Stopping Gun Violence – Lydia Brown writes for The Task Force

This is very good. Starts with demilitarization, which is word I’d like to hear more often from progressive policy types. And of particular interest to this crowd: 3. Do not insert mental illness or disability into gun violence policy-making.  Linking mental health to gun violence is a myth that must be put to rest, and … Continue ReadingStopping Gun Violence – Lydia Brown writes for The Task Force

“Fuck Off, You’re a Scrounger” – Disability Hate

There’s an argument that “no one really hates disabled people,” and that all acts of violence against them are really about something else (racism, classism, sexism, accident, etc.). But that’s not how intersectionality works. It’s not that we identify one form of bigotry at play and let the others off the hook. Instead, we examine … Continue Reading“Fuck Off, You’re a Scrounger” – Disability Hate

Trump and Ableism – Resources

New from the L.A. Times Donald Trump is the most ableist presidential candidate in modern U.S. history… “Naming something an “-ism” won’t persuade the bigoted to surrender their bigotry and might even harden differences. But sometimes it’s important to identify ideas and acts that marginalize and discriminate, to group them together, and to name them … Continue ReadingTrump and Ableism – Resources

Four Essays by People of Color on Disability and Policing

The shooting of Charles Kinsey and the subsequent disclosure that his client, Arnold Rios Soto, was being kept in a psychiatric ward in the hospital, sparked some very good writing. Here’s four related pieces by people of color that should get more attention. First, Finn Gardiner, Manuel Díaz, and Lydia X. Z. Brown wrote: “Charles Kinsey’s Story Is About … Continue ReadingFour Essays by People of Color on Disability and Policing

Lydia Brown on Internalizing Ableism and “The Movement”

Lydia Brown has a great new essay on internalizing ableism. We all consume the oppressive mental structures of our society – racism, ableism, classism, sexism, etc. – and replicate them within our discourse, actions, and thoughts from time to time. It’s part of why I think apology and restoration of community is so important and … Continue ReadingLydia Brown on Internalizing Ableism and “The Movement”

Disability and Race: Testimony from Autistic Hoya

Great writing from Lydia Brown on healthcare disparities for disabled people of color. From both personal and professional experience, I am keenly aware that healthcare disparities are one of the most insidious and pervasive forms of discrimination impacting any underrepresented or minoritized group. These disparities are evident in quality of care, diagnostic accuracy, network adequacy, … Continue ReadingDisability and Race: Testimony from Autistic Hoya