Announcing the 37th Edition of the Disability Blog Carnival!

April 23, 2008

Disability Identity: What Do You Think??

The Disability Activist Collective, a group of disability activists working to create change within the disability community by shifting focus towards culture and identity, is currently collecting pieces (poetry, art, essays, videos, blog posts) on disability culture, community and identity in hopes of creating a website or hub on disability culture. This carnival is your chance to participate in the building of it!

This edition will focus on disability identity and culture in all its forms (i.e. radical disability pride, understanding disability through various frameworks, disability intersecting [coming together] with other identities, dealing with pain, etc.).

The deadline to submit something is officially May 4th though I will keep adding people in through a rolling basis. The blog carnival will go on air May 8th. You can submit things by leaving a link in a comment to this post, emailing me it at consciouslycrip [at] gmail [dot] com, or using the blogcarnival.com tech.

Here are some topic ideas!:
• What is disability identity? If you are disabled, do you feel disability is a part of you and your experience?
• What is disability culture to you? How do you put it out there or live it every day?
• Does disability intersect with your other identities (i.e. queer person, person of color, person of faith, etc.)?
• Is pride, community, or the Disability Rights Movement important to you? Why or why not?
• How do you feel about the word disabled? Is it a political term with power to you or do you despise it?
• Do you see disability outside of a rights framework (i.e. is disability something that is more than advocacy to you?)
• If you identify with the autistic acceptance movement, the deaf community, or other groups, how do you feel about disability? Many people do not want to associate with the disability community— how do you feel about this?
• Have you felt alienated [left out] from the disability community because of racism, exclusion because of your disability, the media or other factors? How has this affected your identity as a disabled person?

And some topic ideas for allies:
• Why is disability important to your work or politics?
• How do you feel about the Disability Rights Movement and what would you say to activists who downplay this movement or even disability as an important social justice issue?
• How do you see disability intersecting with feminism, reproductive justice [movement that focuses on ALL people having ALL control of their bodies], and other movements that work to end oppression?
• What do you see in your role as an ally?

Resources (if you have others that will be helpful, please leave a link!!):
• Help the Handicapped! (Great funny site to help you understand models of disability. Here the term handicapped is used sarcastically of course)
• Disabled and Proud website (TONS of interesting articles to read through)
• Oh Don’t You Envy Our Privileged Lives? (article by Steven Brown)
• The Wrong Message (article on disability awareness simulations)
• Disability Social History Project
(great timeline)
• Mouth Magazine (pretty radical, great perspective)

—Thank you to Wheelchair Dancer, ThinkFreestyle, Veralidaine for ideas and inspiration—

Entry Filed under: disability, identity, links. .

50 Comments Add your own

1. Penny | April 23, 2008 at 6:53 pm

Wonderful place to start, with plenty of advance notice and flexibility too. Thank you, this looks exciting.
2. cripchick | April 23, 2008 at 8:20 pm

thank you for your help penny in helping me prepare.
3. Dawn M. Allenbach | April 23, 2008 at 9:04 pm

I will try to come up with something. It’ll be nice to write about something other than my research.
4. Fledchen | April 23, 2008 at 10:06 pm

Oh, this topic is great! The intersection of multiple disabilities with multiple other identities is something I think of often but have trouble expressing the way I want to.
5. Three Blog Carnivals: All&hellip | April 23, 2008 at 11:09 pm

[...] Blog Carnivals: Allies, Disability, Sexual Freedom and Autonomy Cripchick’s hosting the 37th edition of the Disability Blog Carnival: Disability Identity: What Do You [...]
6. Tera | April 24, 2008 at 12:38 am

Oh, I *like*!

