Disability Blogging Resoultions

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A blog post by my favorite political blogger had the exact opposite of its intended effect on me. It has encouraged me to blog some New Year's Resolutions. I will, however, try to follow Atrios' advice and set resolutions for myself, rather than sanctimoniously pushing them on others.

Here are my Disability Blogging Resolutions for 2017:

1. I will maintain a consistent weekly and monthly schedule.

This means posting a Weekly Reading List every Monday, a regular blog post on some disability topic every Friday or Saturday, a Disability Blogger Linkup the second Friday of each month, a Monthly Wrap-Up once a month, and an occasional Throwback Thursday repost from the Disability Thinking archives. It’s less than I used to post, but I am busier lately. If I can manage it, quality and consistency at this point is probably better than quantity.

2. I will write more about my own experiences with disability and the evolution of my disability thinking.

To start with I want to do more “I Used To Think …” posts, exploring specific ways my thinking about disability changed from one stage of my life to another. Beyond that, I want to share more about my personal disability experiences, and bring those experiences to bear more often in posts about current disability issues and culture.

3. I will make my writing about disability issues and activism more accessible.

To be honest, this one is also a little bit of a suggestion for other disability bloggers too. I think that one probably harmless way we can “reach out” to people who aren’t dialed in to disability issues … both non-disabled people and disconnected disabled people … is to cut down on the activist and sociology jargon, and when we do use it, explain it. There are good, solid reasons to use terms like “ableism,” “intersectionality,” “eugenics,” “erasure,” "inspiration porn," etc. They give names to real-life experiences that are otherwise hard to describe and pinpoint. But, these terms also tend to widen the gap between people who are active in disability issues and culture, and those who aren’t. Often, the crucial difference is education, or lack of it, and integration in a supportive disability community … or the reverse and very common experience of isolation in forest of non-disability. It’s not just terminology. I want to at least try to make what I write informationally and conceptually accessible to people outside the active disability blogging and activist communities. Being mindful about terminology is just one fairly easy place to start. We’ll see how it goes. And I invite readers and fellow bloggers to give it a try, too.

This seems like a doable list of resolutions. Please feel free to hold me to these commitments as the new year progresses!

Weekly Reading List

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There's interesting disability stuff to read every week, even during the holidays ...

5 “Quad Tricks” for Managing a Day at Home Solo
Alex Ghenis, New Mobility - December 22, 2016

I'm surprised there aren't more articles like this. In the next few years we are going to have to fight for every hour of home care to prevent a mass return to nursing homes. But being able to manage on your own for a few extra hours can make a big difference when the only practical alternative is total loss of independence.

Getting fuel with a disability: Not as easy as pushing a button
John Hult, Sioux Falls Argus Leader - December 26, 2016

Compare this ADA story with the "60 Minutes" piece on "drive by lawsuits." This local newspaper story starts from a similar place ignorance, but instead of sniffing out perceived corruption, it proceeds with a more open attitude of curiosity: "Shouldn't this thing work better? How is it actually supposed to work? Huh! People are sort of trying, but maybe following the letter of the law isn't enough." It presents a problem but doesn't single out villains, and as a result, it's easier to see the possibility of reasonable solutions and better results.

Love Crimes
Mike Ervin, Smart Ass Cripple - December 18, 2016

All I ever do is gush with praise for Smart Ass Cripple posts, because they usually leave no room for further comment other than to say, "You have to read it." So ... if you have ever given a moment's anguished thought to the phenomenon of parents deliberately killing their disabled child and being treated sympathetically in public perception, then you have to read this.

Individuals with disabilities more likely to be employed in states with expanded Medicaid
Mike Krings, Medical Press - December 22, 2016

I would like to read something about this in a less obscure publication, but I am adding it to my list because it pinpoints something that I think doesn't get enough focused attention. Steady employment is usually viewed as the gold standard way of getting steady health insurance, but the opposite is also true. Stable health insurance is an important key to getting and keeping a good job, especially when you have disabilities.

Becoming Disabled
Michael M. Weinstein, The New Yorker - December 22, 2016

If you are steeped in disability culture and activism already, you might find this personal disability story / review laced with low-grade ableism. Yet, this New Yorker article could function as a good and philosophically accessible introduction to the deeper meanings of disability, both the practical and emotional sides of the experience. I'm glad to see this small trend of disability topics being discussed in relatively sophisticated ways in "higher end" but mainstream publications.

