Accepting limitations is a sign of wisdom, not weakness

Dear Activists with disabilities,

Since disability doesn’t discriminate, we are the cross-section of everything – every religion, political affiliation, ethnicity, sexual-identity, sexual orientation etc…we encompass all of it. Therefore, we feel the impact of more issues than just the ones that are disability specific.

Although we are passionate people who feel very strongly about our individual values, it is important we are mindful of our physical limitations. Some with disabilities are very capable of participating in a demonstration or protest and I fully support them. 

However, some are not physically up to that challenge due to complex medical conditions. So, instead of throwing your medically fragile bodies into the front lines of the many protests going on in our country right now, I urge you to utilize technology instead. There are numerous ways that technology can be used to support the causes that you hold dear.

-       Launch a video campaign - Organize like-minded folks to make a video of themselves expressing their feelings about a specific topic. Then post & share! Partner with an organization that shares your values to help your videos reach more people.

-       Blog – A personal story often packs a greater punch than an actual punch. Spill your guts (figuratively speaking) and blog about why you feel the way you do. If you feel passionately enough to be considering putting your medically fragile body in harms way to make a difference, than I feel you should have the conviction to open up about why you are steadfast in your beliefs.

-       Organize an email campaign – To make it easier for folks to participate, write up a few example letters that can be copy, pasted, and easily modified.

-       Social Media – Tweet. Retweet. Share. Like. Love. Never underestimate the power of sharing information!

Accepting limitations is a sign of wisdom, not weakness. Finding alternative solutions is what disabled people do every day. Stay strong. Never give up. Just make sure you’re still around to celebrate after we cross the finish line.

Nothing About Us Without Us,

Jane Hash aka The Gimp Avenger