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July marks the beginning of Disability Pride Month. A key phrase in disability justice circles is, “Nothing about us without us.” So, what does “Nothing about us without us” mean? It means centering the voices of those with lived experience. It means centering historically marginalized voices. It means prioritizing representation and agency of folx with disabilities, as opposed to creating policies, theories and services from a cis, white, able-bodied lens. It means centering self-determination.
The tenets of the disability justice movement are key to the frameworks of so many liberation movements, including queer and trans liberation, Palestinian liberation, and the liberation of folx of the global majority. In the words of Maya Angelou, “The truth is, no one of us is free until everybody is free.” In the spirit of prioritizing lived experience and centering those who have historically been silenced, I want to offer the following reading and listening list. This is by no means exhaustive. Instead, it’s a curated list of the things that have been bringing me inspiration, empowerment, education, and insights over the past month. Disability After Dark with Andrew Garza: This podcast features disability stories, including queer disability stories. Andrew (they/them) speaks across the world on what it means to be a queer disabled person. From Hoodrat to Headwrap: A Decolonized Podcast: This podcast from Ericka Hart and Ebody Donnelly centers the black, queer and trans experience. Neuroqueer Heresies: Nick Walker talks all things neuroqueer theory, autism, and neurodiversity in this book. Her website also has lots of insightful interviews and podcast guest spots. Disability Visibility Project: All episodes on this podcast are gems, but this episode in particular features disabled indigenous creators. The Accessible Stall: This podcast from Kyle Khachadurian and Emily Ladau features topics related to the disability community and the disability justice movement, created by and for folx in the disability community. Queer and Disabled ft. Nu: This podcast interviews Nu on their experience being nonbinary and queer, and the intersections between the disability justice and queer liberation
If you have favorite podcasts, books, and other materials that have been giving you inspiration, I’d love to hear from you. If you are interested in my practice and offerings, you can visit my website for more information. If you are a practitioner who is interested in consultation on how to hold more awareness of trans and queer embodiment in your work with clients, email me about my availability for consultation. I’ll leave you with this song from Nina Simone, which has provided me with inspiration over the past month to lean into collective care as means to collective liberation. Continue to dream of what embodied, collective liberation means for you and those in your community. Show up, lean in, and continue moving through your feelings. In solidarity,
Eula
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