Big Changes to Disability in Kidlit
Disability in Kidlit will be undergoing some changes; a different posting schedule, update on submissions, and social media news.
Disability in Kidlit will be undergoing some changes; a different posting schedule, update on submissions, and social media news.
Julian Birch has a “withered” leg from a childhood bout of polio, and Mitchell’s depiction of him is one of the most believable, relatable portrayals of disability I’ve come across.
This book portrays its autistic protagonist in ways that will give readers negative, incorrect, and in some cases abusive ideas about autistic people.
For disabled characters, being cured is a common trope. What’s more, in most of these narratives, the characters are cured because they’re better than they were at the start of the book: kinder, gentler, braver. And finally, finally, they’re normal and whole.
Skim does a good job of showing misguided attempts to help those with depression, and lets the reader see the absurdity for themselves.
To help authors make informed decisions about what language to use, we talk about disability terminology–from outdated words and cringe-worthy phrases to straight-up ableist slurs, and everything in between.
There are many different ways an author can express a sign language on the page; let’s take a closer look.
Severe, chronic vertigo associated with migraines like mine is a “silent” disability, one people can’t see. Many people are compassionate. But others lack sensitivity, assume you’re faking it or just have a headache and will get over it.
That’s the thing about disability, I think. You’re a normal person, you experience normal things, and then, every once in a while, you hit that wall. That reminder that you aren’t quite like the majority of your peers.
We take a close look at the state of recognizable representation of visibly disabled characters on book covers.