Ever since I was a young girl, I have sought out disability representation in the media, entertainment, and fashion industries. As a born performer and lover of the creative arts, these industries have always had me in a chokehold of sorts.
But more importantly, they passively inform our entire society about the things they should and should not care about at any given time of the day, month, year, decade, or century.
That might sound rather intense, but it’s 100% true.
Today’s word is “spaz.” Keep reading to learn why this word is inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can begin to use in its place.
As a disabled model, to be asked to walk a runway during London Fashion Week was a dream come true. But as incredible as the experience was, it showed me how much work still needs to be done within the fashion industry to be a truly inclusive space for the disability community.
When you use the word “lame” to describe something, what do you usually mean? For me, “lame” always meant that something was boring or uncool. But, if you take notice of the definitions above, you’ll see that these synonyms are not the word’s true meanings.
July is Disability Pride Month! One of the best ways to celebrate is to take some time to educate yourself on the disabled lived condition. Below, I have listed out 7 different disabled books, some fiction, and some non-fiction, to help you start your educational journey.
Insane Definition:
in a state of mind which prevents normal perception, behavior, or social interaction; seriously mentally ill.
(of an action or quality) characterized or caused by madness.
extremely annoyed.
extremely foolish; irrational.
shocking; outrageous.
Inclusive representation is a new trend. Ensuring that the media we consume reflects the world we live in accurately has only really been on people’s minds for the last ten or so years. And, while improvements are being made, there are many places were representation is still severely lacking.
Let me just start off today’s blog post by saying this: It is 100% natural and valid to hate this pandemic and all the pain it’s caused around the world, but still be nervous for it to end. Post-Covid anxieties are very real and should be taken seriously. Not only do many of them highlight parts of our society’s structure that could be improved, but they also matter to several people you love and care about.
Today, I am sharing my list of post-covid anxieties as a chronically ill and disabled young woman in order to get people thinking about the ways we can ensure a return to normalcy doesn’t impede on people’s ability to live.
Today’s words are “idiot and idiotic.” Keep reading to learn why these words are inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can begin to use in their place.
Last week, I had the opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do. On Thursday, April 1st, 2021, I spoke on a Disability Pride Panel for the Disability and Human Development Undergraduate Student Association at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was such an incredible experience and I am very grateful to have been asked to be a part of the event.
Because this Disability Pride Panel was hosted by a student organization at UIC, attendance was not open to the public. Though I was disappointed more people didn’t have access to the wonderful dialogue taking place, the small numbers allowed more time for questions and discussion.
Since this was my first time speaking on a panel, specifically a disability pride panel, I thought it would be fruitful to share my thoughts and feelings on the event. By doing so, I hope other institutions and organizations can learn about the importance of events like this one and hopefully host their own versions in the future.
Without further ado, here are the top 4 things I learned from speaking on UIC’s Disability Pride Panel.
Today’s word is “handicapable.” Keep reading to learn why this word is inherently ableist and discover alternatives you can begin to use in its place.
I received the first dose of the Pfizer Covid Vaccine last week in London, England. This blog post documents my experience. Remember, everyone will have different outcomes and nothing I say here is guaranteed to happen to you! I hope you will get vaccinated as soon as it is available to you and your demographic. Let’s end this pandemic, together.
Similar to the last word we evaluated as part of the Ableist Language Series here on The Rolling Explorer, the word, “handicap,” has a very clear offense warning within the definition itself. But, in case that wasn’t enough, let’s talk about the other reasons you should avoid using this word.
Before I dive into my review of Maternity Rolls, I just want to thank Disability Maternity Care for sending me this book! Disability Maternity Care is an amazing non-profit that helps support women with disabilities who want to become mothers. As a woman with a disability, their message resonates with me so deeply. I was over the moon when they reached out a couple months ago asking to work together on this partnership.
So, as you read this review and decide whether or not you’d like to read Maternity Rolls for yourself, know that by making a purchase using my affiliate links, you will not just be supporting me and my blog, but you will also be making an impact on the wider community!
Today’s blog post is going to get REAL personal, so buckle up. Y’all think dating is difficult? Try dating with a disability! Talk about vulnerability…
Below I have outlined some of the steps I have personally taken over the last few months to help me appreciate my body more as well as some that I am planning on implementing into my daily routine in the upcoming weeks. While I haven’t been able to test out my progress at a proper social event, I can already tell that my confidence has improved drastically!
Keep reading to see how you too can learn to start LOVING YOUR BODY by Valentine’s Day!
Definition of “Dumb”
1a: lacking intelligence: STUPID
1b: showing a lack of intelligence
1c: requiring no intelligence
2a: lacking the human power of speech
2b of a person, dated, offensive, lacking the ability to speak: MUTE
3: temporarily unable to speak (as from shock or astonishment)
4: not expressed in uttered words
5: SILENT
*All definitions are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary
I started to read this book slowly, and quickly realized that I wanted to make it my January book of the month for 2 reasons:
1. I think talking about the ways in which my disability has impacted the way I view money is important to the wider conversation of ableism and disability.
