This last week has probably been one of the most incredible weeks of my life. I never thought I'd say that! From being surrounded by 700 people that have received the same gift that I did, which I'll write about later, to coming back to sickness and sheer exhaustion, to being able to see some of the most loved and respected disability activists and scholars all in one week, and then, to become a poet.
I had always dabbled, you know, for English class or whatnot, but I never really saw myself as a performer, it was always awkward, never really that easy. But then last week,When I put pencil to paper (literally) the words just came with an ease that I have never experienced nor understood. So, even though I'm terrified, I'd like to share both poems that I wrote with you, citizens of the inter-webs. Here goes!
This first poem was modeled after Laura Hershey's "Translating the Crip." I have been asked to perform it in American Sign Language at an event next week. Wish me luck!
When I say
When I say disabled, I mean mostly by the comments people say to me.
When I say choice, I mean you don't have to ask "are you sure?"
When I say accessible, I am learning it doesn't just mean "is there a flight of stairs?"
When I say responsibility, I mean you're here to help me, not protect or judge me.
When I say education, I mean I don't know if it will matter because of what people like me are supposed to do. I also can't help but think of the enormous privilege I've been given.
When I say work, I hope that means one day not just for personal fulfillment. But it also means recognizing all the ways others can contribute.
When I say solidarity, it means no matter what.
When I say collaboration, it means virtual, in person, or in spirit whatever form that may take.
When I say inspiration, I mean all the badass people who must continue to exist even when we are told we are unfit to care for ourselves or another person.
And another, shorter one.....
This was in the style of Stacey Millbern's "No one ever sat me down and said."
No one ever told me
No one ever told me I can't do anything I want.
No one ever told me that I wouldn't have to "get used to it."
No one ever told me that I would want to be the way I am.
No one ever told me what it feels like to hear someone say "People like you have children?"
No one ever tod me about the amazing community I would find from claiming crip.
Many thanks to the D Center for hosting this event and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha for being a revolutionary badass. It was an honor to share space with you and a pleasure to see you again. Thank you!
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Conversations with the Guitar Man
Hi all!
I wanted to share with you today some other work I've done that I have not yet found a place for, but I believe it is too good not to share! This first one is a piece that I wrote over a year ago, while trying to find my voice. Enjoy.
----------------------
I wanted to share with you today some other work I've done that I have not yet found a place for, but I believe it is too good not to share! This first one is a piece that I wrote over a year ago, while trying to find my voice. Enjoy.
----------------------
Conversations with the Guitar Man
It is near 6 o'clock on a Tuesday
evening, and I am clutching my phone and my purse for dear life. After being
sent on a wild goose chase around the U District for interesting characters, I
headed downtown unsure what I would find. I had been there many times, but on
that day, I could not bring myself to talk to the many eyes that I constantly
felt upon me. There are many places I'm comfortable going alone, but, today,
this wasn't one of them.
Despondent,
I decided to try again 24 hours later. I headed into Pike Place Market just
before closing to find the usually packed walkways practically empty. It was
kind of an eerie feeling, but it was nice. Maybe I should come here at night
more often.
“What do
you listen to?” asks a guy who is “just messing around” on his guitar.
“A bit of
everything, really. Right now, I'm really into Allen Stone and Jack Johnson,
the whole folk thing.”
With that,
he busts into a medley including Johnson’s “Bubble Toes,” to which I lip-sync
and drum on my table unashamedly.
What
strikes me about Josh is his willingness to be candid. I can tell he is
adventurous.
Originally
from Guam, Joshua Catahay started touring the music circuit early, having been
in a band for the better part of 20 years, both on guitar and vocals. He said
he fell in love with Seattle early on, and just recently sold everything and
moved back in October 2012. He has been “busking” at the market since April
2013. He plays everything from his own original work to many cover songs,
including those of his idol, Seattle-based Clinton Fearon. He has also
previously been featured with well-known reggae band Kore Ionz. Although music sustains him between jobs, he
says his favorite part of this experience is interacting with people.
