Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally, Paperback/Emily Ladau

An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more inclusive place "A candid, accessible cheat sheet for anyone who wants to thoughtfully join the conversation . . . Emily makes the intimidating approachable and the complicated clear."--Rebekah Taussig, author of Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body People with disabilities are the world's largest minority, an estimated 15 percent of the global population. But many of us--disabled and nondisabled alike--don't know how to act, what to say, or how to be an ally to the disability community. Demystifying Disability is a friendly handbook on the important disability issues you need to know about, including: - How to appropriately think, talk, and ask about disability - Recognizing and avoiding ableism (discrimination toward disabled people) - Practicing good disability etiquette - Ensuring accessibility becomes your standard practice, from everyday communication to planning special events - Appreciating disability history and identity - Identifying and speaking up about disability stereotypes in media Authored by celebrated disability rights advocate, speaker, and writer Emily Ladau , this practical, intersectional guide offers all readers a welcoming place to understand disability as part of the human experience. Praise for Demystifying Disability "Whether you have a disability, or you are non-disabled, Demystifying Disability is a MUST READ. Emily Ladau is a wise spirit who thinks deeply and writes exquisitely." --Judy Heumann, international disability rights advocate and author of Being Heumann " Emily Ladau has done her homework, and Demystifying Disability is her candid, accessible cheat sheet for anyone who wants to thoughtfully join the conversation. A teacher who makes you forget you're learning, Emily makes the intimidating approachable and the complicated clear. This book is a generous and needed gift." --Rebekah Taussig, author of Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body About author(s): Emily Ladau is an internationally known disability rights activist, writer, and speaker. She is the editor in chief of the Rooted in Rights blog, a platform dedicated to amplifying authentic narratives of the intersectional disability experience. She also co-hosts The Accessible Stall , a podcast about disability issues. Ladau's writing has been published in outlets including the New York Times , HuffPost, CNN, Self , Salon, Vice, The Daily Beast, Variety , and Marie Claire Australia . Her work is also included in the Criptiques Anthology and About Us: Essays from the Disability Series of the New York Times. She has served as an expert source on disability issues for outlets including NPR, Vox, Washington Post , and Teen Vogue , and has been featured in a range of press outlets including Newsday , BuzzFeed, CBS News, and U.S. News & World Report.