Warning: Offsite links are not safe spaces. Articles and comments in the links may contain ableist, sexist, and other -ist language and ideas of varying intensity. Opinions expressed in the articles may not reflect the opinions held by the compiler of the post. I attempt to provide extra warnings for material like extreme violence/rape; however, your triggers/issues may vary, so please read with care.
British wheelchair curling team
Wheelchair Curling Blog: GB’s McCreadie “quietly confident of gold”
Bob Cowan reports Michael [McCreadie, British team captain] saying: “If we play at our best we will be a real handful for any country in the world …. The GB Paralympic teams work just as hard all year round and prepare for our winter games just as much as the competitors who are presently out in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics.”
Check out the rest of the Wheelchair Curling Blog, this Youtube video of wheelchair curling, and this Disaboom writeup which explains the game: Wheelchair Curling: Meet Paralympian Patrick McDonald .
kestrell at Reading in the Dark: Does anyone else experience a sense of horrified fascination whenever they read the word “blind” in a book title? [comments are actually recommended on this one]
What stereotypes do my fellow blind readers feel need to be included in the blind bingo card? Definitely the psychic blind person, although if you can make that an African-American blind person you get double points. And the pathetically helpless blind person, double points for combining it with other negative images of ageism. And the emotionally-isolated blind person, or the blind person who has nothing to do all day because s/he can’t reaqd or pursue any intellectual hobbies.
Washington Post: House approves bill to limit physical restraint of students [WARNING]
The House approved a bill Wednesday to limit the physical restraint and seclusion of students in schools, a response to an investigation last year that found numerous reports of students abused or killed through such disciplinary measures.
The bill, approved 262 to 153 with support from Democrats and two dozen Republicans, would establish safety standards in schools and prohibit physical restraint and seclusion of students except to stop imminent danger of injury.
Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii’s special treatment courts threatened by fiscal crisis
As a result of budget cuts, the 11 treatment courts, including those for adults with mental health issues and families with substance abuse problems, are handling fewer cases, providing less treatment and delaying more services, Judiciary officials say. At least one court is at risk of running out of treatment money by the end of the fiscal year, five have wait lists for accepting new clients, and O’ahu’s Adult Drug Court has reduced its treatment capacity by nearly 20 percent.
BBC: More help for adults with autism
Plans have been published by ministers in England to tackle the “social exclusion” of adults with autism. Campaigners have long accused the state of ignoring adults with the condition – just 15% are in employment and half live at home.
Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News: Burnham teen fights vile online disability abuse
A determined Burnham girl is fighting back against the cyber bullies who posted vile taunts on a web page she created to raise awareness of disabilities.
A Facebook group set up by schoolgirl Lydia Williams, who has a young sister with Down Syndrome, was hijacked by anonymous bloggers who uploaded cruel photos poking fun at disability, and left sick jibes on the comments section.
In the cyberbullying article, it’s a pity we didn’t get to hear from the disabled sister. And I notice the website was set up to “spread a bit of hope and raise awareness of what it’s like to live with a disabled relative.” So, focussed firmly on the abled, then?
And go Lydia Williams and others who assert themselves against bigotry.
The last story brought to mind something very recent that happened on several Facebook congenital heart defects groups. Someone started joining the groups, making awful comments, and then copying photos and using them in another group they’d created – a group that’s sole purpose was to mock people with CHDs. Even going so far as to post photos of babies and small children who had recently died and making violent, cruel statements. What made this worse was that they invited people in the CHD community to these groups so half the wall postings were from people who thought it was a genuine group, and the other half were from people saying the most outrageous things. Hateful, ableist, racist, classist, sexist, violent you name it. But in this case at least someone was arrested; a young college student in Texas, I believe.
Um…is the title of this post supposed to say “Gimpuary 151st” instead of “March 5th?” Because that’s what I’m seeing…
I just want to make sure I’m clear, the date for today’s post is “Gimpuary 151st” (Ah, someone’s playing dictator! One central Asian dictator had a day devoted to melons. No euphemism, actual melons. Renaming months and days is the best reason to be in charge – though the week (in English) should always say WTF.)
Is there a reason – a special disability blog event, or just for fun?
I wish you’d provided an explanation, because even though I’m not on the medication that messed with my sight, well, I want to make sure I’m seeing what I’m seeing. Does that make sense?
Of course, when I’m charge, I’ll call towing companies on cars parked in front of curb cuts. Ooh, I could do that now. (Letting the air out of tires is counterproductive, still in the way, though I have had thoughts of breaking glass. No, it’s not a handicapped (legal) space, it’s not a parking space at all! Who are you bothering? PWD, moms with prams, and bikers. Surely you don’t hate all 3 groups? I’ve also thought of leaving a note, calling campus security, etc.)
Facebook groups seem to bring out the worst in people – there were some after the Haiti earthquake called “F Haiti” and many sexist ones reported on feministe and jezebel – best reason for joining FB is reporting these *ist jerks.
Hsofia – that is horrifying. I remember reading a comment at one place from one person (who I never really liked) saying hie was going to go troll Jezebel not because they’d done anything (I pointed out they weren’t coming over here) but because they need to know what the real world is like. I think some disability groups would be better off being invite only, but then how do you spread the word, like the sister did? Getting exposure vs a safe space.
I think the reason for the weird title is that yesterday’s Recommended Reading was posted as February 4.
And no, I didn’t notice the error yesterday either till someone commented on it (which is likely the reason for today’s title)! My sense of time is totally screwy.
@ Kaitlyn: Was that Asia? I can never remember if Turkmenistan is in Asia or Europe, b/c I thought it was a former Soviet country (though I am reasonably sure it shares a border with China, but so does Russia, so that means nothing, really, as far as “what continent are you on?”). It would not surprise me. ETA: Geography is not my strong suit, despite my world travels and living abroad.
Quasi-related fact: the word “sa-gua” (sah-gwah), in Chinese, meaning “empty melon” literally and “empty headed” if translated properly (and also a PBS kids’ show) is a term of endearment for someone who is foolish or lacking in common sense (though I always find it is seen as a cute or likable trait, but my Mandarin is not perfect). Often used for children. There you have it, your daily dose of international ableism. Or something.
@Codeman – “My sense of time is totally screwy.”
Word.
My friend was just telling me how her Thursday class gets out at 4 and she’s got work at 4 across campus, and I’m like, deb, it’s 3:20, I’ve never heard of a 30 minute class.
She was like, it’s Friday. I mean, I did my “friday” things like going to class and getting food for the night, but I’m still behind. I blame Spring Break (and the Puritans).
@Ouyang Dan – I recently reread the Cracked list of kings/dictators who did weird things, and he was the most recent one. I think it was Turkmenistan. Of course, he didn’t start it – I was born in Augustus Ceaser’s month, today is Freya’s day (okay so Gods weren’t wacky dictators. On earth.) (In English)