Podcasts about demystifying disability what

You're listening to Burnt Toast! Today, my guest is Emily Ladau, a disability rights activist, and author of Demystifying Disability. Our conversation today is about the many intersections between anti-fatness and ableism. This is such an important conversation, even if you feel like you're new to both of these worlds. We investigate who is considered a “worthy” disabled person or a Good Fatty — and how these stereotypes so often pit two marginalization experiences against each other. Today's episode is free but if you value this conversation, please consider supporting our work with a paid subscription. Burnt Toast is 100% reader- and listener-supported. We literally can't do this without you!PS. You can take 10 percent off Demystifying Disability, or any book we talk about on the podcast, if you order it from the Burnt Toast Bookshop, along with a copy of Fat Talk! (This also applies if you've previously bought Fat Talk from them. Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.)Episode 213 TranscriptEmilyI am a disability rights activist. I am a wheelchair user. I'm the author of a book called Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. It's a bit of a mouthful, but all of that is really just to say that I am very passionate about educating people about the disability experience, and doing it through a lens that recognizes that we're all at a different point on the journey of thinking about disability and talking about disability. I really want to welcome people into what I know can be a sometimes overwhelming and uncomfortable conversation.VirginiaYou have been a disability rights activist since you appeared on Sesame Street as a 10 year old. I saw the clip. It's just adorable, little baby Emily. I mean, first tell us about that if you want! Or if you're sick of talking about it, I get it. But I would also love to know: When did your disability rights work morph into fat liberation work? And how do you see these two spheres intersecting?EmilyOn the Sesame Street note, my family likes to joke that I am totally milking that, because it happened when I was 10. But that was the first moment that I really understood that disabled people do have a place in the media. Prior to that, I had not seen almost anyone who looked like me, with the exception of two books that I read over and over again. And one other little girl who was also on Sesame Street who used a wheelchair.VirginiaWow.EmilyAnd I'm sure maybe somewhere else out there, there were other things. But I was an early 90s kid, and the media had just not caught up to showing me that I belonged. So having that experience is something that I really don't take for granted.I like to joke that in many ways, I am the “typical” disabled person. If you look up a stock photo of someone with a disability, it's probably a white woman using a wheelchair. Oddly enough, she's probably also on a beach, holding her arms out. You know? VirginiaAs soon as you said it, I have a visual. I've seen that picture. Obviously, she's on a beach.EmilyYes, so I am sort of the cliche version. But at the same time, I'm not. Because there's sort of an “acceptable” disabled person, and she is the thin, pretty, white woman who is sitting in a wheelchair. I meet, I suppose, some of those traits, but I am someone who, in later years so far, has come to identify as fat and no longer sees that as the derogatory term that it was always leveraged towards me as.Any relationship that I have to fat liberation work has been sort of an evolutionary process for me. It's newer to me. I didn't understand when I was younger how that fit into disability rights work. But I see now that we can't have those conversations separately. First of all, every issue is a disability issue. So every issue impacts disabled people. And second of all, the disability community encompasses every identity, every body type, every experience. There are more than a billion disabled people around the world. So you absolutely have every single possible body type within the disability community. And if we are not talking about fat liberation, if we are not talking about LGBTQIA+ rights, if we are not talking about ensuring that our work is meaningfully intersectional, then it's not actually disability rights work.VirginiaBut it is tricky to figure out how all those things intersect and fit together for sure.EmilyI feel like I'm constantly playing a game of Tetris with that. And I don't mean that to say, oh, woe is me. But more so, how do we get society to recognize how those pieces interlock with one another?VirginiaDo you mind sharing a little bit about how anti-fatness shows up in your own experiences? Sometimes it's helpful to name those moments, because some people listening might think, oh, I've had that too, and I didn't know to name it as anti-fatness, or, oh, I've been on the wrong side of that. And it's helpful to hear why that was not helpful.EmilyThere is no clear direction to take this answer, because it's impacted me in two diametrically opposed ways.The first is that I have been judged incredibly harshly as being lazy, as being unhealthy, as being someone who maybe doesn't take care of myself in the way that I should. And the wheelchair is seen as the cause of that.On the flip side, I have also been treated as though disability is the only cause of anything going on in my body, and therefore I should be given a free pass if I am considered, as doctors would say, “overweight.”VirginiaIt's like, Oh, it's okay. You're in a wheelchair. What can we do? We can't expect you to go for a run.EmilyExactly. So you see what I mean. It's either one or the other. I'm either bad and lazy or it's like, oh, poor you. You can't get up and exercise.VirginiaBoth of those are such judgmental, patronizing ways to talk about you and your body.EmilyThey're super frustrating. I think that both of those are anti-fatness in their own right. But for me, it sends conflicting messages, because I'm trying to seek medical support for certain issues. And some doctors are like, “Lose weight!” And other doctors are like, “Well, we can't do anything because you're in a wheelchair.” And so both of those are very unhelpful responses.VirginiaOh man, it really speaks to the lack of intersectional care in medicine, that people don't know how to hold these two facts together and also give you comprehensive medical care at the same time.EmilyI wish that we could just have disabled people speaking with medical students as a requirement in every single medical school program. But instead, I feel like we're either completely relegated to the sidelines of conversations in medical school, or maybe we're brought up in very clinical and dehumanizing ways, and we don't stop to think holistically about a person.It's interesting, because my mom has often said—and I should note, she has the same disability that I do. So she's a wheelchair user as well. But she feels very strongly that a lot of other medical issues that I am dealing with now were overlooked when I was younger, because everybody was so hung up on my disability that nobody was offering me the support that I needed for other things that could have, in turn, prevented some of what I'm now navigating.So it seems like healthcare can't hold multiple truths at once.They can't think about your body and think about everything going on. It's either you're fat or you're disabled.VirginiaGod forbid you have a health condition that is not weight linked and not linked to your disability. That's going to throw them completely for a loop.EmilyYeah, it's very much a binary. I think that it's led to a lot of confusion among healthcare providers. Certainly, I know there have been delayed diagnoses on many, many things. I've also had it leveraged against me in terms of what I would consider chronic illness, because I would get sick pretty regularly when I was a child, and every time I would throw up, it would be thrown in my face: “Well you're eating poorly. You're not taking care of yourself.” And nobody thought to do anything to check what was actually going on. They just thought that I was not taking care of myself. Turns out I had gallstones and needed my gallbladder removed. But when people see the wheelchair, they don't take me seriously.VirginiaNo, and let's be clear: Gallstones is not a condition you can treat by eating salad. Like, that's not something you can nutrition your way out of.EmilyI could not lettuce my way out of that one.VirginiaAre there any strategies you've figured out that helps you get a doctor to cut through some of those biases, or cut through some of that noise and actually focus on what you need them to focus on?EmilyI have to rehearse what I want to say in a doctor's appointment. And I don't think I'm unique in that. I'm sure that there are plenty of people who put together their notes and think through very carefully what they want to say before they go. As much as doctors tend to be frustrated when the