Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Things here are okay so far. I’m not hearing good things about this administration and their disability policies. But I haven’t taken the time to do a deep dive to see what’s real and what’s panic/fearmongering, so I’m not going to freak out yet. Anyway, I’m still waiting for the wheelchair and for Medicaid to review my poorness, so I don’t have anything new to ramble about. However, since it’s still Disability Pride Month, I decided to make a list of books by disabled authors. These are not books I’ve read because I never actually intentionally looked for books by disabled writers, so I have missed a lot. Shame on me. But they have been added to my TBR list!
1. Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa.
2. Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw: Reimagining Success as a Disabled Achiever by Eddie Ndopu.
3. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.
4. Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong.
5. Game Changer by Rachel Reid.
I’ll be back next week with the usual book review!
Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Still waiting for the wheelchair. Dad’s keeping busy. Things are usual. Mostly, I’m just here with your yearly reminder that while Pride may be over, July is Disability Pride Month! It’s time to stop hating people for existing as LGBTQ+ and start hating those of us who exist as disabled. But but but… disabled people are soooooooo inspirational! We would never (overtly) hate “special needs” people! The government would never come after people who are “actually” disabled! Have I got some news for you…
The DOJ recently (June 18th, 2026) released a memorandum trying to convince people that the Olmstead Decision of 1999 doesn’t mean what it means. Basically, it’s one of the legal pillars (along with section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 and title II of the ADA) that prevents discrimination against disabled people. The Olmstead Decision makes it clear that disabled people deserve to live in and be cared for within their communities whenever possible. In other words, they can’t be forcibly institutionalized simply because they are disabled. Home and Community Based Services have expanded exponentially because of this ruling. And you know what? It’s far cheaper for the government to provide in-home care for people with disabilities because they don’t pay for 24/7 care or anything extra like a building/food/drinks/etc. But institutions can be made by for-profit organizations, just like prisons. So, while they cost the state more money, the backhanders to politicians are more lucrative for the individual. But I digress.
My dad is paid to take care of me because of this ruling. So many people rely on home health services, including me. Granted, the memorandum doesn’t technically mean anything right now. It’s just an opinion piece. But it gives states the basis they need to start questioning the decision and provides grounds for trying to fight it. And the fact that Texas (where I live) is still trying to get section 504 removed, makes everything all the more terrifying because they’ll keep going until disabled people have no rights. But I have nothing to worry about. I’m overreacting. Right? Right?!
So, yeah. This kind of stuff is why Disability Pride Month exists. As long as our rights are threatened, this will continue to be a thing. And please know that the administration is currently also messing with disabled people’s access to a proper education, but I’m only vaguely aware of what’s happening there, so I’m not expanding on it in my rant. Happy Disability Pride Month!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? I’m not okay for a plethora of reasons. No one cares. The people who do care can’t do anything. So, let’s move swiftly along! I don’t really have much writerly or bookish stuff to ramble about, so I guess I’ll find something else. Our old shower head broke. Again. It was a fancy Delta with 5 sprays and a lifetime warranty, but every few years the color starts peeling off the hose and the switch to change sprays breaks because, while most of the shower head is metal, that part is just plastic. This was the second or third replacement we’ve had since 2018. It’s just not worth the hassle to get another one. Instead, Dad went looking for all metal shower heads in an oil-rubbed bronze finish (I guess no one likes that finish because it’s pretty difficult to find). That’s when he found The Shower Head Store.
Dad decided to go with the All Metal 3-Spray Dual Shower Head Combo with Hand Held & Rain Shower. And yes, it comes in multiple finishes including oil-rubbed bronze! It’s also a small company that seems to be customer focused still, which is always nice. We did have an issue because they originally sent the single spray head instead of the 3-spray. Dad initially emailed them, but decided to call them after 24-hours because I need the jet spray to get properly cleaned and he didn’t want to wait too long. Anyway, he got in touch with someone named Temar who helped him out and asked for pictures. After the initial phone call, everything was done via email. The shower head was out of stock, but they got it in within a few days and sent it right out. So, customer service and Temar are great. They do however spam you with auto-emails telling you to register your product and review it and whatever, which was the only annoying part of the process since we didn’t even have the right product at the time. Otherwise, accidents happen and they fixed it in a timely manner.
