This post idea started with a thought I had about LGBTI+ activism versus disability activism, and no, I’m not comparing the two since, at the base, they might be similar but still different while having minorities like myself from both communities. This might be from being naïve, but I feel that LGBTI+ issues have become, for lack of a better word, more mainstream in recent years. I think that the disability community deserves the same platform. Hence why, I went on the search, and I want to tell you about some incredible people. The list I found has 12 names, and I’m sharing the ones that stand out the most to me. I will link the source at the end of this post.
Andrea was diagnosed with transverse myelitis at age five; she has always been determined to create her own path, not letting society or the system keep her back. She became the first registered nurse in New York while also using a wheelchair, earning the nickname of the seated nurse. As per her website, Andrea’s mission is “to help others with disabilities live healthier lives, whether seated or able-bodied.”
Julian Gavino is a trans disability writer and model. They have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which impacts most of their body. I had to look at multiple articles to make sure I was using the correct pronouns, but here’s something that they said that stayed with me: “Trans people don’t owe you masculinity, femininity or androgyny. Trans people are allowed to be diverse and allowed to present however they want, just as cis people do.”. They were part of the New York City 2022 Pride campaign titled “Unapologetically Us,” which highlighted LGBTQ+ individuals of all body types.
Imani Barbarin is a black woman who has Cerebral Palsy, so of course, she’s someone I can relate to, being that Cerebral Palsy is the same condition I have. Her work as an activist and influencer looks to be based on laws and how they can be adapted to aid people with disabilities. She’s the mind behind hashtags like #ThingsDisabledPeopleKnow and #AbledsAreWeird, being known as a figure being open and honest about complex topics. The last blog posted was in 2022, where she spoke about how she misses the disability community, which was active on Twitter. Nowadays, she seems to be most active on Instagram. After having read some of her blog posts, I wish she would go back to posting.
Alex
Mybookworld24 