patient comes in and it's clear that they were reading WebMD, I've found I need to point them in the right direction, because at least it gets them started down the path that I'm hoping to explore.And I'm not saying that I think that I have years of medical school worth of expertise, but when I was little, I used to always complain to my parents, “You're not in my body. You don't know how I'm feeling.”VirginiaSo wise.EmilyAnd I think that that remains relevant. I'm not trying to be a difficult patient. But I have very strong awareness of what is happening internally and externally. And so if I come in and I seem like I have it together and I'm prepared, I feel like doctors take me more seriously. And I have a lot of privilege here, because I am a white woman. I communicate verbally. English is my first language. So in a lot of ways, I can prepare in this way. But I don't think I should have to, to get the medical care that I need.VirginiaDoctors should be meeting us where we are. We shouldn't be expected to do hours of homework in preparation in order to be treated with basic respect and dignity. And yet, it is helpful, I think, to hear okay, this labor can be beneficial, But it's a lot of extra labor, for sure.EmilyIt is, and I've broken up with doctors over it. And I've also had doctors who I think have broken up with me, for lack of a better way to put it.I have had multiple doctors who have just kind of said, “We don't know how to deal with you, therefore we are not going to deal with you.” And in seeking the care that I need, I have run into walls because of it, whether it's a literal, physical wall in the sense that I tried to seek care, because I was having GI distress. I tried to go see the doctor, and the doctor's office was not wheelchair accessible, and they told me it was my fault for not asking beforehand.VirginiaI'm sorry, what? They're a doctor's office.EmilyThe one place I actually thought I would be fine and not have to double check beforehand. So that's sort of the physical discrimination. And then getting into the office, I've had doctors who have said, “I'm sorry, I don't know how to help you.” Go see this specialist. I'm sorry, I don't know what I can do for you, and then not return my calls.VirginiaOh, I knew this conversation was going to make me mad, but it's really making me mad.EmilyAnd I say all of this is somebody, again, who has health insurance and access to transportation to get to and from doctors, and a general working knowledge of my own body and the healthcare system. But I mean, if it's this much of a nightmare for me, multiply that by other marginalized identities, and it's just absurd.VirginiaIt really is. You've kind of led us there already just in talking about these experiences, but I think there's also so much ableism embedded in how we talk about weight and health. And I thought we could unpack some of that a little bit. One that you put on my radar is all this fearmongering about how we all sit down too much, and sitting is killing us. And if you have a job that requires you to sit all day, it's taking years off your life. And yet, of course, people who use wheelchairs are sitting down. EmilyI think about this a lot, because I would say at least a few times a year some major publication releases an article that basically says we are sitting ourselves to death. And I saw one I know at least last year in the New York Times, if not this year,VirginiaNew York Times really loves this topic. They're just all over there with their standing desks, on little treadmills all day long.EmilyI actually decided to Google it before we chatted. I typed in, “New York Times, sitting is bad for you.” And just found rows of articles.EmilyThe first time that this ever really came up for me was all the way back in 2014, and I was kind of just starting out in the world of writing and putting myself out there in that way as an activist. And I came across an article that said that the more I sit, the closer I am to death, basically.It's really tough for me, because I'm sure there's a kernel of truth in the sense that if you are not moving your body, you are not taking care of your body in a way that works for you. But the idea that sitting is the devil is deeply ableist, because I need to sit. That does not mean that I cannot move around in my own way, and that does not mean that I cannot function in my own way, but it's just this idea that sitting is bad and sitting is wrong and sitting is lazy. Sitting is necessary.VirginiaSitting is just how a lot of us get things done every day, all day long.EmilyRight, exactly.VirginiaSure, there were benefits to lifestyles that involved people doing manual labor all day long and being more active. Also people died in terrible farming accidents. It's all part of that romanticization of previous generations as somehow healthier—which was objectively not true. EmilyYou make such a good point from a historical perspective. There's this idea that it's only if we're up and moving and training for a 5k that we're really being productive and giving ourselves over to the capitalist machine, but at the same time, doing that causes disability in its own way.VirginiaSure does. Sure does. I know at least two skinny runners in my local social circle dealing with the Achilles tendons ruptures. It takes a toll on your body.EmilyOr doing farm labor, as you were talking about. I mean, an agrarian society is great until you throw your back out. Then what happens?VirginiaThere are a lot of disabled folks living with the consequences of that labor. EmilyAnd I've internalized this messaging. I am not at all above any of this. I mean, I'm so in the thick of it, all the time, no matter how much work I read by fat liberation activists, no matter how much I try to ground myself in understanding that fatness does not equal badness and that sitting does not equal laziness, I am so trapped in the cycle of “I ate something that was highly caloric, and now I better do a seated chair workout video for my arm cycle.” And I say this because I'm not ashamed to admit it. I want people to understand that disabled people are like all other people. We have the same thoughts, the same feelings. We are impacted by diet culture.VirginiaGetting all the same messaging.EmilyWe are impacted by fat shaming. And I know that no matter what I would tell another person, I'm still working on it for myself.VirginiaWell, I always say: The great thing about fat liberation is you don't need to be done doing the work to show up here. We are all in a messy space with it, because it's it's hard to live in this world, in a body, period, And you have this added layer of dealing with the ableism that comes up. I mean, even in fat liberation spaces, which should be very body safe, we see ableism showing up a lot. And I'd love you to talk a little bit about how you see that manifesting.EmilyI think that this is a problem across pretty much every social justice movement. I just do Control F or Command F and type in the word “disability” on a website and see if it comes up in the mission statement, the vision, the values, what we care about, our issues. And so often it's not there and you have to go digging.And I don't say this to say that I think disability should be hierarchically more important than any other form of marginalization. I'm saying disability should be included among the list of marginalizations that we are focusing on, because it coexists with all other identities. And yet in a lot of fat liberation spaces, I still feel like I am not represented. I don't see myself. It's still a certain type of body, and that body is usually non-disabled or not disclosing that they have a non-apparent disability.I have a few people that I come across who I would say are in the fat liberation, fat activism spaces where they are also apparently disabled, and they are loud and they are proud about that. But for the most part, I still don't see myself. And I think that's where the ableism comes up, is that we are still celebrating only certain types of bodies. It's very interesting when you're in a space where the point is to celebrate all bodies, and yet all bodies are still not celebrated.VirginiaWell, and I want to dig into why that is, because I think it's something really problematic in how fat politics have developed in the last 10-20, years, As the Health at Every Size movement gathered steam and gathered a following, the message that was marketable, that was easy to center and get people interested and excited about, was you can be healthy at every size. And because we have such an ableist definition of what health is, that meant, let's show a fat person running. Let's show a fat person rock climbing. Let's show a fat ballerina. Let's show a fat weight lifter, and then you're automatically going to exclude so many people. So, so many people of other abilities.We had the folks from ASDAH on, who are the keepers of the Health at Every Size principles, and they've done a lot of work in