It's difficult to ground teaching practice in Disability Justice when so much of the educational system is antithetical to those values. Still, I try, and I am very open with my students about that. Things are a bit easier as a mentor. My first-year college students are able to comprehend more quickly the tenets of DJ, and we can meet outside of the crushing pressures of the educational system.
Tag: disability
Does chocolate cause migraines? Can it help them? Should you ever eat chocolate again? These questions haunt many of us who have migraines, as well as those wanting to learn more. Using my own experiences, chats I've had with others, and information from the scientific review I just linked, let's explore.
Just as an adrenaline-filled moment wrestling with a friend was my first queer awakening, Care vs. Cure was my first true disabled awakening. All at once, I learned what Disability Studies was and became confident that I belonged in it. But it was Disability Justice that made me realize that disability is a political identity as well.
This list is simply five of my favorite disabled characters across different media. Not the absolute best representation, or most reviewed, or anything else. Just my personal favorites.
Bringing the realm of disability into the intimacy space can only make it messier. Disabled lives are messy. Physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally. Thus, disabled intimacy is always messy. But that doesn't mean it can't feel really, really good.
Walking with a cane is not as simple as picking it up and going on your way. It requires a period of adjustment to find your rhythm, learning to synchronize your muscles with the workings of metal and rubber. Yet, no one talks about this. So here are a few ways you shouldn't use a cane.
Crip time gives me a space for that. In crip time, I am not tied to being 22 years old. I am not too young or too old for my impairments. There are no necessary qualifications to accept the validity of my crip-ness.
"I'm not disabled," I said to myself. But doubt slowed my cursor as I went to close the email. Sure, my foot still hurt after months of physical therapy and consultation with a civilian doctor. And my migraines were nearly constant. Not to mention the mental health struggles. But I wasn't disabled, and this was a department for disabled students.
In honor of Spooky Month, I thought I'd talk about the scariest things I know: migraines and stress.
Episode 3 explores my first use of a cane, finally getting a diagnosis for my disability, and the effects that had on me afterward.