Throwback Thursday

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I haven't done one of these in awhile. Here is a short post I wrote two years ago today:

Best Article On The ABLE Act
December 22, 2014

The ABLE Act still prompts head-scratching, and I have yet to meet anyone or read anything by a person who is using it. It still seems like a good thing, and slow implementation of these kinds of things is pretty standard. But I also suspect that most disabled people and affected families don't really know what it is or how it's actually supposed to work, apart from a core group of relatively affluent families who are already pretty familiar with setting up tax-free savings accounts.

Now there's apparently a new law just passed that allows disabled people to set up their own Special Needs Trusts, rather than depending on parents or guardians to do it for them. Like the ABLE Act, Special Needs Trusts are meant to help disabled people accumulate and set aside reserve funds for disability-related needs, without affecting eligibility for basic support benefits like SSI and Medicaid. So, this, too, is a good thing, especially since the new provision is specifically meant to underscore that these things aren't just for caregiving families, they're for self-directing disabled adults, too.

Overhanging all of these helpful steps towards good sense and financial stability, there's a much simpler kind of fix ... simply push back the time limits, earnings limits, or both, by a whole lot. Make it so disabled people don't even start losing benefits they are otherwise qualified for until they're making, like, $70,000 per year. Or, remove the time and income limits completely, and add an income surtax that kicks in at higher incomes for disabled people who use government support and health care. Because any of us could earn big bucks one year, be unemployable next year, and be working half time or a few hours a week the year after that, based on the ups and downs of our disabilities, and other factors. Let us keep the stability of benefits while we build on that base ... and if we do really well, make us pay some back through the IRS, but keep the eligibility going.

Anyway, that's what I would do, if I was in charge of everything.

Fake News and Disability Culture

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There are a lot of articles right now about spotting "fake news." Some of them also try in a slightly wider way to explain how to evaluate the reliability, political bias, and professionalism of various news sources. Here are three decent examples:

6 Quick Ways to Spot Fake News
Kim LaCapria, Snopes.com - January 21, 2016

How to Spot Fake News
Eugene Kiely and Lori Robertson, FactCheck.org - November 18, 2016

10 Ways to Spot a Fake News Story
Melanie Radzicki McManus, How Stuff Works - December 19, 2016

What about disability content on the internet? Are we at risk of falling for fake news stories on disability topics? It's easy to single out anti-vax articles and ableist trolls, but what about the subtler forms of deception and sensationalism? What is the proper role of skepticism in a community that values believing what people say about their own experiences? Are we as good at spotting bad disability journalism when its conclusions do agree with our beliefs? What signs should we look for to sift the good stuff from the garbage in disability media?

I have three suggestions:

1. Recognize the disability version of "click bait."

“Click bait” is content designed to get you to click on a splashy, emotional headline or picture, often for the purpose of earning advertising money. Everybody who writes and posts on the internet wants to be widely read, but some people and businesses focus exclusively on making money by generating clicks, any way that they can. The most common forms of disability click bait include:

- Highly emotional appeals, usually to pity, sentimentality, or ridicule.
- Candid photos and videos of disabled people, (especially children), who likely did not give consent to being photographed or written about.
- Instructions to "Like," or "Share," especially when doing so is equated to prayer.

2. Approach moral / political outrage carefully, especially when your first instinct is to agree.

Healthy skepticism is important, but in disability culture and activism it’s tricky. We also want to accept disabled peoples' stories, even the horrific and "unbelievable" ones. Sometimes, things really are that bad. Nevertheless …

- Ask yourself basic critical questions about claims of extreme ableism or abuse. Does this story seem credible, given what you know about how the world works, based on your own life experiences, based on what you know about the reality of ableism?
- Remember that there is often a difference between the facts … what happened … and what it actually means.
- Do some research into the details of disability issues, and try not to panic over predictions of imminent doom. We may in fact be at a unique moment of real danger for the disability community, but the strengths we had before November 8 we still have, and political change is still hard, messy, and slow … even the bad stuff.
- Be skeptical, but don’t be an asshole about it.

Don't try to debunk stories you doubt, and don’t try to “expose” individuals who write about terrible personal experiences. Remember that in the disability community, really bad things really do happen. Meanwhile, maintain a healthy, base-level skepticism as you read, and add your positive and negative assessments to your evolving thinking about disability issues and ableism.

3. Ask who is speaking.

- Is the author disabled? What is their credibility on disability issues? Being disabled doesn’t mean someone is automatically right about disability matters, and non-disabled people often have spot-on insights, but direct experience and privilege should be included in your assessments.
- Are disabled people quoted or paraphrased in articles about disabled people? This is, or should be, “Nothing about us without us” in action.
- Again, remember, believing peoples’ stories isn’t the same thing as accepting their conclusions. Give individuals the benefit of the doubt. Focus your critical work on their ideas and conclusions.

These tips are only about methods and telltale signs. No matter what the external factors are, in the end you still have to evaluate the disability content itself.

Weekly Reading List: "Drive By Lawsuit" Edition

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On Sunday, December 5, “60 Minutes” ran a story about what it described as “dive by lawsuits,” people suing businesses for ADA accessibility problems in order to make money. The story prompted a lot of anger, frustration, and writing from the disability community. It was one of those rare instances of everyone in the disability talking about the exact same thing for a whole week or more. Here is a collection of articles I read …

What’s a “drive-by lawsuit”?
Anderson Cooper, 60 Minutes - December 4, 2016

This is the story that started the week-long-and-counting discussion. Aside from the content and tone of the story, I think there are two factors that intensify feelings about it. First of all, it’s “60 Minutes,” a respected and widely viewed investigative news show that still has a lot of influence with curious but not always highly informed viewers. True, the show also has a parallel reputation for hyperbole and for sometimes engaging in “gotcha” shock journalism. But on the whole, if “60 Minutes” covers a thing, most people assume there’s something to it. Secondly, the story is led by Anderson Cooper, who is widely liked and trusted by a mass audience, but also specifically liked and respected by people with a generally left-wing, progressive point of view. Cooper is one of the few well-known journalists who maintains mainstream respectability and progressive credibility. If Anderson Cooper thinks something is wrong in a segment of the progressive community, something must really be wrong.

The Real Problem with “Drive-By Lawsuits”
Kim Sauder, Crippledscholar - December 5, 2016

Kim Sauder’s blog is usually a good place to start for a thorough deconstruction of something bad happening in or two disability culture. She’s quick on the uptake and her analysis is always sharp.

Anderson Cooper: What Were You Thinking?
David Bekhour, Medium - December 7, 2016

This is probably the most heartfelt and personal of the many “open letter” type responses aimed specifically at Anderson Cooper. As noted above, it hurts extra hard that this was an Anderson Cooper story.

True Activists Don’t Just “Drive-by”
Emily Ladau, Rooted In Rights - December 9, 2016

I’m glad someone pointed out in a detailed way that some ADA lawsuits really are odious and motivated by greed. There IS a problem here. What I especially appreciate is the point that whether or not “drive by” lawsuits are corrupt, they are undoubtedly bad, neglectful advocacy.

Here’s what 60 Minutes Got Wrong About the ADA: Everything
Robyn Powell, XOJane - December 12, 2016

This is another great followup article on the “60 Minutes” story, highlighting the “small details matter” aspect of accessibility, and providing a link to CBS’s response to critics.

Action Alert: Anderson Cooper’s ADA Attack on 60 Minutes
National Council on Independent Living - December 7, 2016

I am not usually a fan of “Action Alerts” in response to bad things in popular media and culture. It often feels too close to some sort of legislation or censorship of ideas. On the other hand, if crafted well, a call to action like this one by NCIL can focus public attention on media shortcomings, and maybe encourage better coverage in the near future.

I Used To Think ...

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I have been toying with starting a new post series on how my thinking about disability has changed over the years. Something like this …

During Thursday’s #CripTheVote Twitter chat, a troll spent some time mocking what we were doing. It was mostly standard-brand conservative ridicule of “Social Justice Warriors.” But at one point he identified himself as a “fellow” disabled person, and specifically criticized us for being proud to be disabled. He said he’d never be “‘pathetic enough” to be proud of his disability. I didn’t respond, because I didn’t want to help him derail the conversation, but I wanted to ask, simply, “Why not? Why AREN’T you proud to be disabled?”

I used to think it was really clever and important to view my disabilities as totally separate from me as a person. I completely bought into "person first" language … not because I thought I had to remind people that I was a PERSON with disabilities, but because to me it was critically important that I was a person WITH disabilities. Disability was a “thing” that I “had.” I viewed my disabilities as very real things that affected my life, but insisted that they were sort of like add-ons, discrete attributes, not significant aspects of who I was.

That’s how I thought about disabilities from about age 22 to about four years ago, aged 45. I was fully politicized, understood and supported the Social Model of disability, and by and large felt either positive or neutral about my own disabilities. Yet, the idea of disability as an identity was more of a theoretical construct than a reality for me. I didn’t see the logic of disability identity until I started blogging, and encountered so many people who not only felt that their disabilities WERE integrated parts of their identities, but were adamant about it in an affirmative, even joyful way.

