Rooted in Rights Blog
We’re here to challenge the status quo, pushing readers and writers alike to think beyond the tired tropes of disability. The Rooted in Rights Blog publishes pieces that share perspectives on disability, amplify key issues and ideas, and make it known loud and clear that disability rights are human rights.
- Activism and Advocacy
- Autism and Neurodiversity
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- Criminal Justice
- Disability History and Culture
- Disability Vote
- Education
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- Race and Disability
- Relationships and Sex
- Sexual Harassment and Abuse
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Finding Peace On The Disability Terminology Battlefield
I was a junior in college, newly transferred from a small campus where I was the only wheelchair user to a bigger university known for its disabled community. “I don’t want to sit at the cripple table,” I said to…
Friendsgiving is my Favorite Queer, Disabled Chosen Family Holiday
Our first Friendsgiving was in a dorm apartment on the third floor; we carried my friend, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, up the stairs along with her manual wheelchair. We drank cheap wine and ate home-cooked turkey…
Stop Sharing Those Viral Videos of the Disabled High Schooler Scoring the Touchdown
As a lifelong sports fan, it’s no accident that I see several suggested videos emphasizing athletics on my Facebook feed. Too often, however, the half-court buzzer-beaters and game-winning touchdowns are interspersed with benevolent athletes offering charity to those they deem…
You Are Not A Burden: On Disability, Dating, and Support Needs
Dating with a disability can be hard. As an autistic person with a physical disability, chronic pain, and a few mental health disabilities, I face a lot of drama when it comes to dating. Disability is baked into every …
Casting Call: Census 2020 Videos
Video Concept Format: A series of three videos where community members speak to camera to discuss the top reasons people with disabilities don’t complete the census and counter these arguments with their experience and knowledge. Challenge #1: “Does it really …
Hiring Disability Consultants Can Save You Millions. Looking At You, Hunters Point Library.
The Hunters Point Library is the most expensive branch of the Queens Public Library ever built, but it’s not known for its books. It’s known for its stairs. The library has incredibly steep steps that allow for stunning views—for…
People Who Use Inhalers Aren’t Responsible for the Climate Crisis. Corporations and Governments Are.
Amidst global environmental tragedy, disabled people are the first to be impacted and the last to be considered. Meanwhile, abled environmentalists scapegoat disabled people as the cause of these tragedies. I am an environmentalist and was an aspiring wildlife educator.…
5 Things Disabled People are Looking for in Healthcare Plans as the 2020 Elections Approach
A friend asks: “Do you support Medicare For All? Why not? Don’t you believe everyone has a right to health care?” Your coworker says: “I think everyone should have healthcare, but how do we pay for it? And even if…