Disability Commentary
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I thought I coined a phrase–criperati. I may have made it up, but there’s been others that also did. Google coughed up a couple two days after I started looking for antecedents. I see the use of criperti as recognition that the disability community is stratified even though we like to think we’re completely egalitarian. […]

Continue reading “Criperati? Works for me (in a tongue-in-cheek kinda way)” »

That’s me with my sister Paula on the grounds of Polytechnic School in Pasadena. Notice the backpack. It seems like I spent an inordinate amount of time from middle school through college figuring out how to carry things, particularly school books, while using crutches.

Continue reading “Crutches and Backpacks” »

We have another hero. Hugh Gallagher gave us FDR. The world knew FDR was disabled, but until Gallagher none of us knew that FDR’s disability experience had a profound effect on his life and world view. After polio, FDR began to root for the poor.

I know, hero is so overused when it is applied to us disabled folk that I hesitate to use the term. But it’s accurate. Doc Pomus is my hero. After you hear the stories, he might be yours, too. To find out check out a new documentary “AKA Doc Pomus” that captures some of the highlights of his disabled life.

Continue reading “A New Disability Hero!” »

eBay has gone crazy for disability vinyl.

Continue reading “Cripple’s Reward” »

The Shriners Hospitals have done much good work, but Swingin’ for Crippled Children?

Continue reading “Oh Those Shriners!” »

Every Sunday the San Francisco Chronicle runs a column called the Wayback Machine in the Pink Section. The editor, Johnny Miller, goes through the Chronicle’s archives from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago. He finds interesting stories, most of which we haven’t heard or have forgotten. I enjoy his 21st Century perspective on 20th […]

Continue reading “Don’t Let the Cripples Drive, 1913” »

Disability Rocks! A journey through popular music and disability at the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability

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I was reminded again the other day about the etymology of handicapped. Last night I threw together a quick pasta sauce to put over Costco raviolis. Our neighbor has been kind enough to loan use freezer space for small, plastic bags of mooshed-up tomatoes from last summer. The defrosted tomatoes with a little added fresh […]

Continue reading “Handicappers? Handicapable? No! Capihands!” »

Last October I gave a talk on how disability culture and identity impacted Henri Toulouse-Lautrec at the de Young Museum. It was for the Disability Open House. We chose Toulouse-Lautrec because the museum was exhibiting “Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay.”
Anthony Tusler’s lecture on Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

Continue reading “Toulouse-Lautrec Lecture Now Online” »

Continue reading “Misc Disability Image” »