Burdens and Balance
I am angry at Stephen Hawking and after you finish this article, I hope you’ll understand why. During an interview which was released this past Wednesday, Hawking stated that were he no longer to contribute to society, or if he became a burden, he would consider assisted suicide. There’s a major problem with Hawking making a statement like this…. Read more →
Smashing Ableism with Intersectionality
About a year and a half ago now I moved into a house in the suburbs. When one of our neighbors came by to welcome us to the neighborhood, they came with some gifts. A nice bottle of champagne…. and a pair of Autism Speaks lightbulbs so that the whole street could “light it Up Blue.” If you’ve been reading… Read more →
Guest Post: Snarking About Service Animals – A reply to the New Yorker
Guest Post by Regina Lizik Last month, The New Yorker published an article by Patricia Marx titled “Pets Allowed: Why are so many animals now in places where they shouldn’t be?” But Marx’s comedic attempt to shed light on the business of fraudulent service animals is more damaging to people with disabilities than it is to those who take advantage… Read more →
I Don’t Want to Ask
Yesterday morning, as I was drinking my first cup of tea I was checking my facebook. Facebook recently is sort of a mine of pain and agony. On Monday, it was white feminists defending blackface because it was being used for cosplay. Yesterday, it had to do with disability. You see, a series of illustrations designed to say “It’s ok… Read more →
The Past, Present and Future of Disability.
As this blog has oft noted, I’ve been gaming for as long as I can remember. And as I mention in most of my talks about disability and game design, is the issue of the erasure of the disabled experience. From the way that disabilities are handled in stats, to the ways in which disability often doesn’t exist in setting…. Read more →
Blind Lady Vs. Super Princess Peach
So. Normally I don’t post these until I’ve finished the game. Normally. This time, I hit a boss level, and despite a full day yesterday of trying to beat it (and nearly throwing my DS at the wall) I am posting without having beaten the game. Much like Diablo III, a boss was my undoing. What’s really difficult about reviewing… Read more →
Blind Lady Vs. Gen Con
Two weeks ago on Wednesday at 5am I left my house and flew to the first Gen Con of my life. I’d known since I was hired by Storium that I would need to attend as a professional, but also because I knew *so* many people who go, and who were encouraging me to attend. So, much like Blind Lady… Read more →
A Training Guide On Being Blind At A Con
Gen Con is a week from today! I’ll be arriving in the afternoon on Wednesday, and am slowly putting together a Guide Human team & I realized that part of my nerves about going to this giant event for the first time is because I haven’t met most of the people I’ll be spending time with in person before. So… Read more →
I love superheroes but they don’t love me
Batman, Superman, Daredevil, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Oracle, Spidey…. I love them all. I love the Avengers. I love supes, and comics. Here’s what I don’t love: the way that comics and superhero movies treat disability. Spoiler Warning for Guardians of the Galaxy, Batman Movies etc. On Saturday night my husband and I went and saw Guardians of the Galaxy. The… Read more →