by Heather Tomko Growing up with a disability meant a different kind of parent-child relationship than a lot of my friends. My parents were my parents, but until I left for college, they were also my sole caregivers. In some ways, it was great – there’s always someone around when you need help, and I … Continue reading Managing Independence
by Jessica Benham There are few stories told in TV shows and movies about people like me in romantic relationships, and those stories that are told rarely paint being with someone like me as desirable. Me Before You is perhaps the most extreme depiction of this type, painting disability as a fate worse than death … Continue reading Love Because, Never Despite, Disability
by Cori Frazer When I was initially asked to write about intersectionality in the context of disability, I was excited. Intersectional disability justice is incredibly important to me. But the more I thought about it, I wondered where I could add to the fantastic work of the queer black and brown disabled organizers who developed … Continue reading Disability and Intersectionality: Not the “Default Disabled Person”
by Kyann Flint When I was little, I did not know of anyone who was like me to which I could aspire. I do not want that to be the case for others; I desire to be that role model for girls growing up today. I have grown up with multiple disabilities. Disability is a … Continue reading Contrasting Crowns: Redefining Beauty and Disability
by Anomie Fatale The only thing scarier than having a medical condition is having one that most doctors don’t know anything about. We try to assure ourselves that modern medicine has advanced to where all conditions are known and treatments have been safely tested. We don’t want to think about how we might actually be … Continue reading Medical Science vs. Identity
by Cara Liebowitz Two years ago, I had almost given up hope that I would ever work a steady job. I was living on Long Island, in a suburb of New York City, just a short train ride away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan: land of opportunity, jobs, and some of the best pizza … Continue reading Access to Employment Means More Than Getting a Job
by Dr. Josie Badger As an individual with a significant physical disability, I was fully included in mainstream education classes, and I believe in the academic and social importance of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). I graduated valedictorian from high school and went on to higher education; none of this would have been possible without … Continue reading Inclusion is Fantastic and…