recent years to start to shift this. They recognize that there was a real lack of centering disability, and I am really impressed with that. But in terms of the way the mainstream media talks about these concepts, certainly the way I talked about them in my own work for years, that mainstreaming of Health at Every Size was embedded with a lot of ableism.EmilyAnd I came to Health at Every Size pretty early on in my quest to lean into fatness and stop with the internalized body shame. But instead, I think it led to internalized ableism, because I then thought, well, if I'm not going to go climb Mount Everest, am I really living up to the principles of Health at Every Size?VirginiaThere was an expectation that we all had to be exceptional fat people. And that you had to be a mythbuster. And the reality is that fat people, just like any people, are not a monolith, and we don't all want to rock climb, and we can't all rock climb, and fatness can coexist with disability. It didn't make space for that.EmilyWe say the same thing about the disability community, And in the same way that there is the “good fat person,” there is the “good disabled person.” There's the disabled person who is seen as inspirational for overcoming hardship and overcoming obstacles. And I can't tell you how many times I have been patronized and infantilized and treated as though it's a miracle that I got out of bed in the morning. And I like to say to people, it's not inspiring that I got out of bed in the morning, unless you happen to know me well and know that I'm not a morning person, in which case, yes, it is very inspiring.VirginiaI am a hero today. Thank you for noticing.EmilyI mean, I say that as a joke, but it's true. There's nothing inspiring about the fact that I got out of bed in the morning, but in order to be performing at all times as the good disabled person, you have to show up in a certain way in the world. And I feel like that pressure is on me doubly, as a disabled fat person.Because not only do I have to be the good disabled person who is doing my own grocery shopping, but I need to be mindful about what it is that I'm grocery shopping for.I need to be eating the salad in front of people instead of something with a lot of cheese on it, right? So I feel like, no matter what I do when I'm in public, I'm putting on a performance, or at least I'm expected to. I've started to be able to work through that. Years of therapy and a healthy relationship. But for a very long time, if I wasn't the ideal disabled person and the ideal fat person in every way, then I was doing something wrong, rather than that society was wrong for putting that on me.VirginiaAnd it just feels like that's so much bound up in capitalism, in the way we equate someone's value with their productivity, with their ability to earn and produce and achieve. I haven't lived as a disabled person, but I have a kid with a disability, and in the years when we were navigating much more intensely her medical condition, I definitely felt the pressure to be the A+ medical mom, the mom of the disabled kid. There are a lot of expectations on that, too. I had to know the research better than any doctor in the room. I had to have all these strategies for her social emotional health. And I had to, of course, be managing the nutrition. And I can remember feeling like, when do I get to just exist? Like, when do we get to just exist as mother and daughter? When do I get to just be a person? Because there was so much piled on there. So I can only imagine lit being your whole life is another level.EmilyI feel like I'm always putting on a show for people. I always need to do my homework. I always need to be informed. And this manifested at such an early age because I internalized this idea that, yes, I'm physically disabled. I can't play sports. So I need to make academics into my sports, and I need to do everything I can to make sure I'm getting As and hundreds on every test. And that was my way of proving my worth.And then, well, I can't be a ballerina, but I can still participate in adaptive dance classes. And I try to get as close as I can to being the quote, unquote, normal kid. And let me say there's, there's nothing wrong with adaptive programs. There's nothing wrong with all of those opportunities. But I think that they're all rooted somewhat in this idea that all disabled children should be as close to normalcy as possible. Some arbitrary definition of it.VirginiaYes, and the definition of normal is again, so filtered through capitalism, productivity, achievement. We need different definitions. We need diversity. We need other ways of being and modeling. EmilyAbsolutely. And what it comes down to is your life is no less worth living because you're sitting down.VirginiaAmazing that you have to say that out loud, but thank you for saying it.EmilyI really wish somebody had said it to me. There's so much pressure on us at all times to be better, to be thinner, to make our bodies as acceptable as possible, in spite of our disabilities, if that makes sense.There are thin and beautiful and blonde, blue-eyed, gorgeous women with disabilities. And I'm not saying that that's my ideal. I'm just saying that's mainstream society's ideal. And that's the disabled woman who will get the role when the media is trying to be inclusive, who will land the cover of the magazine when a company is trying to be inclusive. But I don't feel like I'm part of that equation. And I'm not saying this to insult anybody's body, because everybody's body is valid the way that it is. But what I am saying is that I still don't feel like there's a place for me, no matter how much we talk about disability rights and justice, no matter how much we talk about fat liberation, no matter how much privilege I hold, I still feel like I am somehow wrong.VirginiaIt's so frustrating. And I'm sorry that that that has to be your experience, that that's what you're up against. It sucks.EmilyDo you ever feel like these are just therapy sessions instead of podcasts?VirginiaI mean. It's often therapy for me. So yes.Not to pivot to an even more uplifting topic, but I also wanted to talk about the MAHA of it all a little bit. Everything you're saying has always been true, and this is a particularly scary and vulnerable time to be disabled.We have a Secretary of Health who says something fatphobic and/or ableist every time he opens his mouth, we have vaccine access under siege. I could go on and on. By the time this episode airs, there will be 10 new things he's done that are terrifying. It's a lot right now. How are you doing with that?EmilyIt's really overwhelming, and I know I'm not alone in feeling that. And I'll say literally, two days ago, I went and got my covid booster and my flu vaccine, and I was so happy to get those shots in my arm. I am a big believer in vaccination. And I'm not trying to drum up all the controversy here,VirginiaThis is a pro-vaccine podcast, if anyone listening does not feel that way, I'm sorry, there are other places you can work that out. I want everyone to get their covid and flu shots.EmilyI give that caveat because in the disability community, there's this weird cross section of people who are anti-vaccine and think that it's a disability rights issue that they are anti-vaccine. So it's just a very messy, complicated space to be in. But I make no bones about the fact that I am very, very pro-vaccine.More broadly, it's a really interesting time to be disabled and to be a fat disabled person, because on the one hand, technically, if you're immunocompromised or more vulnerable, you probably have better vaccine access right now.VirginiaBecause you're still in the ever-narrowing category of people who are eligible.EmilySo somehow being disabled is working out in my favor a little bit at the moment, but at the same time, as I say that, RFK is also spreading immense amounts of incorrect information about disability, about fitness, about what bodies can and should be doing. And he's so hung up on finding the causes and then curing autism.VirginiaNobody asked him to do that.EmilyYeah. Like, no one. Or, actually, the problem is a few people said that they wanted it because people are very loud. Also, I saw that he reintroduced the Presidential physical fitness test.VirginiaLike I don't have enough reasons to be mad at this man. I was just like, what are you doing, sir?EmilySo on the one hand, he's sort of inadvertently still protecting disabled people, if you want to call it that, by providing access to vaccines. But mostly he's just making it a lot harder to survive as a disabled person.I am genuinely fearful for what is going to happen the longer he is at the helm of things and continues to dismantle basic access to health care. Because more people are going to become disabled. And I'm not saying that being disabled is a bad thing, but I am saying, if something is completely preventable, what are you doing?VirginiaRight? Right? Yes, if we lose herd immunity, we're going to have