I still don’t think a lot about my own identity. It doesn’t feel that important to me, personally as a topic to puzzle over or crow about. However, I do see now how disabilities have shaped my identity, at least in the sense of my place and profile in society. And I feel like I understand a lot more how important it is for disabled people to embrace their disabilities, not just drily acknowledge them.

In future “I Used To Think …” posts, I will probably write about:

- The time in my life when the LAST THING I wanted to do was work any job related to disabilities.
- When I “discovered” the disability rights movement.
- My changing perspective on diplomacy and assertiveness in disability activism.

I would also love to hear about other peoples’ major changes in their disability thinking.

Weekly Reading List

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This list is mostly last week’s list, which I never finished. The first article is more recent though. I’m going to try to keep to my new schedule from now on. I promise.

Denied a Cab Ride, Grieving for Who We Are …
Stephen Kuusisto, Planet Of The Blind - December 3, 2016

There are legitimate dilemmas in ADA compliance ... like the problem of service dogs and allergies. But, the hostility with which they are discussed shows that often the real motivation is good old fashioned ableism, bolstered by an "anti-minority" ideology. This cab driver could have handled the problem in a completely acceptable and non-harmful way, and he chose not to.

How The Oppressor Expresses Remorse
Mike Ervin, Smart Ass Cripple - November 28, 2016

As usual, Smart Ass Cripple uses a silly idea to highlight very non-silly observations. Smart Ass Cripple is an essential and probably under-appreciated voice in the disability community.

Education Secretary Calls For End To Corporal Punishment
Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop - November 28, 2016

When my family moved to the State of Washington from New York in 1980, I was mildly shocked to find that my new middle school used corporal punishment. I'm not sure how long they kept doing it, but it was so bureaucratic and ritualized that in addition to being cruel, to the students it was completely meaningless. I can't believe any school still do this. And by the way, how many important declarations like this can we expect from the Education Department over the next four to eight years?

The Problem With Paternalizing Disabled People to Protest Donald Trump
Kim Sauder, crippledscholar - November 19, 2016

Democrats and progressives probably made scores of that contributed to Clinton's election loss. I really think that one of them was how we brought disabled people and disability concerns into the election. The progress is undeniable, but aside from a single afternoon where where Hillary Clinton discussed disability policy, and some great #CripTheVote chats on specific issues, most of the appeal to disabled voters was tinged with this paternalism, along with some very simplistic and one-dimensional shaming of Donald Trump ... in a year when a lot of voters simply didn't care that their candidate was rude and offensive. In fact, for many, if not most Trump voters, Trump’s rudeness was a feature, not a bug. I don't doubt anyone's sincerity. We all probably tried to do what we really thought was best, But we need to insist going forward on a much more rapid evolution to a more sophisticated dialog around disability in politics.

Why Disability Activism Needs to Be More Inclusive of People of Color
Keah Brown, Everyday Feminism - November 24, 2016

I am finally getting to the point where intersectionality is no longer an esoteric idea to me, to be researched and interrogated. Now it feels like simple common sense. I hope I'm really starting to get it, and I hope it's not just me.

12/7/16 - #CripTheVote Twitter Chat: Mapping Our Intersectional Futures

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#CripTheVote Twitter Chat

Mapping Our Intersectional Futures

December 7, 2016, 7 pm Eastern

Guest Hosts: Dominick Evans, Sandy Ho,  Talila “TL” Lewis and Vilissa K. Thompson

Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, the co-partners of #CripTheVote recently published their updated mission after the 2016 election. Join us for our 15th chat focusing on intersectional activism, political participation, and next steps. We are proud and honored to have four stellar guest hosts: Dominick Evans, Sandy Ho, Talila “TL” Lewis and Vilissa K. Thompson.

How to Participate

Follow @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility @GreggBeratan on Twitter

Follow the Guest Hosts on Twitter: @dominickevans @IntersectedCrip @talilalewis @VilissaThompson

When it’s time, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for live tweets under the ‘Live’ tab to follow the full conversation.

If you might be overwhelmed by the volume of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions, check @DisVisibility’s tweets. Each question will tweeted 8-9 minutes apart.

Use the hashtag #CripTheVote when you tweet. If you can’t join us on 12/7, feel free to tweet anytime before or after with the hashtag.

If you don’t use Twitter, check out the live-stream: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote

Check out this explanation of how to participate in a chat by Ruti Regan.