This should be fun!
7. lethal | April 24, 2008 at 4:11 am

Awesome. Thanks for the heads up. Can’t wait for it.
8. Umm Layth | April 24, 2008 at 11:29 am

This is a great opportunity. I may be submitting something for this one.
9. athenivandx | April 24, 2008 at 12:29 pm

hey cool! thanks for posting this ahead of time! I’ll actually have a decent amount of time to think about and write something………the last two I participated in, I didn’t have much time and so I had to just throw some words together……..

this will be my third disability blog carnival. I’m definitely glad I’ve started participating!

Penny: time to find more recruits for hosting the carnival………I can’t remember who the last one is at the moment………and I don’t know what I’ll be doing in the summer, but once I have a clearer idea, I’ll let you know whether we can host one in the summer, or whether we’ll wait until the fall semester begins.

Ivan of athenivanidx
one of three autistic personalities sharing a body
10. Feministe » Carnivals: S&hellip | April 24, 2008 at 12:52 pm

[...] Ms. Crip Chick (excellent blogger, btw) is hosting the 37th Disability Blog Carnival. Submissions are due on May 4th: Here are some topic ideas!: • What is disability identity? If you are disabled, do you feel disability is a part of you and your experience? • What is disability culture to you? How do you put it out there or live it every day? • Does disability intersect with your other identities (i.e. queer person, person of color, person of faith, etc.)? • Is pride, community, or the Disability Rights Movement important to you? Why or why not? • How do you feel about the word disabled? Is it a political term with power to you or do you despise it? • Do you see disability outside of a rights framework (i.e. is disability something that is more than advocacy to you?) • If you identify with the autistic acceptance movement, the deaf community, or other groups, how do you feel about disability? Many people do not want to associate with the disability community— how do you feel about this? • Have you felt alienated from the disability community because of racism, exclusion because of your disability, the media or other factors? How has this affected your identity as a disabled person? [...]
11. May 1st Blog Against Disa&hellip | April 24, 2008 at 2:38 pm

[...] there’s a carnival. you still have a few days to submit your essay. Go here for details. There, I found these links: Help the Handicapped! (Great funny site to help you [...]
12. cripchick | April 24, 2008 at 2:59 pm

wonderful!! i can’t wait to read whatever you folks write.
13. Alas, a blog » Blog&hellip | April 24, 2008 at 6:45 pm

[...] next Disability Blog Carnival will be on May 8 at CripChick’s. The theme will be Disability Identity and Culture. From CripChick: Here are some topic ideas!: • [...]
14. meghan rose | April 24, 2008 at 8:53 pm

Thanks for this! I hope to be able to participate…I am so happy to have found this carnival. I really look forward to reading the entries.
15. dread1myn | April 24, 2008 at 10:31 pm

OMG, I feel a good, looooooooong blog post coming on! But, it’ll have to wait until I come back from DC. OMG, I can’t wait!!!
16. JoSelle | April 25, 2008 at 5:05 am

I’m so submitting something to this My disability - that is, depression - is still highly stigmatized and often ignored because it’s also an invisible disability. I do hope that what I write will be of interest and helpful to others.

Thanks for doing this, by the way, CripChick! I hadn’t heard of your blog before now (or the carnival - wow 37th?!),b ut I willd efinitely be a frequent visitor now!

- JoSelle
17. cripchick | April 25, 2008 at 10:28 am

it’s actually the 36th carnival not the 37th! can’t believe i got that wrong…or actually with my track with numbers maybe i can : )

glad you stopped by Joselle and am excited to read what you all write.
18. Penny | April 25, 2008 at 11:01 am

No no! It’s actually the 37th. Ettina’s is the 36th. I think. Okay, now you’ve got me confused…. you’re hosting #37. Final answer.
19. cripchick | April 25, 2008 at 11:02 am

LOL. thanks penny!!
20. Solitaire Miles | April 25, 2008 at 4:37 pm

I am a disabled jazz vocalist and artist living in Chicago. I have Epilepsy, Lupus, and am partially blind. I have written a blog about what is a disabled identity and composed some original artwork for it as well http://flickr.com/photos/cunisdiabolis/2441736054/

thank you!
21. joel | April 26, 2008 at 9:22 am

Check out the new How’s Your News? site dedicated to their current adventures as disabled people trying to make a mark on popular culture.
22. shatterboxx | April 27, 2008 at 6:05 pm