more people getting the things we vaccinate against.EmilyMany of the major players in the disability rights movement as it was budding in the 1960s and the 1970s were disabled because of polio. I am very glad that they existed. I am very, very glad that these people fought for our rights. I'm also very, very glad that there's a polio vaccine.VirginiaI guess this is a two part question. Number one, is there anything you want folks to be doing specifically in response to RFK? I mean, call your representatives. But if you have other ideas for advocacy, activism work you'd like to see people engaging in. And two, I'm curious for folks who want to be good disability allies: What do you want us doing more of?EmilyI am a big believer in focusing on things that feel attainable, and that doesn't mean don't call your reps, and that doesn't mean don't get out there and be loud. But sometimes starting where you are can make the most difference. And so if it feels really overwhelming and you're not gonna get up tomorrow and go to Washington, DC and join a protest, that's okay. If you don't feel like you have the capacity to pick up the phone and call your representatives tomorrow, that's okay, too. But if you can impact the perspective of one person in your life, I genuinely believe that has a ripple effect, and I think that we underestimate the power of that. Throw one stone in the ocean. All of those ripples create the wave. And so if you have somebody in your life who is being ableist in some way, whether it is through anti-vax sentiment, whether it is through the language that they use, whether it is through the assumptions that they make about people with disabilities, try to take the time to educate that person. You may not change the whole system. You may not even change that person's mind. But at least give them an opening to have a conversation, offer them the tools and the resources point them in the right direction. And I know that that's really hard and really exhausting, and that sometimes it feels like people are a lost cause, but I have been able to meet people where they are in that way. Where, if I show up with the research, if I show up with the resources, if I say I'm willing to meet you halfway here, I'm not demanding that you change all your views overnight, but will you at least give me a chance to have a conversation? That's genuinely meaningful. So that's my best advice. And I know that it's not going to change everything, but I'm still a believer in the power of conversation.VirginiaThat's really helpful, because I think we do avoid those conversations, but you're right. If you go in with the mindset of, I don't have to totally change this person on everything, but if I can move the needle just a little bit with them, that does something I think that feels a lot more doable and accessible.EmilyAnd I think it also is about honoring your own capacity. If you are a person who is marginalized in multiple ways, and you are tired of having those conversations, it is okay to set that weight down and let somebody else have the conversations.VirginiaThat is a good use of the able-bodied allies in your life. Put us to work tell us to do the thing because it shouldn't be on you all the time.EmilyAnd I'm more than happy to have these conversations and more than happy to educate but it's empowering when we can do it on our own terms, and we're not often given that opportunity, because we have to be activists and advocates for ourselves at every turn. And so sometimes when somebody else picks up that load, that means a lot.ButterEmilyI thought about this a lot.VirginiaEverybody does. It's a high pressure question.EmilyI am in the last stages of wedding planning. So my recommendation is more from a self care perspective. When you are in the throes of something incredibly chaotic, and when you are in the throes of navigating the entire world while also trying to plan something joyful—lean into that joy. My recommendation is to lean into your joy. I know I could recommend like a food or a TV show or something, but I think it's more about like, what is that thing that brings joy to you? I bought these adorable gluten-free pumpkin cookies that have little Jack O'Lantern faces on them. And I'm doing my re-watch of Gilmore Girls, which is a wildly problematic and fatphobic show, and ableist.VirginiaIt sure is. But it's such a good comfort watch too.EmilyIt's making me feel a little cozy right now. I think my recommendation is just lean into your joy. You don't need to solve all the world's problems. And I don't say that without complete and total awareness of everything going on in the world. I'm not setting that aside. But I'm also saying that if we don't take time to take off our activist hats and just be for a few moments, we will burn out and be much less useful to the movements that we're trying to contribute to.So I hope that is taken in the spirit with which it was given, which is not ignoring the world.VirginiaIt's clear you're not ignoring the world. But when you're doing a big, stressful thing, finding the joy in it is so great.Well, my Butter is a more specific, more tangible thing, but it's very much related to that, which is my 12 year old and I are getting really into doing our nails. And my Butter is bad nail art because I'm terrible at it, but it's giving me a lot of joy to, like, try to do little designs. I don't know if you can see on camera.EmilyI've been looking at your nails the whole time, and I love the color. It's my favorite color, but can you describe what's on it?VirginiaSo I've done like, little polka dots, like, so my thumb has all the polka dots in all different colors, and then every finger is like a different color of polka dots. I don't feel like the colors are translating on screen.EmilyAnd by the way, it's a bright teal nail polish.VirginiaIt's a minty green teal color. My 12 year old and I, we watch shows together in the evening after their younger sibling goes to bed. And we just like about once a week, she breaks out her Caboodle, which brings me great joy, as a former 80s and 90s girl, that has all her polishes in it, and we sit there and do our nails. And it's very low stakes. I work from home, it doesn't matter what my nails look like. Last night, I tried to do this thing where you put a star shaped sticker on, and then put the polish over it, and then peel off the sticker to have like a little star stencil. It was an utter fail, like I saw it on Instagram. It looked amazing. It looked like trash on my nails. But it's like, so fun to try something crafty that you can just be bad at and have fun with.EmilyOh, I love that for you. I really miss the days where I would wear like, bright, glittery eyeshadow and stick-on earrings.VirginiaIt is totally bringing me back to my stick on earring years. And I have all these friends who get beautiful nails done, like gels, or they have elaborate home systems. And I'm just, like, showing up to things with, like, a weird cat I painted on my nail that's like, half chipped off.EmilyI think that's the right vibe for the moment.VirginiaIt's super fun and a good bonding activity with tweens who don't always want to talk to their mom. So it's nice when we get there.EmilyYou're reminding me to go hug my mom.VirginiaPlease everyone, go hug your moms, especially if you were once 12 years old! Emily, this was wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Tell folks where we can find you and how we can be supporting your work.EmilyYeah. So I would say the best place to find me is Substack. My Substack is called Words I Wheel By or you can find me on Instagram. But most importantly, I just love connecting and being here to support people wherever they are on their journey. So I hope people will take me up on that.VirginiaThank you, and I always appreciate you in the Burnt Toast comments too. So thanks for being a part of the space with us.The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith (follow me on Instagram) and Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, and Big Undies.The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Farideh.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a textJoin us as we address your questions!The book we mention is Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Allyhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/demystifying-disability-what-to-know-what-to-say-and-how-to-be-an-ally-emily-ladau/15364182Dyslexia Journey has conversations and explorations to help you support the dyslexic child in your life. Content includes approaches, tips, and interviews with a range of guests from psychologists to educators to people with dyslexia. Increase your understanding and connection with your child as you help them embrace their uniqueness and thrive on this challenging journey!Send us your questions, comments, and guest suggestions to parentingdyslexiajourney@gmail.comAlso check out our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingDyslexiaJourney

