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
- Community Living
- Criminal Justice
- Disability History and Culture
- Disability Vote
- Education
- Emergency Preparedness
- Employment
- Family
- Health
- LGBTQIA+
- Media
- Mental Health
- Policy
- Race and Disability
- Relationships and Sex
- Sexual Harassment and Abuse
- Storytellers
- Technology
- Transportation
Stop Assuming I’m Not Disabled Just Because I Don’t “Look Disabled”
I park my car in a parking space reserved for those with disabilities. My door is barely open before I’m confronted by a woman who demands to see my handicap parking placard. Her mother is disabled, and she needs the…
Rooted in Rights Team Highlights from 2019
We’re brimming with stories to share! Help Rooted in Rights make real change by centering the voices and experiences of people with disabilities.
A Look Back at the Words and Wisdom of the Rooted in Rights Blog in 2019
At the end of 2016, I was entrusted with the privilege of being Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog. It’s truly amazing that as the New Year is upon us, the blog is still going strong.…
Cripping the Folks: A Disabled Father’s Reflections and Advice
Disability fell on me like a piano from a great height. I was first diagnosed with a rare, genetic, progressive neuromuscular disorder at 16. I had no friends or family who had a disability—or at least no one who identified…
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 …