2. Everyone deserves to feel empowered to make the money they deserve after the hellish year we have all been put through.
How Is “Differently-Abled” Ableist?
To understand the answer to this question, we must first examine the reason WHY people use “differently-abled” as their go-to term to describe someone with a disability.
The simple answer is this: they believe “differently-abled” is less offensive than the disabled person’s actual identity (disabled).
I know I’ve said this a million times on social media and that at least 3 other blog posts begin with this same sentiment, but that’s because it is so glaringly obvious.
2020 was the worst. It’s been mentally and physically draining for pretty much everyone around the world. But, no group or community has felt the full blow like the disability community.
The disability community has once again been forced into hiding thanks to the irresponsible behavior of our neighbors. Our worth has been called into question by both strangers on the street and medical professionals. It truly felt as if we were shoved backward through time. As the disability community shouted and exclaimed their joy over the 30th anniversary of the ADA, we were simultaneously being silenced.
In today’s blog post I talk about becoming a better disability community ally in 2021 and some basic easy steps you can take to do better this year.
Growing up, I learned to hate biographies, not necessarily because they were boring, but mostly because they were assignments. On top of that obvious barrier, I often found them difficult to relate to. Most of the ones I encountered were about people who lived during the 19th and 20th centuries. So, not only were the stories seemingly ancient to my teenage mind, but they also were written about older adults who had essentially finished their story.
Definition of “deranged”
1. mentally unsound
2. disturbed or disordered in function, structure, or condition
3. wildly odd or eccentric
All definitions are from the Merriam Webster dictionary
Engagement and statistics are great, but at the end of the day, activists, advocates, and small businesses need a little bit more than a like on Instagram. Seeing as we are in the middle of the holiday season and many people are looking for the perfect gifts to give to their loved ones, I thought it would be good to put together a list of some disabled owned small businesses that could really use your support this year.
“Deformed” is not a stand alone descriptor. It is always in reference to something else, even if that something else is not expressly mentioned. It is a comparative tool, and a hurtful one at that.
In my eyes, Chosen Ones was the perfect mix of the real, soul-crushing truths of adulthood and wild, gripping the book too tightly, storytelling. It was exactly what I have been looking for. Could someone in their mid to late teens read this and enjoy it? Probably, but I think that adults will better understand and empathize with the main character, Sloane, as she struggles with her past, present, and future choices.
In this blog post, I will do a close examination of the word “deaf” and explain why you should not be using it for any other reason than for identification.
It has been 8 years since I’ve gotten a new prosthetic. The only reason I am looking to get a new one now is because my old socket is too big. Since January 2020, I have lost about 25-30 pounds. I sought a diagnosis for constant nausea and stomach pain for months before finally learning of a new chronic condition I possess in late July (yes, I know I haven’t talked about this on here yet, I am still processing the diagnosis and will discuss it when I am ready). The chances of me getting back to the weight I was at the beginning of the year seems highly unlikely. So, given the age of my previous prosthesis and the inability to shrink the socket down enough to fit the new circumference of my leg, it was determined that I would need an entire new limb.
About a month ago, we entered my favorite season of the year. No, it’s not Fall, it’s better! I’m talking about Holiday Season, y’all! In my family, Holiday Season lasts from October 1st – January 2nd. Obviously, depending on which holidays you and your family observe, this could be longer or shorter for everyone.
Covid-19 is forcing many families around the world to cancel family celebrations and get-togethers.
Keep reading to find out how you can keep the Holiday Spirit alive amongst your family and friends while remaining physically apart!
As The Rolling Explorer was originally created to be an accessible travel and lifestyle blog, I would have loved to spend this month sharing my top recommended spooky tourist attractions or visiting costume shops to see how many adaptive costumes were for sale. Obviously, Covid has made posts like these impossible to create this year. So, instead, I decided to combine two of my favorite things: dressing up and advocacy!
This book is outstanding. If you are at all interested in learning more about the disabled lived condition, it is simply a must-read. If you’re following me on social media or subscribe to my blog’s mailing list, I am so grateful for your support and interest in my story and experience. That said, my story alone is not going to change the world. Disability Visibility opens up conversations into topics I cannot cover, including cultural, racial, and gender intersectionalities with disability. As a white, average-sized, young, disabled woman, my privileges are vast compared to many others within the disability community. I am grateful for this book because it shed light on perspectives I hadn’t before considered.
