Health and racial supremacy can’t coexist with justice. 4/

I have heard colleagues defending not getting a flu or COVID shot, doubting whether disabled students deserve accommodations, and questioning international students’ intelligence. 3/

Everything is connected! Consider your language when you distance yourself from a group experiencing harm. And avoid minimizing harm by justifying that anyone’s existence should be conditional. 2/

Yes! Your class sounds amazing

I’m ok being the difficult person asking about accessibility and reminding people that having our needs met is important even it it’s not always easy. We deserve better even if disclosure is sometimes punished. 4/

I’m no longer trying to be a good disabled person. In part, because of disabled students who have trusted me with disclosure of their diagnoses and access needs. I remind myself that performing beyond my ability contributes to the toxicity of productivity so glorified in higher education. 3/

I wish I didn’t pretend flare ups, medical appointments and rest were inconvenient. But I did. I normalized getting sick after conferences and got worsening symptoms after every semester ended. 2/

💔

Next time someone asks for access, acknowledge the trust of someone asking for what they need. And before saying it’s impossible, think about how every day we build the world we want to live in. There is no space for disability in academia if we keep denying the care we all need sometimes.

Every day, disabled and temporarily abled people weave together networks of support for each other. Some in denial of our shared vulnerability. Some very aware that disability is our shared destiny.

Previously healthy colleagues and students dealing with debilitating chronic illness at the same time their families and friends require new care for new and worsening disease.

I know universal access is utopian. No event can meet the needs of every potential attendee. What made this particular rejection sting is the context in which it happened.