“People
start up conversations that would never normally happen if you didn't have a guitar,”
Catahay said. “It has really enriched me.”
But he said some of his favorite
experiences come from the camaraderie of the street music community itself, as
well as the greater Seattle community. For example, as we were talking,
somebody from the donut shop across the path offered us two huge bags of mini
donut holes out of the blue, which I, of course, politely declined. And then I
listened to him tell this story:
“Just last week, I came up from
Fifth, I stopped by, and you know, his name is Bob, he plays the steel drums,
reggae music.” So he goes on about how he became friends with him and others: “And
then, the next block, on Fourth Avenue, I stopped and I met this guy, his name
is George. He's a veteran, and he suffered a stroke, but he's an awesome
guitarist. I played a few songs with him, and later on that day, then he gifted
me an amp,” said Catahay. “That's so awesome, you know, I'll treasure that
because it comes from a musician here.”
And so, I'm
sitting here wondering to myself the whole time: Why the hell are you at Pike
Place Market on Wednesday night when there are only 10 people around?
“I sometimes am the first one here, and sometimes I'm the
last one here,” he said. “I like to sing in the new day, and I like to sing out
the night, say goodbye to the sun.”
But whatever
time of day it is, Josh always has time to talk, no matter who his audience may
be. He shared with me four things that a man named Mike, an elderly musician
who plays the djembe, a type of African drum, once told him about playing
music.
·
Relax
·
Use your body as part of the rhythm
·
Play with your heart and soul. Own what you
play.
·
Never let anybody stop you from playing music,
no matter what.
Whether it is the true embodiment
of soul through that guitar, or the ease with which he talks to anyone on a
street corner, you can tell it's experience that changes people.
“People you least expect are the
ones with the most heart, the most giving, sometimes… I'll stop for anybody and
have conversation with them if they want to, no matter who you are.”
And perhaps that is worth all
that, and a bag of donuts.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
All aboard the struggle train…...
And so, almost a week ago, we departed from the fabulous folks at YHA and went on to meet our host family. It is not really a host family in the sense of the word, because I had to find my own accommodations, but nevertheless they have been extremely gracious in dealing with our unique way of doing things.
This journey would require a trip across town, and when I was looking up the options, the least convoluted and easiest thing seemed to be a journey on the Underground- the Tube-- why not? And since our host had looked up the directions for step free access, we decided to give it a try! We now know just how very wrong we were. Granted, it would have been simple enough if we were not packing 4 bags around… or so we thought.
You see, despite the incredibly detailed and confusing labeling system that the Tube has for different levels of accessibility, you never actually know how big the fabled “gap” is, or which part of the journey itself is, in fact, accessible. It varies from stop to stop, and I feel like someone should just go through with a pencil and mark each one. Sometimes, the gap is a foot tall, and sometimes there is not one at all. In our case, it was where it said there was a lift (elevator) out of the station itself, when there was not. So, about 6 trains and switching directions later, we finally decided that we had to take an alternative route on the District line. A staff member was gracious enough to help me onto the inaccessible (of course!) older trains. When we got there, we went the wrong direction to the next stop, and then also went the wrong direction on the next form of transportation. The problem is, when they marked the routes, they actually give you the name of some random stop on that line, not the end of the line, not even the next stop or the middle of the line. If somebody could enlighten me as to the naming of the directional system, that would be greatly appreciated! So, about 4 hours later, we arrived here at the B&B, but not before someone yelled at us for fare evasion because we didn't realize that the cards actually timed out after 2 hours, while our journey ended up taking twice as long. This whole experience made us both want to buy a certain souvenir T-shirt and replace it with something a little more accurate!
