Posted May 28, 2021
“The new proposal seeks to take 500,000 people and divide them up into … personas or types or disability boxes to feed a score into one of 400 boxes. That then gives a plan to somebody without any real reference to what my individual needs are, or what somebody else’s individual needs are. That doesn’t make sense. It takes us back to the old system, in which … the funder says: Here’s what we provide, we’re going to fit you into whatever we offer, rather than the other way around.”
Posted April 23, 2021
COVID-19 has done many things to people with disabilities. Along with visiting higher rates of death and suffering on us, as well as just plain fear, it has also highlighted some of our unique strengths. One of them is our ability to face and navigate difficult dilemmas few others face quite the way we do. But strengths usually come with a cost.
Posted April 16, 2021
She felt the reason it took so long for her to gain employment after being open about her diagnosis was because of the negative preconceptions hiring managers had about it.
“The biggest barrier by far is mindset,” Ms McKay said. “Employers have to have the mindset that autism is a completely normal, natural human thing that is welcome in the workplace. It’s not a problem to be solved. It’s not some risk. It’s not an issue. It’s just a different set of needs that just need different considerations.”
Posted March 1, 2021
There is a lot of natural variation in the large and diverse disabled population, and many different opinions among the smaller core of committed disability activists. But there are some beliefs, positions, and mindsets that shape the community of individuals and organizations loosely referred to as “Disability Activism.” Broadly speaking, disability activism seeks to fix society’s ableism, not fix disabled people’s disabilities. That gives disability activism it’s most essential and distinct shape and dimension.
Posted February 26, 2021
Michael* hasn’t showered or changed his clothes in three weeks, but when the National Disability Insurance Scheme independent assessor asked him how much difficulty he had washing his body, getting dressed and eating, he replied: “None.“
Posted February 15, 2021
‘Mum’s a big advocate for the idea that children are not the chattel of their parents, but independent human beings with their own rights. She created the space for me to come to my own view about myself as a person, and then my cerebral palsy as a subset of that aspect of personhood.
Posted February 5, 2021
A rich collection of writing from those negotiating disability in their lives – a group whose voices are not heard often enough Contributors include senator Jordon Steele-John, paralympian Isis Holt, Dion Beasley, Sam Drummond, Astrid Edwards, Sarah Firth, El Gibbs, Eliza Hull, Gayle Kennedy, Carly-Jay Metcalfe, Fiona Murphy, Jessica Walton and many more.
Posted January 28, 2021
In short, the bar was substantially lowered. Once I started using a wheelchair, well-meaning strangers were praising me just for “being out” and doing the grocery shopping or going to the gym. I can assure you this never happened in my pre-disability days.
Posted January 15, 2021
As a person who is vision impaired, hearing is a substitute for eyesight in so many contexts. The assumption is that if you are without sight, your other senses must be sharpened. This is, of course, complete nonsense.
Posted January 11, 2021
Despite her record as a writer and activist, what may have begun as a joke has gained traction, and should make us ask questions that go beyond the credulity of Gen Z
Posted January 5, 2021
I have lived over 50 years with my lifelong disabilities. I thought my understanding of disability was fully formed and realistic. But I think that in the long run, what I will remember most vividly from this pandemic is the lessons I am learning about disabled people and their true place in American society.
