DISABILITY with Emily Ladau: On being seen, advocacy, and navigating a world not designed for you
Julie and Casey sit down with disability advocate Emily Ladau to talk her new book, being a full human and not just a disability, and how we can be better supporters and allies. Along the way, they discuss high school theater nerdery and embracing your inner peacock.
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TOP TAKEAWAYS
As we talk about disability, it’s important to acknowledge the WHOLE human, not just the parts that are convenient for your narrative.
There is a difference between being noticed and being seen — being noticed is about them, being seen is about you.
Before deciding to help, figure out if your help is wanted or needed from the actual individual you wish to help. Making assumptions about what someone needs (even if well intended) dehumanizes more than it helps. Let people tell you what kind of ally they need, instead of assuming your help is needed and welcome.
Mini-Lesson: Peacocking — taking the reins of your own visibility.
Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant. She is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally