I’m thinking on metaphors of the body. Here are some examples of what I mean: On the one hand Foot in my mouth Lend a hand Get back on my feet Stand up to her Run with the idea Wrapped around hir little finger Get your foot in the door Dip in a toe Dangle his feet Under your thumb I think these metaphors are interesting evidence ...

Exciting news! On March 29th, Governor C.L. Otter signed a law removing ableist language from Idaho’s state code. From the Idaho Statesman: The new law replaces outdated language in 73 different laws – including those addressing health and welfare, education and corrections – with more accepted phrases such as “intellectually disabled.” Disability rights advocates ...

This recent music video from singer-songwriter Janelle Monae is a great example of how not to completely screw up representation(s) of disability. Lyrics are located here. And a description, courtesy of FWD’s own S.E.: A black title card reads: ‘The Palace of the Dogs Asylum: Dancing has long been forbidden for its subversive effects on the residents ...

Renee Martin: I’m not a Feminist (and there is no but) Blogs run by traditionally marginalised women do not attract the same attention by the media. When feminists are pulled from the internet for interviews, it is routinely the same white feminist voices representing the broad perspectives that are visible on the internet. Flora: Guest Post – ...

Many professional athletic teams in the U.S. and Canada (for Hockey and Baseball, but I do not know of other sports, or of other countries’ sports’ teams) have what are known as “Disabled Lists“. Major League Baseball calls it this specifically, where a player who is temporarily injured and can not play for whatever reason ...

Description: A ramp at the foot of a set of concrete stairs. It ends on the second step from the bottom, leaving the rest of the stairs to climb Black Bodies The history of the black body is a long and twisted one. When I say black bodies, I mean the social construction of blackness, ...

File this under “Who Even Knows, Anymore?” s.e. smith recently posted a photo of a “5 a day” tag that came on some asparagus she bought. She felt, and I agree, that those tags are a form of food policing – instructing people what they “should” eat. The corollary, of course, is that if people do ...

What have you been reading or watching lately (remembering spoiler warnings)? What are you proud of this week? What’s made your teeth itch? What’s going on in your part of the world? Got any questions for your fellow FWD commenters? Today’s chatterday backcloth comes via The Daily Squee, and was captioned there “Hangin with mah online ...

Cara is a feminist writer who blogs at both The Curvature and Feministe. She likes The Beatles, vinyl records, and social justice, though not necessarily in that order. The first time I saw someone say in a progressive space that it was ableist to use the word “lame” as a pejorative, I ...

UK Disabled People’s Council Launches Manifesto for 2010. The UK Disabled People’s Council (UKDPC) is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new manifesto for the coming year. The Manifesto for 2010 sets out the UKDPC work programme on key issues that have a decisive impact on justice and rights for disabled people. The UKDPC ...