Overview

A groundbreaking collection of first-person writing on the joys and challenges of the modern disability experience- Disability Visibility brings together the voices of activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and everyday people whose daily lives are, in the words of playwright Neil Marcus, ""an art . . . an ingenious way to live."" A Vintage Books Original. A groundbreaking collection of first-person writing on the joys and challenges of the modern disability experience- Disability Visibility brings together the voices of activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and everyday people whose daily lives are, in the words of playwright Neil Marcus, ""an art . . . an ingenious way to live."". Edited by MacArthur ""Genius Grant"" Fellow Alice Wong ""Shares perspectives that are too often missing from such decision-making about accessibility.""-The Washington Post According to the last census, one in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some are visible, some are hidden--but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together an urgent, galvanizing collection of personal essays by contemporary disabled writers.There is Harriet McBryde Johnson's ""Unspeakable Conversations,"" which describes her famous debate with Princeton philosopher Peter Singer over her own personhood. There is columnist s. e. smith's celebratory review of a work of theater by disabled performers. There are original pieces by up-and-coming authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma. There are blog posts, manifestos, eulogies, and testimonies to Congress. Taken together, this anthology gives a glimpse of the vast richness and complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own assumptions and understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and past with hope and love.

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9781984899422

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Reviews

ONE OF THE PROGRESSIVE'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • ENTROPY'S BEST OF NONFICTION “Disability rights activist Alice Wong brings tough conversations to the forefront of society with this anthology. It sheds light on the experience of life as an individual with disabilities, as told by none other than authors with these life experiences. It's an eye-opening collection that readers will revisit time and time again.” —Chicago Tribune “Shares perspectives that are too often missing from such decision-making about accessibility.” —The Washington Post “Implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) makes the case for acknowledging and accommodating society’s overlooked population of disabled people.” —The New York Times Book Review “An exemplary collection. . . . This month’s #RequiredReading.” —Ms. Magazine “A raw, emotional collection, an investment in the power of storytelling to foster vibrant connections, and an unapologetic rejection of ‘internalized ableism’. . . . The 37 powerful stories in Disability Visibility reveal the depth of everyday courage and the extraordinary human capacity to find humor in the face of life’s adversities.” —Shelf Awareness “Roughly 15 percent of people around the world have a disability, and yet their stories are often never told. Alice Wong’s anthology, Disability Visibility, brings their narratives front and center with the goal of showcasing the wide range of modern disability experiences. . . . Ultra-impressive.” —Shondaland, ""10 Books Set to Become the New Feminist Classics"" “By its very nature, the disability community is incredibly intersectional and diverse, including people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and cultures. Disability Visibility reflects that diversity with its contributors, giving . . . a look at a wide range of experiences and types of disability.” —Book Riot “Alice Wong . . . has long been at the forefront of the disability justice movement.” —Bitch Media, “17 Books Feminists Should Read in June” “More resonant than ever. In this kaleidoscopic collection, Wong and her contributors provide not just a snapshot of what disability has meant in the past 20 years, but an urgent invitation to take that understanding forward. . . . A landmark resource for understanding disability.” —Autostraddle “Diverse and poignant. . . . I was deeply moved by more pieces than I could name.” —Shir Kehila, Columbia Journal “Every piece in Disability Visibility evokes . . . tenacity, some gut-wrenching and others inspiring. . . . The range of subjects is impressive: assistive technologies, carceral injustice, fashion, homophobia and heterosexism, medical care and medical abuse, organizing strategies, psychotherapy, racism, relationships, sex, and sexism.” —The Progressive “Celebrates and documents the lived experiences, power, and culture of the disabled community.” —Morning Brew “Wong’s discerning selections, bolstered by the activism that shines through, will educate and inspire readers.” —Kirkus Reviews “These essays are the heart, the bones, and the blood of Disability Rights.” —Gaelynn Lea, musician and activist “To Alice Wong, words like diversity and intersectionality aren’t just buzzwords. They are marching orders. Everyone should take in the wisdom woven throughout this book.” —W. Kamau Bell, host of United Shades of America “A celebration and a source of deep education for many to bear witness (and feel seen by) the vastness of disabled stories, voices, and backgrounds.” —Jennifer Baker, editor of Everyday People: The Color of Life “As a Deaf Asian American, it wasn’t until recent years that I started considering myself disabled. This is a very informed starting point for anyone who, like myself, would like to get a better understanding of disability as a massive and beautifully nuanced spectrum.” —Christine Sun Kim, artist

Alice Wong should be in charge of editing all books. Even better, Alice Wong should be in charge of everything! To Alice, words like 'diversity' and 'intersectionality' aren't just buzzwords. They are marching orders. In this book, she has collected a staggering array of stories from writers who experience disability in vastly different ways. This isn't meant to be THE DEFINITIVE BOOK on disability. It is a doorway, and Alice is inviting us all to go through the doorway and continue our learning process. She even ends the collection with a bibliography that extends far beyond your standard reading list. Whether you currently consider yourself part of the disability community or not, you're gonna want to take in the wisdom woven throughout this book. Now more than ever, our society desperately needs to listen to and take action on the changes disabled artists and activists have been demanding for so long. I am lucky she is my friend. --W. Kamau Bell, host of United Shades of America These essays are the heart, the bones, and the blood of Disability Rights. They honestly bare the joys, pleasures, sorrows, anger, frustrations, fears, and hope of real-life, complete human beings. Disability Visibility offers its readers the chance to open their minds, re-train their hearts, and raise their expectations of society. It is one grounding stone on the path to true liberation and acceptance for human beings in all their glorious variations. Alice Wong delicately arranges these gems--the brilliant hues, the unique contours, and the sharp edges--to create a beautiful mosaic of disability. --Gaelynn Lea, musician and activist As a Deaf Asian American, it wasn't until recent years that I started considering myself disabled. These stories validated many complicated experiences I had while growing up and felt fully relatable. When did I realize I deserved a better future? When did I stop feeling the need to assimilate? When did I become radicalized by ableism? There are many ways to be disabled and even though we aren't offered many platforms to present ourselves, we exist and we want to write our own history. This is a very informed starting point for anyone who, like myself, would like to get a better understanding of disability as a massive and beautifully nuanced spectrum. --Christine Sun Kim, artist If we're going to talk about diversity in earnest then we must acknowledge the contributors in Alice Wong's anthology and how their essays encapsulate intersectional dialogue, intellectual thought, and intimate details. Disability Visibility is the perfect name for this collection because the authors words resound loudly and deserve to be heard. Books like this showcase why change is needed, what needs to be part of the larger political consciousness, and who is often left out of the conversation. This book is a celebration and a source of deep education for many to bear witness (and feel seen by) the vastness of disabled stories, voices, and backgrounds. --Jennifer Baker, editor of Everyday People: The Color of Life--A Short Story Anthology Wong's discerning selections, bolstered by the activism that shines through, will educate and inspire readers. --Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Alice Wong is a disabled activist, media maker, and research consultant based in San Francisco, California. She is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated tocreating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. Alice is also the host and co-producer of the Disability Visibility podcast and co-partner in a number of collaborations such as #CripTheVote and Access Is Love.From 2013 to 2015, Alice served as a member of the National Council on Disability, an appointment by President Barack Obama. You can follow her on Twitter- @SFdirewolf. For more- disabilityvisibilityproject.com.

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