Needless to say, the struggle has not only been physical, but metaphorical as well. One of my instructors kept talking about the fact that there would be cultural overload within the 1st week. Having to plan for many situations, I knew that there were a lot of things that I would be thinking about during this time, including but not limited to money, energy, accessibility, geographical location (I'm horrible with directions) and getting used to the notion of constantly being around other people. Now, granted, you'd think that since at any given time, I might have no less than 4 people trying to hover over me, that this would not be a problem. But usually, in this case, I would pack a pair of headphones and turn the volume up so loud that I couldn't even hear myself think. But, alas, my wireless headphones died before the trip and I elected not to bring them. Having dealt with so many different types of people, you would think I would have learned a thing or two by now about how to do it. Sadly, that is not the case. as in this situation, when all involved have no idea what the hell they're doing, the difficulty lies in many facets, from my traveling narcolepsy (yes, it's back) to the different foods, to the way my friend asked me to do things. Throw in some sign language and some sometimes comical interpretation fails, and you have a little bit of an idea. Sure, I thought, going with someone I knew would be easy, no problem! How about no. In a situation like this, I didn't realize I was stressed about things that I didn't even know I could be stressed about, such as my doing things almost entirely separately from the rest of the group for the 1st week. I didn't realize how upsetting that was to me, as it is something I usually deal with on a daily basis. So if you think that you can go with just about any situation, think again, you don't realize how many factors are influencing you at any one moment.
As far as the courses were concerned, I finally got a chance to meet the other 2 professors, both of whom are very considerate and very hilarious. This week focused mostly on our class about art and architecture, where, as one of the professors said, ““If the Victorians didn't like it , they took it and shoved a bunch of crap on the front of it.” This pretty much sums up most of the buildings in London. I have probably been able to see more sights in the 1st week than many people would get to see in their entire stay, complete with authentic Brit commentary. We have been to most of Central London already. For me, the highlights included going into some of the most incredible churches and learning about the history behind them. We visited Temple Church, the church of St. Bartholomew the Great, and I even attended an evening service at Westminster Abbey. My great grandma would be so proud right now. Honestly, there are too many things that I have seen to list them all here, but I will try to go back and get pictures of some of them as time allows. I hope to be able to post a more extensive list here.
Until next time!
This journey would require a trip across town, and when I was looking up the options, the least convoluted and easiest thing seemed to be a journey on the Underground- the Tube-- why not? And since our host had looked up the directions for step free access, we decided to give it a try! We now know just how very wrong we were. Granted, it would have been simple enough if we were not packing 4 bags around… or so we thought.
You see, despite the incredibly detailed and confusing labeling system that the Tube has for different levels of accessibility, you never actually know how big the fabled “gap” is, or which part of the journey itself is, in fact, accessible. It varies from stop to stop, and I feel like someone should just go through with a pencil and mark each one. Sometimes, the gap is a foot tall, and sometimes there is not one at all. In our case, it was where it said there was a lift (elevator) out of the station itself, when there was not. So, about 6 trains and switching directions later, we finally decided that we had to take an alternative route on the District line. A staff member was gracious enough to help me onto the inaccessible (of course!) older trains. When we got there, we went the wrong direction to the next stop, and then also went the wrong direction on the next form of transportation. The problem is, when they marked the routes, they actually give you the name of some random stop on that line, not the end of the line, not even the next stop or the middle of the line. If somebody could enlighten me as to the naming of the directional system, that would be greatly appreciated! So, about 4 hours later, we arrived here at the B&B, but not before someone yelled at us for fare evasion because we didn't realize that the cards actually timed out after 2 hours, while our journey ended up taking twice as long. This whole experience made us both want to buy a certain souvenir T-shirt and replace it with something a little more accurate!
