A trolley with people on it in rolling through a march.

Picture This: a Disability Community That’s Truly Inclusive of All

Close your eyes and picture a disabled person. At work, one of my jobs is finding images to pair with our weekly newsletter articles. Since we are a non-profit that advocates for people with disabilities, I often find myself combing…
A watercolor painting of a person painted in rainbow colors sitting on a the edge of a cliff.

Anti-Stigma Mental Health Campaigns Often Ignore Our Realities

I have to be honest: I am not a fan of anti-stigma campaigns. Or, at least, not the way the campaigns are normally run. Let me explain why: I am forever grateful to live in a time where openness about
A dark navy blue watercolor painting of a person lying on the floor in the fetal position. Small yellow dots surround the person, giving the picture a space-like quality.

We Need to Break Through the Silence on Abuses of Institutionalized Children

Content note: this post discusses psychiatric hospitalization and sexual abuse. When I was thirteen years old, I was sexually abused by a staff member in a psychiatric hospital. The first time she abused me, she took me into the examination…

VIDEO: Running Out

Women, LGBTQ folks, and people with disabilities are all underrepresented in public office. So what if you’re all three of those — is there a place in politics for you?…
A supporting hand waves in front of a rainbow flag flying on the sidelines of a summer gay pride parade

It’s Time for LGBQTIA+ Communities to Celebrate Disabled People

LGBQTIA+ spaces are supposed to be environments where we can be our true, authentic selves without stress. Where we can revel in being surrounded by our people, feeling safe and at home; places of queer joy, shared rage and frustration,…
A pride flag waving in the air against the background of a bright blue cloudy sky.

How Can I Feel Proud When LGBTQIA+ Pride Events Exclude Me?

It’s June, which means it’s Pride season! My queer little heart will always get excited about this time of year, but it’s also painful. It’s been a long time since I have participated in a Pride celebration. I’ve identified as…
Alaina, a white thin femme person, standing in front of a crowd at Pride in Boston. She is wearing a dress with rainbow castles all over it. I have long hair that is dark brown on top and a mix of blues and purples on the bottom. She is standing with hert lavender cane with a rainbow flag attached to it, and smiling.

If Your LGBTQIA+ Pride Event Isn’t Accessible to Disabled People, You’re Missing Out.

Like many other disabled people, one of the first questions I ask when I’m making plans is, “Will this be accessible?” And as much as I love going to celebrate at Pride events, the answer is often, “No, or pretty
A photo of a group of people at a march holding up a trans pride flag.

4 Activists Who Make Me Proud to be Disabled and Transgender

As a disabled, transgender person, I don’t have a lot of role models.  To understand what it means resist ableism and transphobia at the same time, I started researching the history of our community.  Here are four disabled, transgender people…
Three partially formed circle made up of an aerial view of people. In one circle, people are dressed in red, in another, they're dressed in blue, and in the third, green. Where the circle intersect, the clothing is multicolored.

It’s Time to Stop Ignoring the Intersections of Marginalized Identities

Intersectionality, according Kimberlé Crenshaw who coined the term, “is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects.” It has also been defined as “a framework designed to explore