The issue with “cripple” becomes painfully obvious once you place its original definition next to the ones that we, as a society, have crafted above. Stemming from the Old English words “crypel,” meaning to creep (ie. limp) and “creopere,” or someone that creeps (ie. limps), you can see that the word originated as a pure identifier/descriptor.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month or NDEAM. This article will answer the following questions:
What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?
Why do we celebrate NDEAM in the US?
How can I participate?
Why do people with disabilities celebrate both NDEAM and Disability Pride Month (July)?
How can this year’s NDEAM theme (INCREASING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY) actually be implemented in the workplace?
The Presidential Debate on Tuesday night was embarrassing to watch as an American citizen for many reasons. But, almost more troubling than the screaming match itself was America’s response to the two candidates.
To the best of my ability, I intend for this article to be unbiased in nature. Many of you who follow me across multiple platforms most likely already know my political leanings. That said, I would like to use this space to comment on the response to the presidential debate, rather than the content of the debate itself.
As a digital marketing professional and lifestyle blogger, I spend a lot of time on social media. I love connecting with my community online, but when you’re scrolling, there is no telling what you will come across. Immediately following the debate on Tuesday night, I jumped on Facebook and Twitter to see what my friends, family, and favorite personalities had to say about the event.
I was appalled by what I saw.
Similarly to Bonkers, crazy has a long, historic connection with mental illness. Crazy is frequently used to discredit others and essentially gaslight them into thinking that they are burdensome in some way. Regardless of intention, anytime you use the word crazy to describe another human being you are attempting to diagnose that person, which is inherently ableist. This action feeds into the stigmatization of mental illness and further isolates those who do have severe mental health conditions.
You Are A Badass has been featured as a must-read in every book store I have walked into for the past 5 years. With its neon yellow cover, it’s already difficult to miss. When it’s placed on a stand at the front of the store, or on top of the shelf, it is completely impossible to avoid.
I purchased this book at Powell’s book store in Portland, Oregon last year. My friends and I were on our final spring break trip and had planned to spend a couple of hours perusing the massive store. As usual, it was easily spotted. The small colorful display overtook every other title in a 2 foot radius.
In the past when I encountered the book, I often only saw the brightness it exuded. As I sat in my wheelchair staring at it from across the room, I paused, allowed the discomfort in my eyes to settle as it adjusted to the background color, and read the title for the first time.
When you talk about a group of people as being confined, you assess that they are not in control of themselves or their lives. You take away their voice and their worth. Essentially, you equate them to an object. Something that cannot think or motivate itself in any capacity.
Having a driving playlist has been essential for me in every stage of life. As a child, I would blast “Genie in a Bottle,” by Christina Aguilera and “It’s Gonna Be Me,” by NSYNC from my CD player in the backseat. When I was a bit older, I would only play songs from the community theater shows I participated in. Yes, of course, I drove my parents up the wall by singing along as loudly as I possibly could.
These days, if I am not listening to one of my favorite podcasts, I prefer to plug in my Spotify playlist, queue up some songs, and hit the road.
I grew up in a small, farming community, so driver’s education is a part of the high school curriculum. The big question on the table was whether or not I would be participating in the behind-the-wheel portion of the class and learning how to drive with the rest of my peers.
Having zero neurological or mental deficits and being proficient at Mario Kart, I didn’t fully understand why the school even bothered asking. OF COURSE I WOULD BE DRIVING! HOW SILLY!
But, I quickly understood it was much more involved than I originally thought.
No, the pandemic isn’t over, but your Instagram feed doesn’t have to suffer along with the rest of us!
Taking aesthetically pleasing, socially distanced photos is easy. Keep reading to find out how!
Raise your hand if you have heard or said any one of the following sentences in the past week.
“My friend set me up on a blind date this afternoon.”
“Are you blind? The remote is right in front of you!”
“Ugh, I swear I am blind without my glasses!”
I am the queen of rereading my favorite books. When The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the prequel to The Hunger Games series, (my all-time favorite❤️), came out earlier this year, I immersed myself into the world of Panem for the 5th time. My preparation for THG’s prequel was very similar to my preparation for Midnight Sun, but the end results were much different.
After finishing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I actually contemplated picking up The Hunger Games again and starting from the top. Though I do prefer THG to Twilight, this reaction was driven by a desire to make further analytical connections with the new knowledge the prequel unleashed, not just an obsession with the series.
Reading Midnight Sun after rereading the Twilight series led me down the opposite path.
Earlier this week, I posted the following quarantine art video on my social media channels. Watch the short video and then read on to learn about the inspiration behind it, my creative process, and the goals I had for it!
Ableist language perpetuates the inferiority of people with disabilities. At its core, it is oppressive, derogatory, and hurtful, no matter the intention behind its usage.
I guarantee that you use ableist language every single day without even realizing it. It rolls off the tongue naturally because it’s hardly ever questioned.
Here on The Rolling Explorer, I am going to start questioning it.
