Writing
My work has been called “arguably the best disability-inclusive, intersectional writing out there” and “some of the most consistently incredible work on disability right now.” I specialize in the intersections of disability, sexuality, pop culture, and politics.
Personal Essays
Dear Able-Bodied Partner
"I've been disabled for as long as I've been a woman, gay and, y'know, alive. So I don't even know how it's possible to ‘see past’ something so fully baked into my experience. Instead, I need you to work a little harder and understand disability as part of my value rather than a caveat on it."
On Vulnerability as a Disabled Person
“I need to call my ‘vulnerability thing’ what it was: ableism. Internalized, sure, and deliberately kept that way (like it would only cause harm if it got out), but all the same. It made itself at home in me without any right to be there. And it stayed for so long because it looked like other things: perfectionism, intelligence, work ethic, high standards.”
Perfectionism and the Art of Rock Climbing
“There’s also the fact that climbing is — to put it politely — really fucking hard. Its physical demands are no joke no matter who you are. For me, that’s meant a pretty intense overhaul of how I use and understand my body. “
WHen Medicine Doesn’t Speak the Right Language for My Body
"Forming new habits isn’t easy, especially when your entire profession runs on a highly specialized vocabulary — but you know what else isn’t easy? Listening to how ‘abnormal’ my body is.”
Know Me Where it Hurts: Sex, Kink, and Cerebral Palsy
“But now my body, which had spent so many years letting me down and making decisions without my consent, had gone and done something absolutely right — and done it better. It had done something other people’s bodies, ‘healthy’ bodies, hadn’t been able to.”
Getting Proud and Staying Proud: On Navigating Pride as a Disabled Person
“I like being disabled because I like being myself (which is radical enough for any woman to say). Pride, though, requires an even bigger risk.”
Tattoos and Disability: Surviving an Experience Not Everyone Can Handle
“I made a choice about how I would look, and didn’t realize until I’d done it how unprecedented that was.”
Advice
Hey, TV Writers — Here’s the Disabled Character You Need
“I'm hopeful, though, that TV in particular has the potential to introduce richer disabled people with stronger context and more to say than ‘look how sad my life is.’”
7 Crucial Ways My Nondisabled Friends Get it Right
“Because the world sure as hell isn't telling me my body matters. And having nondisabled friends who do, who affirm me precisely for standing out, means I don't have to accept pity masked as kindness. I can expect more, and better.”
Avoiding Inspiration Porn in This Time of Constant Vigilance
“Inspiration porn lives and dies by the assumption that no one wants to be disabled, and doesn’t bother grappling with what actually makes disability so exhausting: the collective insistence on only accommodating one kind of body.”
How Do I Ask If She’s Queer?
“Personally, I hope you talk to this girl a third, fourth, and fiftieth time and you either end up with another rock solid friend or an adorable girlfriend. You are going to learn a lot about yourself regardless and take some brave steps. That’s a huge win no matter what.”
You Need Help: You Can Want Sex Exactly As Much as You Want (Or Don’t)
“‘Sex positive’ doesn’t mean you have to have sex.”
You Need Help: Your Therapist is Clueless About Disability
“Most people do not understand disability as anything other than a problem to be solved. So regardless of their role in your life, they will probably not arrive with an affirming, identity-based mindset already in place. That doesn’t mean there’s no hope for them to get there — but it does mean that you have to advocate on your own behalf.”
Politics & Culture
Be the Change: Six Disabled Activists on Why the Resistance Must Be Accessible
“A roundtable with disabled advocates, leaders, and protesters on how they came to activism, building an inclusive movement, and resources you should know about.”
Whoops, Sex Toy User Manuals Are Really Ableist
“We deserve the same intentional messaging as all of your other users — because if we don’t get it, that sends another kind of message altogether.”
Center for American Progress Calls for Paid Leave Policies that cover Chosen Family
“The first-of-its-kind study revealed some surprising findings on queer and disabled folks in particular.”
Resistance and Hope Dares Us to Go Beyond Activism 101
“ If you’re looking for easy answers that preserve your bubble, you won’t find them here. That’s exactly why anyone who considers themselves an activist, an ally, or a member of the resistance writ large needs to read this book.”
Lessons for Our Future from the Disability Intersectionality Summit
“Listen as you build your movements, clarify your priorities, and fight for that future so many of us thought was already here.”
“I’m Not Done Living My Damn Life Yet”: Disabled Queer People Speak out on the American Health Care Act
“It’s a harsh reality that I will be priced out of my own life at this point if the AHCA gets passed and, quite frankly, I’m not done living my damn life yet.”
Humor & Satire
How to Be Disabled, According to Stock Photography
“Gaze out the window or exist in silhouette as often as possible.”
Me Before You Is the Most Terrifying Horror Film of The Year
“Look, I know it’s unsettling. I’ve been questioning my able-bodied girlfriend’s motives constantly since finishing this movie. Sharrock and Moyes have created an all-too-real illustration of what Ableism looks like, how it grows, and its devastating consequences for upper-class white people.”
So You Want to F*CK An ABle-Bodied Person
“Able-bodied people: some are amazing, some are the worst, and either way, some are really hot. Don’t be ashamed if one catches your eye! They’re kind of everywhere; it happens.”