the party, entering the cinema I was […]