Taking Back #100daysofwritiing #disability

I am in the middle of writing a longer blog post about the language of disability. I saw a brilliant blog about the language of adoption and I've also been poking one of my friends gently about disability inclusion in her writing on a semi regular basis. The two things conspired to make me want to share some more thoughts on disability language.

The following poem is for my 100 days of writing project and was meant to be at the end of the disability language entry. Which isn't finished and looks to be a long one. So this gets it's own separate entry.

The words I use
To describe myself
Are right for me
And I have the right to choose

If I want to say
I'm this
Or that
Today

You can ask why
I use a term
I'll explain happily
Rather then let it pass by

But please don't try
To tell me I'm not
Something I clearly am
If you don't like it tell me why

I'm always happy to discuss
Disability language matters
I find other points of view interesting
And disagreeing won't make me cuss

Language and disability are cause for much debate.
Not everyone agrees with everyone else
But in many was our diversity makes us stronger
Which for our community is really great

Of who I am I am proud
So words like crip
And cripple and spastic
Are totally fantastic to say out loud