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.

Photo of Sia in a black dress and blonde wig with a black bow.

Sia’s New Film “Music” Isn’t Just Bad Representation of Autistic People; It’s Downright Dangerous.

Content note: includes discussion of mistreatment of autistic people, including prone restraint Amidst the utter mess that was 2020, I found a bright spot by discovering the tv show Everything’s Gonna be Okay on Freeform. Though it’s not perfect, I…

Three rows of outlines of heads, all in different bright colors with different colorful backgrounds

Speaking Up Against the Hierarchy of Mental Illness Taboos

There’s a moment I think back to often from my senior year of college. Before the start of a meeting, I noticed my friends were visibly upset about some of the outrageous things a mutual friend with bipolar disorder (who…

Young female-presenting person of color sitting on their couch with a laptop on their lap, working.

Working From Home Levels the Playing Field for Disabled People. Why are Businesses so Intent on Returning to the Office?

I recently went viral on Twitter for sharing how a disabled friend was forced to quit her college back in January because the school wouldn’t allow her to study from home. Just two months later, she watched this exact accommodation…

Hand holding a megaphone. The megaphone is white and red, and the red part fades off into multicolored paint splatters

I’m a Disability Activist Because I Have to Be, But Not Always Because I Want to Be

“Congratulations,” “this is amazing Shona,” “well done!” All of these are well meaning and probably deserved comments that I often receive in response to results from my activism work, but more recently they’ve felt less like positive encouragement and more…

Image of an ear surrounded by geometric multicolored triangles.

Existing Between Two Worlds as a Person with Hearing Loss

When I was growing up, I did not consider myself to be a member of the disability community. I was born with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss that was not diagnosed until I was in kindergarten and I am the only…

Photo of Robin holding Evren, a smiling baby.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Mothering with ADHD

Becoming a mother has been one of the most earth-shattering endeavors of my life. Motherhood fills me and drains me, unleashes and stifles. All of a sudden, my daily structures, routines, and systems have been thrown into the tornado of…

A photo of Isabella Ruffatti's family on Christmas.

I Am Who I Am: Being an Autistic Latina Woman on Christmas

My autism means that I have always had an uneasy relationship with Christmas. When I was younger, the day involved straightening my unruly curls and getting dressed up for a large gathering at my great grandmother’s house, where my extended…

A shape of a person's head filled halfway with bright, colorful holiday items including a snowman, christmas tree, ornaments, and a santa hat, juxtaposed with greyed out items on the rest of the face. The background is a gray cloudy sky.

Taking Care of My Mental Health During This Pandemic Holiday Season

The holidays can bring about emotions ranging from happiness and excitement to stress, grief, and loneliness. Figuring out how to navigate the many different elements of the holidays can be complicated, but it’s even more so this year as the…

Shards of broken glass scattered on a gray floor.

Picking Up the Pieces of Broken Glass: A Lesson in Speaking Up For Myself

From the corner of my eye I saw our patio umbrella catch the wind and pirouette off the deck. No big deal. It was March 2020, and this had happened before. Later that day, however, my husband J.P. and I…