The handheld portion of the shower head is nice and works great for my needs. I require full assistance in the shower, so all of the ability issues I mention from here on out are just random thoughts. It’s not a comprehensive list and every disability is different so my thoughts might not even apply to you. Anyway, the shower head is a little heavy since it’s metal, so if you’re cripple and weight is a concern, you might want to find out if you can handle it before buying. The three sprays are wide (the typical shower head), massage (the single jet), and mist (the stinging bees of doom setting). The first two are exactly what I need. The jet does sting a little from certain angles, but it’s strong and gets the job done. I hate the mist setting. I always hate it. It’s buzzy and stingy and I don’t know what kind of masochist enjoys it so much that they keep including it on shower heads in general. But other than that, no complaints about the sprays. Switching between sprays looks easy enough, but I can’t do it myself because I don’t have the strength or gripping abilities, so I don’t really know if it’s cripple friendly for people with grip issues or not. There’s no trickle valve built in, so if you need to be able to reduce the flow to conserve water while soaping up or whatever, you have to buy an add on. It gets installed between the hose and handle, so the placement is a bit awkward and easy to accidentally activate or deactivate. It’s super easy to press though, so that’s good for cripples with strength issues in their fingers.
The rain part of the shower head is interesting. Tried it. It feels nice. I can’t really use it. But Dad loves it!
So, yeah. It’s a good shower head and works great for us.
Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? As I was thinking about what to write for this post, I was faced with a couple of stark reminders of why Medicaid and proper healthcare and assistance for people in times of crises are super important. You know… all that stuff the Republicans are hellbent on getting rid of in order to seemingly help the deficit so some rich people can get tax breaks which will add trillions more to the deficit than they save by gutting social programs. Anyway, I’m starting to rant and that isn’t what this is for.
My first reminder of why these programs are important was the batteries that were installed on my chair today. The old ones were dying pretty quickly and I wouldn’t have been able to afford them out of pocket, so we started the process to get them replaced. When did this process start? A week ago? It couldn’t take that long to just get batteries, right? May 22nd. I started the process on May 22nd and they were finally installed July 1st. Don’t be fooled when people tell you that countries with universal healthcare have ridiculous wait times. Ours are usually worse or about the same. Cutting funding to Medicaid will only make those times worse for the people lucky enough to still be covered. It’s going to make a lot of things worse.
The second reminder is the most important. My friend’s newborn nephew has heart issues and requires surgery. Before they can perform surgery, there’s an infection that has to be taken care of. There’s no telling how long this baby boy will have to be in the hospital. A friend of the family created a GoFundMe for them because the financial burden of having to take time off work, travel back and forth to Seattle, pay for lodging and food, and also worrying about their daughter is already taking its toll. They need help for a situation that no one can ever plan for, but instead of having access to government programs designed to help in these situations, they have to rely on people on the Internet who try their bests to help each other. So, I’m sharing the link to their GoFundMe below in the hopes that some of the kind people on the Internet will see it. Share it on your pages if you’re willing. The wider the audience, the better.
Anyway, stay strong and have a good Disability Pride Month despite everything going on in D.C. We matter. We are not burdens. We are not leeches. We deserve to live, not just survive.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? Things here are okay, I guess. We had a nice little BBQ with the Minion, his wifey, the family, and the new neighbors across the street on Saturday. Other than that, things keep going wrong for Dad and I’m dealing with government bullsheet surrounding my benefits. Because of that, I forgot July is Disability Pride Month. I’m not feeling very pride-y. Every time I finally feel like my benefits are settled and I’m coasting along, the government decides to “improve” something that screws everything up. And it doesn’t help that I have to fight for everything I need. I’m dreading the upcoming election. If Cheeto gets in and that Project 2025 gains traction, everyone is going to be screwed except maybe super rich white folks. So, even though I’m not a fan, fingers crossed for Biden and the status quo! But I’m starting to ramble. This is your yearly reminder that Disability Pride Month exists. Disabled people are worthy of all the same things “able” people are. We are not burdens or drains on society or dirty little secrets. We are human beings. And, according to WHO, approximately 1 in 6 people are significantly disabled and that number is rising. Yay for fun facts!
Anyway, I decided to share an explanation of the Disability Pride flag. I might have done this before, but I’m too lazy to check my previous post.
Ann Magill’s original idea contained bold colors and a zigzag design, but after complaints from individuals with sensory issues (the design triggered migraines and created a strobing effect when scrolling), she revamped the idea with straight lines and muted colors that were grouped differently to avoid the negative effects. Here are some of the meanings behind the flag:
Black: The black background symbolizes the mourning of disabled people who have been victimized by ableism or lost to disability-fueled violence, abuse/negligence, and death.