Needless to say, the struggle has not only been physical, but metaphorical as well. One of my instructors kept talking about the fact that there would be cultural overload within the 1st week. Having to plan for many situations, I knew that there were a lot of things that I would be thinking about during this time, including but not limited to money, energy, accessibility, geographical location (I'm horrible with directions) and getting used to the notion of constantly being around other people. Now, granted, you'd think that since at any given time, I might have no less than 4 people trying to hover over me, that this would not be a problem. But usually, in this case, I would pack a pair of headphones and turn the volume up so loud that I couldn't even hear myself think. But, alas, my wireless headphones died before the trip and I elected not to bring them. Having dealt with so many different types of people, you would think I would have learned a thing or two by now about how to do it. Sadly, that is not the case. as in this situation, when all involved have no idea what the hell they're doing, the difficulty lies in many facets, from my traveling narcolepsy (yes, it's back) to the different foods, to the way my friend asked me to do things. Throw in some sign language and some sometimes comical interpretation fails, and you have a little bit of an idea. Sure, I thought, going with someone I knew would be easy, no problem! How about no. In a situation like this, I didn't realize I was stressed about things that I didn't even know I could be stressed about, such as my doing things almost entirely separately from the rest of the group for the 1st week. I didn't realize how upsetting that was to me, as it is something I usually deal with on a daily basis. So if you think that you can go with just about any situation, think again, you don't realize how many factors are influencing you at any one moment.
As far as the courses were concerned, I finally got a chance to meet the other 2 professors, both of whom are very considerate and very hilarious. This week focused mostly on our class about art and architecture, where, as one of the professors said, ““If the Victorians didn't like it , they took it and shoved a bunch of crap on the front of it.” This pretty much sums up most of the buildings in London. I have probably been able to see more sights in the 1st week than many people would get to see in their entire stay, complete with authentic Brit commentary. We have been to most of Central London already. For me, the highlights included going into some of the most incredible churches and learning about the history behind them. We visited Temple Church, the church of St. Bartholomew the Great, and I even attended an evening service at Westminster Abbey. My great grandma would be so proud right now. Honestly, there are too many things that I have seen to list them all here, but I will try to go back and get pictures of some of them as time allows. I hope to be able to post a more extensive list here.
Until next time!
A hop, skip, and a jump (over the pond!)
Hello all!
As promised, I am finally taking some time to update you all in reader world out there about our adventures so far! As many of you know, I am now abroad in London, England, actually earning credit to be able to see some of the most spectacular architectural and theatrical productions that Europe has to offer. Over the next few posts, I hope to give you some highlights of how it went down. Unfortunately, we are still technologically challenged with my camera charger, and hope to find the right one today. I am so disappointed, because I've probably seen more sights this week that people would give their front teeth for than I have in my entire life, and I'm not able to share them with you (yet!) On the bright side, I do have some footage on my video camera (now I just have to figure out how to charge and upload the damn thing!)
I'm happy to report that the flight over was rather uneventful in itself, thanks in part to our fabulous driver (thanks Gram!) Other than it being delayed for half an hour, there were no other problems with the airline service (thank you universe!) We even scored seats literally right across from the bathroom, which was a definite plus. The only downside to this was that these seats did not recline at all, which made me a very unhappy panda after about 5 hours. You would think that, being a wheelchair user, and being used to sitting 15+ hours a day that I would be used to it, but for some reason, this was not the case. I'm curious to know if anybody else has this experience on the plane. Usually, I'm fine for short flights, and have been on long plane and road trips before. Luckily, my friend and traveling companion was a saint about it and didn't mind me waking them up periodically. Finally, we arrived (mostly) unscathed at our destination.
One last thing on the subject of airports, I must say that the airport staff in the UK really has its stuff together! My chair was off the plane within 5 min. of arriving at the gate, and there was somebody there to guide us to the next place we needed to go! When I applied for this program, I remember one of the support services people telling me that I couldn't rely on the kindness of strangers, but I still find that almost without exception, every person we've asked when trying to get around has been extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Or, if they are not, they know someone who is. Unlike in America, where if anybody saw us trying to navigate the airport with 4 bags attached to us and my chair, they would just stare at us like we had 3 heads and keep going on their merry way. Indeed, not so here!
But, you don't want to hear about that…
We boarded the train, and took a scenic ride into the city, arriving at St Pancras International Station, which is a majestic building in itself, made of red brick, ornate statues, and a clock tower. I have since learned that it's probably Victorian, but that's another story for another post.
