Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century

Alice Wong

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century

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One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love.

Reviews

ONE OF THE PROGRESSIVE'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • ENTROPY'S BEST OF NONFICTION

“Disability rights activist Alice Wong brings tough conversations to the forefront of society with this anthology. It sheds light on the experience of life as an individual with disabilities, as told by none other than authors with these life experiences. It's an eye-opening collection that readers will revisit time and time again.” 
Chicago Tribune

“Shares perspectives that are too often missing from such decision-making about accessibility.” 
The Washington Post

“Implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) makes the case for acknowledging and accommodating society’s overlooked population of disabled people.” The New York Times Book Review

“An exemplary collection. . . . This month’s #RequiredReading.” 
Ms. Magazine

“A raw, emotional collection, an investment in the power of storytelling to foster vibrant connections, and an unapologetic rejection of ‘internalized ableism’. . . . The 37 powerful stories in Disability Visibility reveal the depth of everyday courage and the extraordinary human capacity to find humor in the face of life’s adversities.” Shelf Awareness

“Roughly 15 percent of people around the world have a disability, and yet their stories are often never told. Alice Wong’s anthology, Disability Visibility, brings their narratives front and center with the goal of showcasing the wide range of modern disability experiences. . . . Ultra-impressive.” Shondaland, "10 Books Set to Become the New Feminist Classics"

“By its very nature, the disability community is incredibly intersectional and diverse, including people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and cultures. Disability Visibility reflects that diversity with its contributors, giving . . . a look at a wide range of experiences and types of disability.” Book Riot

“Alice Wong . . . has long been at the forefront of the disability justice movement.” 
—Bitch Media, “17 Books Feminists Should Read in June”

About the Author

Alice Wong is a disabled activist, media maker, and research consultant based in San Francisco, California. She is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated tocreating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. Alice is also the host and co-producer of the Disability Visibility podcast and co-partner in a number of collaborations such as #CripTheVote and Access Is Love. From 2013 to 2015, Alice served as a member of the National Council on Disability, an appointment by President Barack Obama. You can follow her on Twitter: @SFdirewolf. For more: disabilityvisibilityproject.com.
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (June 30, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1984899422