Emily Ladau's award-winning book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally breaks down terminology, history and allyship around disability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're talking about the reality of parenting while disabled. My guest is Jessica Slice, the author of the new book Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World. A writer, advocate, and disabled mother who challenges the way society defines “fit” parenting, Jessica's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Disability Visibility.  In this episode, Jessica opens up about the unique challenges disabled parents face, from the obstacles within the process of becoming parents to navigating a world that often feels inaccessible. We also talk about how disabled parents are often excluded from mainstream parenting conversations and why they face heightened scrutiny from Child Protective Services. Jessica shares her powerful perspective on creative adaptation — a mindset that empowers disabled parents to create a parenting approach that works for them, rather than trying to conform to systems that weren't built with their needs in mind. Whether you're a disabled parent, raising a disabled child, or just wanting to learn how to be a more informed and supportive ally, this episode is filled with Jessica's honest insights and practical wisdom that challenge outdated ideas of what makes a “good” parent.   About Jessica Slice Jessica Slice is a disabled mom and author of Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World. She is also the co-author of Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down and This is How We Play, as well as the forthcoming This is How We Talk and We Belong, which was co-authored with the late Judy Heumann. She has been published in Modern Love, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Alice Wong's bestselling Disability Visibility, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and more. She lives in Toronto with her family.   Things you'll learn from this episode Why disabled parents are not often part of the mainstream parenting conversations What are the challenges that disabled parents face when they're starting the process of becoming parents Why disabled parents face more threats from Child Protective Services, and why demanding that someone parent without help can be considered discriminatory How being disabled prepares potential parents for the parenting journey What creative adaptation is and how it can give disabled parents the freedom to build their life from scratch How non-disabled parents can support the disabled parents in their communities   Resources mentioned Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World by Jessica Slice Jessica Slice's website Jessica Slice writes about disability, parenting, and poems Jessica on Instagram Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau Emily Ladau on Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant. She was born with Larsen Syndrome, a genetic physical disability. Her career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. She is the co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