Hi, I’d love it if the website I blog for was included in this. It’s called Crazy Like Us? at feministmentalhealthuk.wordpress.com. Feminists blog about mental health issues. We’re always looking for new readers and bloggers!
23. Shiloh | April 27, 2008 at 9:50 pm

This sounds really cool.
24. 37th Edition Disability B&hellip | April 28, 2008 at 7:14 am

[...] April 28, 2008 at 6:14 am · Filed under Uncategorized I just spent the last 10 hours finishing up a paper and am too nauseous and jittery from all the caffeine I consumed in order to keep myself awake, so I have decided to put my awakeness to good use. Cripchick is hosting the 37th Edition of the Disability Blog Carnival for bloggers with disabilities and their allies to write about and contribute other pieces about disability identity and culture. The deadline is May 4th, so please contribute your voice! More info can be found here. [...]
25. Greg | April 28, 2008 at 8:48 am

Thanks for the great topic, here is my submission.
http://pittrehab.blogspot.com/2008/04/37th-disability-blog-carnival.html

Greg
26. ~* Writings of a Wheelcha&hellip | April 28, 2008 at 9:17 am

[...] Chick. She’s given the theme Disability Culture and Identity and has posted a great list of ideas and prompts. Thats on Thurs 8th with submissions due on/by Mon [...]
27. Paula Apodaca | April 30, 2008 at 2:04 pm

My comment is at:
http://epilepsy-paula.blogspot.com/2008/04/epileptic-identity-i-am-cripeleptic-are.html
28. Paula Apodaca | April 30, 2008 at 2:05 pm

http://epilepsy-paula.blogspot.com/2008/04/epileptic-identity-i-am-cripeleptic-are.html
29. Trin | April 30, 2008 at 4:24 pm

Here is my submission:

http://trinityva.livejournal.com/790202.html
30. Blogging Against Disabili&hellip | May 1, 2008 at 7:46 am

[...] there’s a carnival. you still have a few days to submit your essay. Go here for [...]
31. Tokah | May 1, 2008 at 12:18 pm

My submission:

http://tokah.blogspot.com/2008/05/through-mountains-and-valleys.html
32. EKSwitaj | May 2, 2008 at 1:41 am

My submission is at http://blog.elizabethkateswitaj.net/?p=321
33. Julie Prough | May 2, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Frida Poem!
A quote from the book The Diary of Frida Kahlo (1995), “Feet what do I need them for, if I have wings to fly,” (page 274). Inspired this poem! Enjoy!

Feet!

By Julie A. Prough

I used to walk,

not very well,

my feet would let me down,

even my balance did not treat me well,

always falling to the ground.

I was raised to be a fighter

I never gave up

I would get back up

displaying a smile

hiding the pain

On my feet

I felt unsafe

Not being able to run to a far place

If some stranger wanted to play chase.

I was always slow!

Not able to keep up with the traffic flow,

walking to the stage at a live theater show,

getting knocked down,

by a stranger in a crowd,

getting back up displaying a smile on my face,

not letting it get me down.

So many years of falling!

I should have set a Guiness record,

having the most falls in a lifetime,

all my friends would agree,

my feet are not good to me.

As I got older my feet became painful and weak.

I continue to smile, hiding the pain,

by acting sweet as a Georgia peach.

Nothing will stop me from enjoying,

the things I love to do!

I found other ways to get around,

going from a cane, to a walker, now wheelchair for support.

I don’t have confidence in my feet.

Using a wheelchair is like having wings!

Racing through crowds at a faster speed,

rolling to a safe place,

if someone wants to play chase.