Our destination was right up the street. The folks at YHA were absolutely phenomenal. Not only were they able to tell us where to go, they even helped me with some navigational issues, and some things that I needed to buy upon arrival. They were even able to find me an accessible shower seat within about 10 min. so I didn't have to go buy one right away. The people were super friendly and didn't laugh when we asked stupid questions like what is the VAT? (Answer: the British sales tax). Even though we stayed in a shared room this time, the facilities were much nicer than what I expected. After recuperating, we were able to browse around the local area to find food and things to do the next day. The Camden town Sunday market was a lot busier than I expected, although it was very touristy, it seemed to be the kind of street that was bustling all the time. We were also able to see Regent's Canal and the locks. The day before, we had gone to the usual spots like Piccadilly Circus, where we found a group that was breakdancing to "Gangnam Style." I have since discovered that this is indeed a daily occurrence. Overall, even though we didn't do much, I can't wait to come back at the end of the trip to stay in this area.
Onward to the next phase of the journey!
As promised, I am finally taking some time to update you all in reader world out there about our adventures so far! As many of you know, I am now abroad in London, England, actually earning credit to be able to see some of the most spectacular architectural and theatrical productions that Europe has to offer. Over the next few posts, I hope to give you some highlights of how it went down. Unfortunately, we are still technologically challenged with my camera charger, and hope to find the right one today. I am so disappointed, because I've probably seen more sights this week that people would give their front teeth for than I have in my entire life, and I'm not able to share them with you (yet!) On the bright side, I do have some footage on my video camera (now I just have to figure out how to charge and upload the damn thing!)
I'm happy to report that the flight over was rather uneventful in itself, thanks in part to our fabulous driver (thanks Gram!) Other than it being delayed for half an hour, there were no other problems with the airline service (thank you universe!) We even scored seats literally right across from the bathroom, which was a definite plus. The only downside to this was that these seats did not recline at all, which made me a very unhappy panda after about 5 hours. You would think that, being a wheelchair user, and being used to sitting 15+ hours a day that I would be used to it, but for some reason, this was not the case. I'm curious to know if anybody else has this experience on the plane. Usually, I'm fine for short flights, and have been on long plane and road trips before. Luckily, my friend and traveling companion was a saint about it and didn't mind me waking them up periodically. Finally, we arrived (mostly) unscathed at our destination.
One last thing on the subject of airports, I must say that the airport staff in the UK really has its stuff together! My chair was off the plane within 5 min. of arriving at the gate, and there was somebody there to guide us to the next place we needed to go! When I applied for this program, I remember one of the support services people telling me that I couldn't rely on the kindness of strangers, but I still find that almost without exception, every person we've asked when trying to get around has been extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Or, if they are not, they know someone who is. Unlike in America, where if anybody saw us trying to navigate the airport with 4 bags attached to us and my chair, they would just stare at us like we had 3 heads and keep going on their merry way. Indeed, not so here!
But, you don't want to hear about that…
We boarded the train, and took a scenic ride into the city, arriving at St Pancras International Station, which is a majestic building in itself, made of red brick, ornate statues, and a clock tower. I have since learned that it's probably Victorian, but that's another story for another post.
Our destination was right up the street. The folks at YHA were absolutely phenomenal. Not only were they able to tell us where to go, they even helped me with some navigational issues, and some things that I needed to buy upon arrival. They were even able to find me an accessible shower seat within about 10 min. so I didn't have to go buy one right away. The people were super friendly and didn't laugh when we asked stupid questions like what is the VAT? (Answer: the British sales tax). Even though we stayed in a shared room this time, the facilities were much nicer than what I expected. After recuperating, we were able to browse around the local area to find food and things to do the next day. The Camden town Sunday market was a lot busier than I expected, although it was very touristy, it seemed to be the kind of street that was bustling all the time. We were also able to see Regent's Canal and the locks. The day before, we had gone to the usual spots like Piccadilly Circus, where we found a group that was breakdancing to "Gangnam Style." I have since discovered that this is indeed a daily occurrence. Overall, even though we didn't do much, I can't wait to come back at the end of the trip to stay in this area.
