So Remembrance Day is around the corner and for the first year of my life, I am making a conscious choice not to wear one of those poppies that are available in exchange for a donation. I don't think I can look at those plastic poppies the same way again. It is not that I … Continue reading Tainting the Poppy: Remembrance Day and Sheltered Worshops
Tag: disability
Halloween and Disability
So Halloween is two days away and Facebook is full of Halloween costume ideas and pictures of costume parties. My enjoyment of the holiday came to a crashing halt when I came across a photo of a couple who had won a costume contest. They had jointly dressed up as Forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dan. … Continue reading Halloween and Disability
Open Letter to Justin Trudeau: We Need a Canadians With Disabilities Act
Dear Justin Trudeau You have just been elected as our new Prime Minister. Since Monday's election, you have been in the news a lot. Today, I came across a story about how you helped carry a wheelchair user down the stairs to a subway station platform. I assume this was necessary because the station elevator … Continue reading Open Letter to Justin Trudeau: We Need a Canadians With Disabilities Act
When the Real Life Murder of a Disabled Child Was Used as a Moral Dilemma in a University Class
Being disabled in academia can be difficult. Not just in terms of access to physical and academic supports but also in terms of the disability is presented in academic discourse. The social environment of universities can be toxic for disabled students and academics. So much so that some people feel that they have to leave. … Continue reading When the Real Life Murder of a Disabled Child Was Used as a Moral Dilemma in a University Class
The Cost of Unnessecarily Medicalizing Acts of Daily Life
A few weeks ago I found myself in the Occupational Therapy Kitchen of my local rehabilitation hospital. My physiatrist was filming me demonstrating how I undertake various cooking tasks as a person with hemiplegia (to be shown to her medical students). Cooking for me is both time consuming and laborious. It can take me nearly … Continue reading The Cost of Unnessecarily Medicalizing Acts of Daily Life
How Secret Limitations on Grants for Disabled Students Hurt Us
Being a student with disabilities can be a complicated and expensive endeavor. While university is a financial strain for most students, disabled students often have additional costs associated with either services or equipment that we require to succeed academically. The government does recognize this additional financial burden and has grants in place to offset them. … Continue reading How Secret Limitations on Grants for Disabled Students Hurt Us
A Media Guide for Nondisabled People Talking About Innovations for Disabled People
Recently, I have written two articles on problematic media coverage of innovations designed for disabled people. The first was on the viral support among predominantly able-bodied people for a stair climbing wheelchair and a standing scooter. The second about Nike's supposed shoes for disabled people which are actually only available in men's sizes. In both … Continue reading A Media Guide for Nondisabled People Talking About Innovations for Disabled People
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