Diagonal stripes: The stripes cut through the darkness (i.e., barriers).
Multi-colored: The disability pride flag includes all six standard international flag colors to indicate that the disability is a global thing.
Green: Sensory disabilities (blindness, deafness, lack of smell, lack of taste, etc.).
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing today? It’s been a while since I took a lazy day for the blog, but as I’m writing this, it’s July 4th, so I’m using that as an excuse. Woo ‘Murica! Not really. I’m not exactly proud of my country lately, but I do want a break… sooooooooooo… HOLIDAY! I’ll be vegging and possibly catching up on reading. Or just watching TV. I don’t know. Mostly, I just wanted to use this post as your annual reminder that July is Disability Pride Month. Go learn something about cripples! I’ll be back next week.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this week? It’s July, so I thought I’d remind everyone that Disability Pride Month is a thing. It seems to be one of the less controversial Pride/History months (probably because the media and marketing people haven’t taken it over and shoved it down everyone’s throats yet). So, I’ll keep reminding you that it exists. That cripple folk exist and not just for the sake of inspiration porn. But I don’t feel like being a downer or preachy, so I’m just going to leave you with a list of some of my favorite cripple characters!
A new flag!
1. Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. Sure, he has prosthetic limbs (an arm and a leg), but that’s just part of life. When they work, they’re awesome. And when they need adjustments or Ed breaks them, well… Winry’s rarely too far away to fix them. How Ed loses his limbs is a big part of the story (forbidden alchemy), but then his disability isn’t too huge of a deal (though there are parts when he struggles with it, just like real life). He’s got a temper, hates being called short, and is underestimated at every turn. But he’d do anything for his family and he’s kind of a dramatic little bitch, so I love him.
2. Pick a Marvel or DC character and there’s probably some kind of disability in their story at some point. Deadpool is all kinds of disabled (physical disfigurement and PTSD to name a couple). Ironman has his heart thing. Hawkeye is mostly deaf. The X-Men are made up of people with genetic deviations. Barbara Gordon is paralyzed from the waist down and copes with depression. Daredevil is blind. The list goes on and on.
3. Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. But he’s a dragon! Fine… be boring. Hiccup is cripple too, so if you insist on human characters, there you go. Toothless is adorable and ends up trusting his human so much. It’s cute. Don’t judge me.
I’m going to stop there. Mostly because I’m too tired to find pictures of any of the others. I started this post late and am lazy. Anyway, who are some of your favorite disabled characters? Who are some that you suspect are disabled (differently abled), but it’s never actually confirmed in canon material? Feel free to share them here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing? Can you believe it’s already July? I hope everyone survived the fireworks and what have you with their sanities, pets, and houses intact. Three days to celebrate the 4th. Why did it take three days? Anyway, I don’t really have anything to ramble about, so I thought I would take the chance to remind people that the LGBT+’s Pride month might be over, but July happens to be Disability Pride Month! Most people still don’t even know it exists. I didn’t know until last year. Apparently some cities even have parades and crap for it. Not mine, but Chicago has been doing one for like 18 years. I believe NYC and LA usually do something too. There’s even a flag.
It’s not my favorite flag in the world, but it’s something.
So, why do we need a Disability Pride month? A few reasons, really. One, to help normalize disabilities and fight against the ableism that runs rampant in the world. I’ve always rambled on this blog about the various ways people treat me just because I’m cripple, especially when I get ignored at restaurants. I brush it off as people being idiots, but it’s blatant ableism. And it’s the tip of the iceberg. There are so many different forms of ableism that it’s hard to keep track. Aside from the way people treat the disabled community, there’s also lack of physical access because for some reason the government here in the U.S. thinks old architecture is more important than making it accessible. So, they grandfather buildings to make it so they don’t have to be ADA compliant. And these are just examples of things I have to deal with. There are many other disabilities, all of which have their own issues to face. Ableism is so ingrained in our society that even I’m guilty of it. I’m trying to be better, but it’s hard. Helping people to understand disability and to recognize that it’s a normal part of life is the only way to move forward towards a more inclusive future.