Onward to the next phase of the journey!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
The 10 worst (or best!) pick up lines to say to disabled people
This is a piece that I just wrote for class, and I'm actually so excited to share it with y'all! Enjoy!
-------------------------
I know these are somewhat specific to my experiences. Feel free to comment with your own best lines below!
The 10 worst (or
best) pick up lines to say to disabled people
I have to admit I don't have a lot of experience in this
area, and here might be some reasons why. Keep it classy, America!
1.
But… you're so pretty (for a person in a
wheelchair)
Yeah, because of course our hot
rods can’t be sexy.
2.
So, what exactly did you do yourself?
Oh, I don't know, just
intentionally strangled myself or fell on my face. And even if I did, what's it
to you?
3.
Hey, Speed Racer *wink*
Hey Batman, Power Ranger, or My
Little Pony. You know, whatever floats your boat!
4.
How fast does that thing go?
Maybe about the pace of a small
child. But still too fast for you to keep up with me.
5.
Do you do all your own stunts?
No, I'm faking it and, they paid
Angelina Jolie to be my stunt double. (Hey, they don't call me Evel Knievel for
nothing)
6.
Need a place to sit?
Somebody said they got this from a
fellow wheelchair user. Really??!!!
7.
Wanna ride on something other than your chair?
If so, you just lost any chance of
finding out. Or, sure, let's ride a mechanical bull and see what happens.
8.
I don't know how you do it!
I wake up, I breathe, I ingest
copious amounts of caffeine, I procrastinate, and repeat. But OH MY GOD. You
went to the grocery store. You are such an inspiration!!
9.
But you don’t look disabled …..
And you don't look regular, Mr.
handlebar mustache with comb-over, and yet here we are!
And the most overused line EVER
10. So…..
I probably shouldn't ask this, but, everything works……..right?
If I had a dollar for every time… then by golly I wouldn't have to sit
around eating bonbons all day, and maybe I could actually pursue a career.
Imagine that!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Privilege is......
· So I spent the last couple weeks in diversity training for various parts of my classes. One thing I love about it is that it really tries to get people involved in something that they don't often think about. I love the work that I do, and have started to do in the past year. I will say by no means am I a perfect human being, and I learn more about how to be more inclusive every day. Making this list of my own privileges in various categories is something I should have done a long time ago. Please feel free to discuss and add any that I might have missed. Discussion with others is really what it should be all about.
White
White
·
Straight
·
Cisgender
·
Have roof over my head
·
Have enough food to eat
·
Getting higher education
·
Have nice clothes/technology
·
Native English speaker
·
U.S. Citizen
·
Hearing
·
Spent time raised in a middle class family
·
Can communicate without relying on others
·
Never had someone question my sexual orientation
·
Can see a Doctor when necessary
·
Can yell for help in another room and get a
response
·
Can use phone independently
·
Can listen to music whenever I want
·
Have never had someone outside my culture think
they know my language better than I do.
·
Can work with accommodation
·
Can tolerate chemicals and scents without
getting sick
·
Sometimes given charity because of my ability
status
·
Have use of all five senses
·
Never had my sanity questioned legitimately
·
Can write
·
Can type
·
Can make my own health care decisions
·
Can travel
·
Have access to clean water
·
Can have conversation with almost whom ever I
want
·
Within the acceptable standards of size, weight
and beauty
·
A traditional age college student
·
Can read
·
Have never been brutalized by police
·
Can spell correctly
·
Have never been racially profiled
·
Chronic pain is not so much that it affects my
daily existence
·
Neurotypical
·
Can vote
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Get the Picture: My thoughts on the Miles story
I would like to take a few minutes to address something very important: inclusion. While the implementation of what the word means may vary in today's society, there is still something that sticks out at the most basic, fundamental level here, when we see the interactions of kids today.