Questions for the 12/7/16 Twitter Chat

Welcome to our chat on #IntersectionalActivism. Please remember to use the #CripTheVote hashtag when you tweet.

If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote

Before we start, let’s name & honor the Black feminist who coined the term #intersectionality, legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. #CripTheVote

In a recent article, Crenshaw describes #intersectionality as “a way of thinking about identity and its relationship to power.” #CripTheVote

#MustRead: A piece by Kimberlé Crenshaw, legal scholar & critical race theorist, on intersectionality. #CripTheVote

Q1 What does #intersectionality mean to you? What do you think an intersectional future for the disability community look like? #CripTheVote

Q2 What are examples of critical issues & concerns facing multiply marginalized disabled people right now, pre-/post-election? #CripTheVote

Q3 Why is it urgent that any activism within the disability community is intersectional in light of the recent election? #CripTheVote

Q4 What is preventing our disability communities from being intersectional? What mindsets and practices need to change?  #CripTheVote

Q5 What are some examples of #IntersectionalActivism you want to highlight? Please signal boost groups, folks or links! #CripTheVote

Q6 How can we encourage intersectional disabled people to become more involved in activism? How do we support those who are? #CripTheVote

Q7 How will you make your activism intersectional & pressure orgs you support to do the same? Provide specific ideas/examples? #CripTheVote

Q8: What work does the disability community have to take on now to build an intersectional future? What are the first steps? #CripTheVote

This ends our #CripTheVote chat. Many thanks to guest hosts @talilalewis @dominickevans @IntersectedCrip & @VilissaThompson!

Please continue the convo! This Twitter chat will be archived in Storify later this evening. Look for tweets with the #CripTheVote hashtag

Additional Reading

Crenshaw, Kimberlé. (September 24, 2015). Why Intersectionality Can’t Wait. Washington Post.

Blahovec, Sarah. (November 21, 2016). Five Lessons I’ve Learned About Intersectional Disability Activism. Huffington Post.

Brown, Keah. (October 14, 2016). Disabled People Of Color Struggle To Be Heard. The Establishment.

Çevik, Kerima. (October 19, 2015). Random Thoughts at The Intersection of Race, White Privilege, and Disability Rights Advocacy. Intersected.

Lewis, Talila A. (July 22, 2016). Achieving Liberation Through Disability Solidarity.

Lewis, Talila A. (August 28, 2016). Fighting for Free[dom] & the Expense of Erasure.

National Council on Independent Living Diversity Committee. (November 30, 2016). We Can’t Breathe: The Deaf & Disabled Margin of Police Brutality Project.

The Harriet Tubman Collective. (September 8, 2016). Disability Solidarity: Completing the “Vision for Black Lives.”

Thompson, Vilissa & Wong, Alice. (July 26, 2016). #GetWokeADA26: Disabled People of Color Speak Out, Part One. Ramp Your Voice!

Thompson, Vilissa & Wong, Alice. (July 26, 2016). #GetWokeADA26: Disabled People of Color Speak Out, Part Two. Ramp Your Voice! Disability Visibility Project.

Wade, Carrie. (November 14, 2016). Lessons For Our Future From the Disability Intersectionality Summit. Autostraddle.

Statement from the National Disability Leadership Alliance on Solidarity and the 2016 Presidential Election.

Williams, Steve. (August 21, 2014) What is Intersectionality and Why Is It Important? Care2 Causes.

About #CripTheVote

#CripTheVote is a nonpartisan online movement activating and engaging disabled people on policies and practices important to the disability community. https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2016/11/17/looking-ahead-the-future-of-cripthevote/

Please note we do not represent the entire disability community nor would we ever claim to do so. There are many ways to create social change and engaging in conversation is one approach.

“Like” #CripTheVote Facebook Page

A note on language and why we use the term ‘crip’

Disability Blogger Linkup

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It’s been while since we did a linkup, so here we go!

If you are new to this, click here to see previous Disability Blogger Link-Ups. The idea is to share something you have written that's about disability in some way. Please be sure to link to the specific article or post, not the main page of the website it's on.

To make the links easier for visitors to identify, in the “Your name” blank, type the title of the article you are posting. In the "Your URL" blank, paste the URL address of the item. Like this:

Name = Title of your article.
Your URL = Link to your article.

Then click the "Enter" button. That's it! If you have any trouble making it work, or any questions, feel free to email me at: apulrang@icloud.com

This Link-Up will close at Midnight Eastern on Sunday. The next Disability Blogger Link-Up will start Friday, December 16, 2016.