In this special episode I sat down with Emily Ladau. Emily is a disability rights activist, storyteller, digital communications consultant, author of the book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally and editor of Able News at The Viscardi Center, a monthly print periodical and digital news outlet that serves as a resource for and amplifies the perspectives of New York's diverse, vibrant disability community. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into the timeline and media firestorm surrounding Catherine, the Princess of Wales leading up to and in the days following her medical disclosure and examine what happened through a disability lens. Follow Emily: Instagram: @emilyladau Twitter/X: @emily_ladau Website: https://emilyladau.com Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com/ Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com This podcast was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

A theme we often touch upon on this show is how the discourse surrounding neurodivergence and the language used when referring to neurodivergence is ever-evolving. I've observed on social media and in other spaces how conversations about terminology can be confusing, divisive, alienating, and complicated to navigate. Disability is one of those terms that can be uncomfortable for some people, including parents of neurodivergent kids, to embrace, but my hope is that this conversation will help you have a deeper understanding of what it means to be disabled, how ableism shows up and hurts all members of the disability community, including our kids, and how we can be better allies in the disability To talk about this, I invited disability rights activist and writer Emily Ladau onto the show. Emily wrote a wonderful book called Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, and in today's conversation, we explore some of the core ideas in her book. As always, we covered a lot of ground in this episode, including what it actually means to be disabled, why the euphemism “special needs” is problematic for many people, how ableism is normalized in our society, disability etiquette do's and dont's to keep in mind for future interactions, and so much more.   About Emily Ladau Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate children about her life with a physical disability. Her writing has been published in outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Vice, and HuffPost and her first book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, was published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in September 2021. Emily has spoken before numerous audiences, from the U.S. Department of Education to the United Nations. Central to all of Emily's work is harnessing the power of storytelling to engage people in learning about disability.   Things you'll learn from this episode The difference between models of disability, including the medical, social, and charity model Why it's critical that we recognize and address internalized ableism in order to promote inclusivity What intersectionality is and ways disability intersects with other marginalized identities What should be considered when looking at accommodations and accessibility when meeting the diverse needs of individuals Do's, don't's and best practices when it comes to disability etiquette   Resources mentioned for Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally Emily Ladau's website Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau The Accessible Stall (Emily's podcast) Words I Wheel By (Emily's Facebook page) Emily on Instagram Emily on LinkedIn Tyler Fedder (Illustrator) D'Arcee Neal The Platinum Rule   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than one billion people around the world are disabled, yet, there are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be disabled. Many of us are fearful, confused and unsure of what to say and how to act around someone with a disability. On this episode, we'll “demystify disabilities” with our guest, well-known disability rights activist, blogger and speaker Emily Ladau, whose work has been featured by the New York Times, CNN, and U.S. News and World Report, to name just a few. She is passionate about, “Getting nondisabled people to stop treating disabled people as a weird cross between precious gems and alien creatures.” She's the author of the book, "DEMYSTIFYING DISABILITY: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally".  Her website is https://emilyladau.com/

Robin explores the intersection of climate crises and the world's largest oppressed minority: the disability community. Guest: Emily Ladau, author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, How to Be an Ally.

For this week's episode of Off-Kilter, Rebecca sat back down with Emily Ladau. She's the editor of the Voices of Disability Economic Justice Project and the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. She's someone who's done an immense amount throughout her career to shift narratives on disability in the United States and is a master storyteller whose many superpowers also include supporting other people in telling their stories. They had a far-ranging conversation about the Voices of Disability Economic Justice Project as it comes up on its one-year anniversary; why it's so important for people with disabilities to get to tell their own stories; why storytelling is critical to policy and culture change; how she ended up on Sesame Street; why she wrote her book Demystifying Disability; and lots more.  Links from this episode: Check out Emily's book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally Follow Emily on Twitter/X @emily_ladau  Learn more about the Voices project and how to write for it Here is the Off-Kilter episode feat. Emily with writer Alex Ashley Fox on the harms that come from autistic people being forced to mask at work, and here is Alex's Voices piece

How we talk about disability frames the way we view the importance of access. The Accessible Stall podcast co-hosts Emily Ladau and Kyle Kachadurian talk about disability a lot in episodes covering everything from pre-peeled fruit and lingerie to health care and ableism. Today, they join the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why authentic representation of disability is so critical to designing policies and spaces that serve everyone. To explore the resources recommended in this episode, visit the links below: Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann, with Kristen Joiner Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking by Julia Bascom Squirmy and Grubs (YouTube channel)

Dave Mengebier, the President and CEO of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, drops in to discuss the Community Development Coalition of Northwest Michigan, the Foundation's DEI work and how his team manages so many advisory groups.Please reach out to emergentcf@gmail.com if you have an idea for a guest or topicMentions Include:Dave MengebierGrand Traverse Regional Community Foundation (The Foundation)Community Development Coalition of Northwest MichiganBooks, Podcast and Music recommendations- Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer - The Soul of A New Machine by Tracy KidderEvents/Learning OpportunitiesList of All upcoming conferencesAssociationsNational Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP)Advancement Network (AdNet)CEONetProNetCommACouncil on FoundationsAiPAmerican College of Financial ServicesMusicThanks to Andy Eppler for our intro MusicThanks to David Cutter Music for "Float Away

Today, we hear from Emily Ladau, a disability rights activist, about how to break down barriers. Emily Ladau has Larsen syndrome, a rare genetic joint and muscle disorder. She is on a mission to make progress for disability rights by sharing her own story and helping others do the same on their own terms. She's won a number of awards for her activism, and her first book is Demystifying Disability:What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. This is episode 5 from a special segment for Women's History Month about how we can build a more feminist future....and take care of ourselves and each other when the work is daunting. Find more trailblazers in our new book, It's a Good Day to Change the World.

Many of us are fearful, confused and unsure of what to say and how to act around someone with a disability. On this episode, we'll “demystify disabilities” with our guest, well-known disability rights activist, blogger and speaker Emily Ladau. She is passionate about getting nondisabled people to stop treating disabled people as a weird cross between precious gems and alien creatures.  She's the author of the book, "DEMYSTIFYING DISABILITY: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally".  Her website is https://emilyladau.com/   Note: This episode was previously aired.   Thanks to our sponsor, Lomi, the world's first Smart Waste Appliance.  If you've struggled with composting and feel it's too much work, or feel bad that you're not doing your part to help the environment, you have to check out Lomi, the countertop electric composter.  Just about anything you'd put into the kitchen disposer can be put into the Lomi on your countertop and turned into dirt in four hours.  Use that dirt in your garden! There's no smell when Lomi runs and it's really quiet.  Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi.  Lomi will make the perfect gift for someone on your shopping list!  Just head to LOMI.COM/NTM and use the promo code NTM to get $50 off your Lomi!   Thanks to our sponsor, Hover.  If you have a brand that you've always dreamt of building or a business you want to take online, the first step is finding your domain name. Hover makes this super simple with a clear and straightforward user experience, easy-to-use tools, and truly amazing support. Getting online has helped thousands of people around the world reach new heights with their businesses. In addition to the classics like .COM, you can get extensions like .SHOP, .TECH, and .ART, with over 400 more to choose from. You can buy a domain, set up custom email boxes, and point it to your website in just a few clicks.  Get your idea off the ground with the perfect domain name. Head to hover.com/NOBODY to get 10% off your first Hover purchase!   Thanks to our sponsor, Paired, the relationship app for couples. You and your partner download the app, “Pair” together, and every day Paired gives you questions, quizzes and games to have fun, stay connected and deepen your conversations. It's simple and often hilarious and heartwarming!   Each day you get a quiz to play, or a question to answer and you can't see your partner's answer until you answer yourself.  Whether you're just a few dates in or have been together a long time, it's time to lighten the mood and have fun with your partner by using Paired. Paired has a special offer for our Nobody Told Me! listeners.  Head to PAIRED.COM/NOBODY to get a 7-day free trial and 25% off if you sign up for a subscription.