Although this story is old news now, I still feel that it is appropriate to weigh in. A few months ago, an elementary school class picture went viral, when a Canadian mother was outraged that her son, who uses a wheelchair, was separated from his classmates by a large gap between his wheelchair and the bleachers. Although he was still grinning from ear to ear, this serves as a sobering reminder of how others can sometimes view us, albeit out of complete ignorance, as the case may be. You can look at an article about this incident here.
I've heard people often say that kids can see beyond a lot of differences, and there is no evidence against that here, as it was admittedly the photographer's staging error in this case. Although I cannot seem to think how anyone would not notice that the child is not with his classmates, this is not the first of these experiences, and sadly, it will not be the last.
Needless to say, I have a (maybe not so shocking) lack of personal evidence to support this claim due to my own bad experiences with Lifetouch photography, disability related or not. My parents often hated the photos, and refused to buy them, leaving my only recollection to memory. If I recall, the last “good” school photo of me that was purchased was in second grade, of me sitting on a prop bench in a yellow dress. Coincidentally enough, I am also out of my chair, as Miles was in the retake of this photo.
While I am happy that the company eventually did right by Miles and his family in retaking the picture, I think it also goes to show some lack of training or willingness to shoot a flattering picture of the participant in their wheelchair or mobility aid. After several years of photo bomb disasters, usually involving some implement of my wheelchair obstructing the field of view, my parents requested, and I agreed, that I be out of the chair for all school pictures in an effort to look more normal.
To this day, one of the only elementary class pictures that I can find, from 6th grade, hangs on my bedroom wall. Every time I meet someone new, they see that photo, and they are astounded that I am standing upright, even if a little crookedly, next to my classmates. But every time I look at it, I can't help but notice a rather large gap between me and the boy next to me, as I stand next to my aide and longtime friend, who has a hand behind my back so I don't fall backward.
All for the symmetry of a photo.
Think about that........
Although this story is old news now, I still feel that it is appropriate to weigh in. A few months ago, an elementary school class picture went viral, when a Canadian mother was outraged that her son, who uses a wheelchair, was separated from his classmates by a large gap between his wheelchair and the bleachers. Although he was still grinning from ear to ear, this serves as a sobering reminder of how others can sometimes view us, albeit out of complete ignorance, as the case may be. You can look at an article about this incident here.
I've heard people often say that kids can see beyond a lot of differences, and there is no evidence against that here, as it was admittedly the photographer's staging error in this case. Although I cannot seem to think how anyone would not notice that the child is not with his classmates, this is not the first of these experiences, and sadly, it will not be the last.
Needless to say, I have a (maybe not so shocking) lack of personal evidence to support this claim due to my own bad experiences with Lifetouch photography, disability related or not. My parents often hated the photos, and refused to buy them, leaving my only recollection to memory. If I recall, the last “good” school photo of me that was purchased was in second grade, of me sitting on a prop bench in a yellow dress. Coincidentally enough, I am also out of my chair, as Miles was in the retake of this photo.
While I am happy that the company eventually did right by Miles and his family in retaking the picture, I think it also goes to show some lack of training or willingness to shoot a flattering picture of the participant in their wheelchair or mobility aid. After several years of photo bomb disasters, usually involving some implement of my wheelchair obstructing the field of view, my parents requested, and I agreed, that I be out of the chair for all school pictures in an effort to look more normal.
To this day, one of the only elementary class pictures that I can find, from 6th grade, hangs on my bedroom wall. Every time I meet someone new, they see that photo, and they are astounded that I am standing upright, even if a little crookedly, next to my classmates. But every time I look at it, I can't help but notice a rather large gap between me and the boy next to me, as I stand next to my aide and longtime friend, who has a hand behind my back so I don't fall backward.
All for the symmetry of a photo.
Think about that........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)