By Annaham on 18 November, 2010
Do you ever have one of those days where you just want to shake a fist in the universe’s general direction? A few weeks ago, I had the fairly weird experience of two different people trying to make the fact that I use a cane a topic of conversation (?) on the same day. Usually, [...]
Posted in bodies, normality | Tagged assistive devices, cane, chronic pain, daily life, life, personal stories
By Annaham on 7 October, 2010
And they say that the truth will set you free/but then/so will a lie – Ani DiFranco, “Promised Land” (2003) Yesterday, I wrote some things down, intending to use them for a post. The half-post or so that I wrote was inspired by, in large part, bullying-related suicides recently making the national news. It was [...]
Posted in mental health, meta | Tagged life, mental health, mental illness, trauma, writing
By Chally on 1 February, 2010
A few days ago, I had a conversation with a medical professional that went something like this: MP: So you’ve been feeling tired? Chally: Yes, not as tired as I have been, but still pretty tired. I’ve been waking up at 5am1. Not this weekend though. MP: Why? Are you depressed? C: No, I’m not. [...]
Posted in bad advice, medical practice | Tagged life, personal
By Anna on 27 January, 2010
And then things get internalized. “I don’t have a job. I’m not contributing. I’m not important. I better make myself small and inoffensive in some way so that no one thinks I’m a burden. I don’t really have a lot of worth as a person because I’m not contributing.
Posted in social attitudes | Tagged ableism, cult of busy, exclusion, life, problematic attitudes, social treatment
By Chally on 25 January, 2010
Previously: Invisible Identities, Part 1: Invisible to Whom? Invisible Identities, Part 2: The Default Human Note: I’m told that in the American context, when speaking about race, the term “passing” is most associated with black people due to a pretty loaded history. This is not the case where I live, simply because that’s not the [...]
Posted in bodies, identity, race | Tagged invisible disability, life, personal, race, racism, rethinking social norms
By Chally on 20 January, 2010
That’s what scares me the most about talking about disability. It’s being reduced to someone who is so broken that they are capable of nothing. And that’s exactly why I mean to talk about it. Because, like the other stories I write, talking about disability is a way to reclaim that agency. To demand and [...]
Posted in introspective | Tagged life, personal
By Chally on 16 January, 2010
Question Time is a series in which we open up the floor to you, commenters. We invite you to share as you feel comfortable. How have your experiences of being disabled changed over your lifetime/the time you’ve been disabled?
Posted in Question Time | Tagged life
By Chally on 6 January, 2010
I can’t rely on my body to produce all the energy I want anymore, to do what I want anymore. I have to ration out time and energy and the capacity for certain things. I no longer trust that people will stick by me when things get inconvenient, when being my friend gets messy; that [...]
Posted in introspective, life changes | Tagged life, personal
By amandaw on 4 November, 2009
Full disclosure: There is a discount offer at the end of this post (for 3ELove’s merchandise featuring their symbol). However, I have been meaning to write about this design for some time; it has such deep significance for me, and I hope it will gain prominence as more people are introduced to it. And for [...]
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged acceptance, activism, advocacy, dignity, disability, disability movement, disabled, identity, images, international symbol of acceptance, life, logo, love, open your mind, pride, promotions, pwd, representation, self-acceptance, value, we're right here, wheelchair, worth
By amandaw on 23 October, 2009
I take six medications. Five of them — the antiepileptic, the antidepressant, the non-narcotic pain killer, the muscle relaxer, and the oral contraceptive — are covered through a mail-order service. I receive a 90-day supply in my mail box every three months. No hassle. If a prescription runs out, my doctor is notified electronically, he [...]
Posted in blaming, bodies, language, medical practice, shaming, social attitudes | Tagged ableism, addiction, barriers to access, Big Bad Pharma, chronic illness, chronic pain conditions, conceptions of disability, disability, drugs are bad mmm'kay, fibro, fibromyalgia, health care, invisible disabilities, invisible disability, life, medical care, medications, mislabelling, myths and misconceptions, pain management, problematic attitudes, social policy, social treatment, symptoms, things people say
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