When you think of protesting, of allyship, of activism – what do you picture? Maybe it’s people making signs and marching in the streets, maybe it’s folks organizing events or sit-ins, maybe it’s fundraisers and phone chains, or activist influencers known for their fierce advocacy. While all of these efforts are impactful ways to affect change, there are other ways you can join the resistance, too. 

For many disabled folks, it can be difficult to have their pain, issues, and problems fully understood and taken seriously by able-bodied folks – from politicians to doctors, to family and friends. 

The history of disability in the United States is one of resilience and resistance. For much of history – and even today – disabled people were excluded from society, often institutionalized, hidden from public life, or treated as objects of pity or inconvenience rather than as full human beings.

But disabled people have always pushed back.