Weekly Reading List

These five articles I read last week have one quality in common. They all contain beautiful, clear, vivid descriptions of why we disabled people react to things as we do. I think one of the biggest conceptual gaps between the disability community and the rest of society is the bafflement most non-disabled people have over our responses to everyday experiences:

- We sometimes fly off the handle at relatively minor slights from strangers.

- We have complicated relationships with our families, even when they are outwardly supportive.

- Like everyone else, we crave success and approval, and we don’t like being ignored, but we hate certain kinds of praise and attention.

- It’s hard to people to tell when we are experiencing the “normal” troubles everyone goes through, and when its something more serious and debilitating.

- Sometimes we honestly don't know what we want from the rest of society, or which priorities to focus on.

There are good reasons for all of these things. By and large we aren’t irrational or confused about our feelings. But they can be hard to explain. These articles do it well.

On A Roll … Couldn’t Stop
Dave Hingsburger, Of Battered Aspect - April 10, 2016

How a Parent's Response to Ableism Can Impact Their Child
Tonia Says - April 4, 2016

Please Stop Calling My Life With A Disability ‘’Inspiring”
Vanessa Parekh, The Establishment - April 8, 2016

Working, Access, Disability, Inclusion, and Internalized Ableism
Unstrange Mind - April 10, 2016

Why We Still Need Awareness
Karin Hitzelberger - April March 30, 2016