Up until last fall, I hardly ever let my picture be taken sitting down. Part of the reasoning was my aversion to showing off my stomach rolls. I’ve always struggled with body image, and if I had nothing to block my tummy from view, I was guaranteed to be self-conscious.
The bigger and more problematic reason I avoided these types of photos, though, was my aversion to my mobility aids. I didn’t like the idea of “looking disabled.” There is such a stigma surrounding wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and prosthetics, not to mention bulkier medical equipment, that it’s hard for people who require these devices to not feel ashamed of needing them.
The Disability Power Movement is dedicated to one thing: bringing widespread awareness to the plethora of issues the disabled community faces every single day. Essentially, it is a continuation of the work I have been doing on my blog for the past year. The only difference is I am now trying to get more people to actively talk about and understand the topics I discuss daily.
I spent the greater part of July reliving the romantic lives of vampires and werewolves as I reread the Twilight Book Series for the first time since I was 13 years old.
The Twilight Book Series was one of the most divisive stories of my generation. Team Edward or Team Jacob was more than a mere question of attraction. Your answer fundamentally defined who you were at your core and had the distinct ability to end even the strongest of friendships.
Middle school was intense, y’all. But, to be completely honest, I am still judging you Jacob lovers out there.
Here on The Rolling Explorer, we have been celebrating the ADA’s 30th Anniversary for the entire month of July.
It’s been busy, but so, so fulfilling.
Of course, none of my efforts matter if they don’t inspire real change. I am thrilled to have a platform to speak out on, but at the end of the day, words can only do so much.
That’s why I created the list below.
Disability Pride Month is coming to an end and the ADA won’t have another significant anniversary for at least 5 years. I’ve been impressed that so many organizations have used this month to spread awareness. The real key, though, is what people do moving forward.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was only founded in 1990, specifically says the following:
“No qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any service, program, or activity conducted by a public entity”
Yet, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, “across all educational attainment groups, unemployment rates for persons with a disability were higher than those for persons without a disability.”
Additionally, only 19.3% of the disabled population was employed in 2019 compared with 66.3% of non-disabled people. – BLS
What does this mean for disability representation in the workplace?
It means that, regardless of whether or not companies are being actively discriminatory towards disabled job seekers, there is still a huge divide that needs to be addressed.
If you have followed me on Instagram for a while and diligently remember all of the things I post, you know that I actually started reading Girl, Stop Apologizing back in February/March.
So, now you’re wondering why on EARTH it has taken me almost 4+ months to finish.
Is it long? Complicated? Boring?
No. It is a relatable read full of amazing tips and tricks to help you live an intentional life.
The book is split into 3 sections.
EXCUSES TO LET GO OF
BEHAVIORS TO ADOPT
SKILLS TO ACQUIRE
I stopped reading when I got to the “Behaviors” section because I realized something very important.
I wasn’t ready.
Today, I am going to talk about 3 things:
1. The History of Disability Pride Month
2. Why People with Disabilities Celebrate Disability Pride Month When They Already Have Disability Employment Awareness Month (October)
3. The Relevance of Disability Pride Month in 2020
Over the past year, I have had to unlearn so many stigmas I believed about myself and the disabled community. Ableism runs DEEP in our society and I still have to correct myself now and again.
That is why I do what I do.
If I, having lived with a disability my entire life, have to unlearn the way I think about the disabled lived condition, you do too.
We all do.
So, whether you’re one of my original subscribers, or brand new to the party this week, let’s look back on the top 10 things you should have learned by following my blog and social media accounts this year.
Gastritis.
After 15 minutes with the doctor, that was the initial diagnosis. I was to take an over the counter antacid for 2 weeks and then report back if things didn’t improve.
Less than 10 days later, I was plopped down on an examination table feeling as though I could vomit at any moment.
Blood was drawn. Urine was collected. A pelvic examination was completed. Still nothing.
Unfortunately, the #BlackLivesMatter movement is already starting to see a decline in media coverage. The initial thrill of leaving your house for the first time in months is fading. Your ability to donate is dwindling. You’ve signed every petition you’ve come across.
Now what?
In order for this movement to transcend the month of June, people around the world need to make some serious changes to their daily life.
Welcome to the 10th Hunger Games! If you’re looking for a trip down memory lane, this is the perfect read for you, as you’ll constantly be referred back to old character names and parallels from the original series. But, let me be the first to warn you, this Hunger Games looks nothing like the one we lived through alongside Katniss and Peeta.
3 years ago this week, I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with my BA in English and a minor in Business Economics
After graduating, I founded The Rolling Explorer, a blog dedicated to sharing my experiences as a disabled, young woman living in the 21st century
By subscribing to my mailing list, you will be the first to know when new posts are live. Join the community to learn how you can become an ally to the disability community.
