Tuesday, March 3, 2015

A Bit Of Word Wonkery

Scrabble tiles in a rack spelling "WORDS"
He is disabled, but ... (something positive).

He is disabled, and ... (something positive).

Both are ways that people say and write nice things about disabled people, but it makes a huge difference whether they use but or and."

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Followup: 2015 Day Of Mourning

Alice Wong, Disability Visibility Project - March 3, 2015

This address by Alice Wong, at one of Sundays Day Of Mourning 2015 events, is heartbreaking and empowering all at the same time. Its always tricky to imply, “My life is pretty great so yours can be, too,” but we’re talking about life and death here. Those three kids weren’t allowed to even try.

I still dont have much appetite for punishment. But the contrast between what life with even the most severe disabilities can be, and how hopeless these killers and the news media just assume it is, shows just how far apart and confused we still are about the nature of disability. Its a vital reminder to the disability community that disability awareness, so easily trivialized, really is important. Somehow, weve got to penetrate the brick wall between people with disabilities who are happy and glad to be here, and the parents, professionals, and news media who think disability equals suffering and hopelessness.

Lives literally depend on it.

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