Em-URGE-ing Voices

Posts Tagged: people with disabilities

7 Ways to Make Your Activism More Inclusive of Activists with Disabilities

In April, I broke my ankle which severely limited my normal activity and opened my eyes to how ableist the world is. That includes activist spaces. Yes—even yours. It was a temporary disability, but I also was diagnosed with a long term (invisible) disability two years ago. I’ve also had a chronic disease since childhood that sometimes makes activists and social spaces inaccessible to me.  I am a chapter leader for URGE ATL, the Atlanta City Activist Network for URGE and participate in reproductive justice work with other organizations in Atlanta. This means I have experienced what people have done right by disabled people and what they can improve on. So, here is a list of ways folks can make their activist spaces more inclusive of disabled activists. 1. Recognize that… Read more »

The Zika Virus, Disabilities, and Pro-Choice Activism

Earlier this month, a poll taken by Harvard officials indicated a slight shift in favor of abortions in response to the Zika virus. An estimated 59% of Americans favor abortion after 24 weeks if medical records indicate that the unborn fetus has the Zika virus and has a risk of developing major birth defects. As many medical professionals try to find a cure for the Zika virus, abortion politics and the prospect of disabilities from the virus are becoming interwoven. The fear that unborn fetuses will contract the Zika virus has produced a fear of abnormalities plaguing the human race. Disabilities usually causes a shift in public opinion since it questions the morality of what makes a person and whether people with disabilities are viable. While pro-choice people might want to… Read more »