Nothing will stop me,

with these wings,

I’ll always be a winner in every race!
34. cripchick | May 2, 2008 at 2:32 pm

julie, this is, as a friend of mine says, a-w-e-some. is there a place it’s posted besides your myspace? if not we’ll figure out a place to put it so we can link to it in the carnival.
35. Matt | May 2, 2008 at 5:27 pm

I don’t know if this fits or not, just something I wrote about disability and the church.

http://www.xanga.com/lepton/581953379/item.html
36. Julie Prough | May 2, 2008 at 10:15 pm

http://www.endeavorfreedom.tv

I have a page on that site. Just google it and it will take you there!
Easier to access the poem. I am glad you like it. I’ll try sending it by email too.

Nice to meet you!
37. Solitaire Miles | May 3, 2008 at 2:22 am

http://flickr.com/photos/cunisdiabolis/
38. Dark Angel | May 3, 2008 at 6:07 am

Here’s my submition:
http://throughblindeyesblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/disability-identity.html
39. shiva | May 3, 2008 at 8:44 am

I just posted an entry for the carnival here: http://biodiverseresistance.blogspot.com/2008/05/passing-stealth-and-disability-identity.html
40. Shiloh | May 3, 2008 at 7:23 pm

Hi, Blog Carnival seems to be down so I will just give you my link here in case I can’t get it to submit my entry…

http://sunnydreamer.net/aprjun2008/dbc37.shtml

I hope this works for you…
41. annaham | May 4, 2008 at 8:42 pm

i hope this isn’t too late for an entry, but here is my contribution:

http://whotookthebomp.blogspot.com/2008/05/portrait-of-artist-as-young-mite.html

ps: cripchick, you are doing fabulous work, as always.
42. annaham | May 4, 2008 at 8:44 pm

my earlier comment didn’t seem to go through, so here it is again. hope i’m not too late:

http://whotookthebomp.blogspot.com/2008/05/portrait-of-artist-as-young-mite.html
43. Mik Danger | May 5, 2008 at 1:39 am

Oh it’s late! But here’s my entry because I am having difficulties with the e-mail…sorry!

http://coffeeandgender.blogspot.com/2008/05/disability-identity-why-i-am-sometimes.html
44. Do I Need A Reason to Sup&hellip | May 6, 2008 at 3:53 pm

[...] blogged about why disabilism is my problem for Blogging Against Disabilism Day. This week, the 37th Disability Blog Carnival asks me to consider something very similar: disability identity and [...]
45. Veralidaine | May 6, 2008 at 3:56 pm

Stacey, here’s mine:

http://www.disaboom.com/Blogs/veralidaine/archive/2008/05/06/do-i-need-a-reason-to-support-disability-rights.aspx

And thanks for the thank-you above. It’s an honor to be considered a source of ideas and inspiration.
46. Cheryl | May 7, 2008 at 1:05 am

Here’s mine:

http://www.disaboom.com/Blogs/cherylberyl/archive/2007/12/15/what-does-disability-mean-to-me.aspx

I’ve decided to submit my very first blog post ever (from back in Dec) because it just fits so nicely.
47. Terri | May 7, 2008 at 8:53 am

It may be too late for this but I thought I would try.

http://bbandbohmy.blogspot.com/2008/05/disability-identity.html
48. cripchick | May 7, 2008 at 8:58 am

not too late at all, please everyone feel free to keep adding things!!! i’m so pumped about this : )
49. Here They Come!: the 37th&hellip | May 7, 2008 at 11:23 pm

[...] Julia also shared a fierce poem inspired by Frida Kahlo. Though I was not able to access it because I don’t have an Endeavor Freedom password (yet!), it is Comment #33 on this thread. [...]
50. Daughter of the Ring of F&hellip | May 16, 2008 at 8:45 pm

[...] written for the 37th Edition of the Disability Blog Carnival Sphere: Related Content Posted in autism | Read More » [...]

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