Emily Ladau is a disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10 when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate children about her life with a physical disability. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, CNN, Vice, and Huffington Post. She is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. With co-host Kyle Khachardurian, Emily is the host and creator of the podcast The Accessible Stall. Our interview touches upon representation of folks with disabilities in the media, how to make podcasts and other forms of media more accessible for all people, working from home and what that means in terms of creating inclusivity and equity in the workplace, how she feels about educating people about disability, and what people could do to meet her halfway, ableism and internalized ableism, tropes and cliches of disability inspiration, tokenization, intersectionality, and much more. Transcript of this episode: https://www.esalen.org/podcasts/emily-ladau-on-disability-awareness-and-the-accessible-stall-podcast Sign up for Words I Wheel By, Emily's newsletter: https://emilyladau.com/#email-sign-up Check out The Accessible Stall podcast: https://www.theaccessiblestall.com/

Emily Ladau discusses her book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. This is the July 30, 2022 episode

In this week's episode I sat down with Emily Ladau. Emily is a disability rights activist and author of the book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. We discuss finding our disabled identities, ableism in the media across both sides of the aisle, and what it means to say we are proud to be disabled in 2022. Read the transcript of this episode HERE Follow Emily: Instagram: @emilyladau Twitter: @emily_ladau Website: https://emilyladau.com  Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally: Read here Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast Twitter: @jillx3456 Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com  This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin

Disability Rights Activist, Emily Ladau joins us to talk about self-advocacy, sibling support and her book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.Transcript of this episodeResources discussed in this episode:Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an AllyEmily's Ladau: Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | InstagramSLN Self-Advocate Resources pageSLN COVID-19 Resource CenterSocial media accounts recommended by Emily:https://www.instagram.com/disabilityreframed/https://www.instagram.com/upgradeaccessibility/https://www.instagram.com/diversability/https://www.instagram.com/sitting_pretty/https://www.instagram.com/nina_tame/https://www.instagram.com/jtknoxroxs/https://www.instagram.com/kamredlawsk/https://www.instagram.com/techowlpa/https://www.instagram.com/andraealavant/https://www.instagram.com/fidgets.and.fries/Give us your feedback! Tell us what you think of the SLN Podcast so far. Quotes from this episode:“We need more allies that are willing to do the work of centering the disability community.""The most important thing is to know that you have a right to speak up for yourself.""Siblings can be accountability partners for each other in the world of advocacy.""Disability doesn't exist in a vacuum and no person is just disabled.""It's this strange tug-of-war that we experience as a disabled community where our lives are being devalued, and yet we're being told, "This is for your own good.""In this episode:00:22 - Introduction03:39 - What is the difference between an advocate, a self-advocate and an ally? And In your opinion, which do we need more of?06:55 - Why is self-advocacy so important?08:17 - What are some ways that siblings can help support each other in advocacy?09:51 - How can different intersections of identity influence a self-advocates advocacy journey?11:54 - How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the self-advocacy landscape and how are advocates overcoming related challenges?16:18 - What are some other current major challenges that self-advocates face and how can we support change in these areas?18:19 - Are there any resources that you can recommend for any new and/or seasoned self-advocates out there?19:09 - ASupport the show

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

When Emily Ladau appeared on Sesame Street at the age of ten, she probably didn't realize that she was beginning a lifetime of advocacy for people living with disabilities. Emily is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be An Ally, the Digital Content and Community Manager for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, and a highly sought-after public speaker. In a country were one in four people has some kind of disability, Emily has dedicated her life to providing a starting point and a safe space for people to learn about an issue that is hard for many to talk about, but which touches almost every life in our country on one way or the other. Emily speaks with Eric about how important it is for us all to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Then she blows him away with her mad comms skills… Read the transcript here.

When Emily Ladau appeared on Sesame Street at the age of ten, she probably didn't realize that she was beginning a lifetime of advocacy for people living with disabilities. Emily is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be An Ally, the Digital Content and Community Manager for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, and a highly sought-after public speaker. In a country were one in four people has some kind of disability, Emily has dedicated her life to providing a starting point and a safe space for people to learn about an issue that is hard for many to talk about, but which touches almost every life in our country on one way or the other. Emily speaks with Eric about how important it is for us all to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Then she blows him away with her mad comms skills… Read the transcript here.

Julie and Casey sit down with disability advocate Emily Ladau to talk her new book, being a full human and not just a disability, and how we can be better supporters and allies. Along the way, they discuss high school theater nerdery and embracing your inner peacock. TOP TAKEAWAYS As we talk about disability, it's important to acknowledge the WHOLE human, not just the parts that convenient for your narrative. There is a difference between being noticed and being seen — being noticed is about them, being seen is about you. Before deciding to help, figure out if your help is wanted or needed from the actual individual you wish to help.  Making assumptions about what someone needs (even if well intended) dehumanizes more than it helps. Let people tell you what kind of ally they need, instead of assuming your help is needed and welcome. Mini-Lesson:  Peacocking — taking the reins of your own visibility. Episode Transcript here. Thank you to our Season 3 sponsor, Armoire! If you're ready to try a new look, Armoire's high-end clothing rental service (full of amazing women-owned brands) will hook you up! For 50% off your first month's rental + a free item, go to http://armoire.style/voiceis and use VOICEIS in the referral box! Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant. She is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Links for Emily: Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