Two, to help fight for equal rights. In the U.S., people with disabilities are discriminated against all the time. Most of that stems from ableism, but we also have to contend with idiotic laws. We’re forced to choose between our benefits and things like jobs or marriage. And most of us can’t live without those benefits. I can’t live without Medicaid because it funds the program that pays for someone to take care of me. If I lose Medicaid, I lose that. But because the only way I could get Medicaid was by getting on SSI, a program designed for the indigent, I’ll get kicked off if I make too much money. So, I can’t get a job unless it’s a ridiculously good one (for someone with no real experience and zero references, hahaha) and I can’t get married (they would start counting my spouse’s income against my benefits). It’s basically forced poverty and it’s ridiculous. Disabled people deserve to be able to contribute to society or get married without risking our benefits. Sure, if I get rich and no longer need the benefits, kick me off, but I can’t get to that point without working.
Me after dealing with the government.
Three, to help disabled people remember that they are indeed people and that they aren’t alone. This might seem like an obvious thing, but it’s not. Disabled people internalize ableism as well. It’s hard not to feel like a burden, especially when you have to ask for help or accommodations or whatever. Throughout my teens and early twenties, I was constantly reminded of everything my mother sacrificed for me (she was a toxic narcissist, but she’s dead now, so yeah). I still have a hard time even asking for stuff I need (like having my nose wiped or needing pillows moved at night or whatever) when I know it will inconvenience someone (usually Dad). Part of that struggle is just left over from my mother, but part of it is the whole cripple burden thing. Seeing that I’m not alone, that other disabled people exist and live happy lives, helps a lot. So, yeah. Disability Pride Month is good for educating others, but it’s also good for people who live with disabilities every day.
I chose a creepy picture because that’s who I am, but it’s good to see I’m not alone in my struggles.
Like I said, the examples in this post are my own. Other disabilities have other issues, but there’s always going to be some overlap. Anyway, happy Disability Pride Month! As always, feel free to leave your comments, questions and thoughts here or on my social media pages!
Hello, hello! July is chugging right along. How is everyone doing? I’m not as productive as I should be, but I’m still getting stuff done. I switched both of my remaining yearly check ups to televisits, so I don’t have to worry about going to UT Southwestern this year (huzzah!). Otherwise, I’ve been procrastinating and writing and reading and submitting and querying. It sounds like a lot, but I could be writing more. Anyway, I recently discovered that July is Disability “Pride” Month. I have conflicting feelings about that name, so I thought I’d ramble about it for a bit.
It’s a thing.
I’ve never really been comfortable with pride months/weeks/days/whatever. Especially when it’s referring to something genetic. I can’t think of one good thing that has come from people being proud of their genes. It’s creepy and you literally did nothing to be proud of. If anything, you should be proud of your parents for having sex and making you.
Not all disabilities are genetic! I know this. If you survived an accident or something, you deserve to be proud of yourself. You even deserve to be proud of yourself for living with a disability. It’s hard work. I should know. My issue is that “Disability Pride Month” makes it sound like we should be proud of being disabled. I mean, if you’re proud of your disability, more power to you. But I’m not. I had no choice in the matter, so why should I be proud of it? I’m proud of myself for earning an MFA in creative writing. I’m proud of myself for trying again and again despite the plethora of rejections I receive. I’m proud of myself when I come up with a solution for something like reaching a pen that’s an inch too far away. But my disability isn’t something I’m proud of. It’s neither here nor there. I just have to deal with it.
Personally, I’d rather have a Disability History Month. I’d love to see the TV stations doing specials on people with disabilities or airing little factoids during commercial breaks like they do for other history months. And I don’t mean inspiration porn type stuff. I want to learn about Helen Keller the activist, the first blind and deaf woman to earn a BA, the author, etc. I want to hear about how Sir Anthony Hopkins delves into a role and how his acting style may have been influenced by his (until late-in-life) undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome. I want to see something about Justin Dart Jr. (a survivor of polio who ended up in a wheelchair because of it) who played a major role in getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed thirty years ago. There are so many interesting people with disabilities, so it would be neat to actually learn about them without the whole inspo-porn twist that gets thrown into similar stories.
That’s just how I feel. The word choice creeps me out, but I’m okay with having a month where people get to learn about people with disabilities. I know some people will get in huff about “why isn’t there an Able-bodied Pride/History Month?” but whatever. People just like to complain when they feel left out even though it’s not really meant to exclude them, but instead, it’s an invitation to learn about something outside of their bubble. As usual, feel free to share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!
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