Guest Emily Ladau, disability rights activist joins to share her personal experiences, as well as insights from her book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. She discusses how we ought to redefine the term disability, the opportunity gaps for people with disabilities and how individuals, companies and lawmakers can help advance professional and financial opportunities for the community. Want more articles and videos by Farnoosh? Check out www.cnet.com/somoney. Subscribe to her weekly So Money newsletter for the latest updates and advice. Catch her weekly money videos on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Shannon & Christine as they chat about social wellness with our special guest Jennifer Howell a member of the True Tales by Disability Advocates podcast team. Shealo Glo - www.shealoglo.com  Now offering Subscriptions * Delivered on the 1st & 15th! Nominate your Shearo by emailing subject "My Shearo" to shealoglo@gmail.com Stillpoint - https://www.amazon.com/Stillpoint-Self-Care-Playbook-Caregivers-Breathe/dp/1732370400 Join us in community: https://women-connected-in-wisdom.mn.co/feed Listen to past episodes: https://womenconnectedinwisdompodcast.com/ Join Christine at an event: https://linktr.ee/christinegautreauxmsw Book a free coaching consult with Christine here: https://www.christinegautreaux.com Like & Subscribe to get notifications when we are live Instagram @womenconnectedinwisdompodcast - https://www.instagram.com/womenconnectedinwisdompodcast/ Facebook page Women Connected in Wisdom Podcast - https://www.facebook.com/womenconnectedinwisdompodcast NPR Life Kit show - https://www.npr.org/2022/02/18/1081713756/disability-disabled-people-offensive-better-word Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Disability-What-Know-Ally/dp/1984858971 Art Spark TX - https://www.artsparktx.org/ Reimagine: Grief, Growth, and Justice Schedule - https://letsreimagine.org/spring2022/schedule No Blame! No Shame! No Guilt! - https://letsreimagine.org/103965/no-shame-no-blame-no-guilt   Additional resources from NPR Life Kit: Books Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapiro The Color of My Mind: Mental Health Narratives from People of Color by Dior Vargas We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia What Can a Body Do?: How We Meet the Built World by Sara Hendren Movies Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020) Sins Invalid: An Unshamed Claim to Beauty (2013) Videos I Got 99 Problems. Palsy Is Just One. TED Talk by Maysoon Zayid I'm Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much. TEDx Talk by Stella Young  

Activist, writer, and speaker Emily Ladau, 2021 NLC New York Fellow, joins The Zag to talk about her work as a disability advocate. Author of the book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, Emily talks about why it was important to her to write an approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people and to write actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) to make the world a more accessible, inclusive place. Learn more about her work here: https://emilyladau.com/book/https://www.theaccessiblestall.com/

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

Joyce welcomes Emily Ladau, Disability Rights Activist, Communications Consultant, and Author to the show. Ms. Ladau will be discussing her advocacy work and her latest book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

https://www.instagram.com/emilyladau/ Meet Emily Ladau a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. She's the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally. Buy here book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.../demystifying.../ Her BraveFace is: THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS on HBO MAX. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/support

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Emily Ladau, a passionate disability rights activist. Her career began at the age of 10 when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. Emily is the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

More than one billion people around the world are disabled, yet, there are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be disabled. Many of us are fearful, confused and unsure of what to say and how to act around someone with a disability. On this episode, we'll “demystify disabilities” with our guest, well-known disability rights activist, blogger and speaker Emily Ladau.  Emily's work has been featured by the New York Times, CNN, and U.S. News and World Report, to name just a few. She is passionate about, in her words, “Getting nondisabled people to stop treating disabled people as a weird cross between precious gems and alien creatures.” She's the author of the new book, DEMYSTIFYING DISABILITY: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. ****** Thanks to our sponsor of this episode! --> Lumineux: plant and mineral hygiene products like Lumineux's famous toothpaste and whitening products are changing the game. They taste just as good and we were wowed by the research into why using their strategy works so well. Just in time for the holidays: enjoy 15% off your first purchase by going to http://www.oralessentials.com and using promo code 'Nobody'. --> Bitefull Box: the quarterly subscription box putting tomorrow's healthy pantry staples on your shelf today. Go to http://www.bitefullbox.com and use code TELLME25 for 25% off your purchase. --> Noom Mood: an app that pairs you with a coach who gives you the tools needed to shift to better manage your daily stress and anxiety in just ten minutes a day. Work at your own pace, wherever and whenever you want. Millions have experienced success dieting with Noom Weight, and the same brilliant minds behind it are now tackling mental wellbeing. Sign up for a free trial at http://www.noom.com/ntm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Ladau is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally, available from Ten Speed Press. Ladau is an internationally known disability rights activist, writer, and speaker. She is the editor in chief of the Rooted in Rights blog, a platform dedicated to amplifying authentic narratives of the intersectional disability experience. She also co-hosts The Accessible Stall, a podcast about disability issues. Ladau's writing has been published in outlets including the New York Times, HuffPost, CNN, Self, Salon, Vice, The Daily Beast, Variety, and Marie Claire Australia. Her work is also included in the Criptiques Anthology and About Us: Essays from the Disability Series of the New York Times. She has served as an expert source on disability issues for outlets including NPR, Vox, Washington Post, and Teen Vogue, and has been featured in a range of press outlets including Newsday, BuzzFeed, CBS News, and U.S. News & World Report. A complete transcript of this interview is available at otherppl.com. *** Show notes: The Microsoft videos that Emily references during the interview can be found here. Other useful resources: Ableist words and terms to avoid. 2021 working definition of ableism. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Etc. Support the show on Patreon Merch www.otherppl.com @otherppl Instagram  YouTube Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the podcast, we interview Emily Ladau, disability rights activist and author, about her new book Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally. We discuss why this book needed to be written, if there is only one model of disability that is valid, and we even play a little game called, “is it ableist?” This episode's transcript can be found here. Take our podcast listener survey: bit.ly/TIPodcast Visit Think Inclusive for more information about inclusive education. Have questions or comments? Reach us at podcast@thinkinclusive.us Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Credits This podcast is a production of MCIE. Support the podcast and become a patron of the Think Inclusive Podcast!

It affects 1 billion people worldwide, so why is disability considered a niche issue? How can we make life easier for people with disabilities? And what does any of this have to do with As Seen on TV products? Featuring Emily Ladau, disability rights activist and author of the new book, “Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally.” Pick it up here: https://amzn.to/3heTUKF   See citations and a transcript for this episode: https://www.tabooscience.show/s2e11-disability/   Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.tabooscience.show/newsletter/     Follow Taboo Science: https://twitter.com/tabooscience   https://www.instagram.com/tabooscience/     Visit tabooscience.show for more.   Taboo Science is written and produced by Ashley Hamer. Theme music by Danny Lopatka of DLC Music.

Born with Larsen Syndrome, a genetic physical disability, Emily Ladau is a wheelchair user. At the ripe old age of 10, she was featured on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate youngsters about living her life with this disorder. And she's been on that mission ever since. Emily's the author of "Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say and How to Be an Ally." Emily's also Editor-in-Chief of the Rooted in Rights blog, a platform highlighting the disability experience. This is clearly an important conversation we're excited to share!