R is for reading. An audiobook IS reading. Saying that audiobooks aren’t “really reading” is ableist! I am a voracious reader. Always have been!
But many folks view audiobooks as not as “good” as holding a paperback in your hand and poring over every page. If you’ve ever said that you “just listened to the audiobook” (guilty), stop. You read the book. If you are talking to a friend and they say “I listened to the audiobook” and your nose immediately turns up, stop! They READ that book. From eye issues to trouble tracking from page to page because your fingers don’t work, audiobooks open up reading for more people. Don’t discourage or disparage reading in other forms. It’s—you guessed it—really ableist.
R is for Reagan Administration. The Reagan Administration is largely regarded as one of the toughest opponents that people with disabilities have faced so far. While the administration tried to weaken Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Remember Judith Heumann and the sit-in for educational access and rights?) and Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. This was met with a lot of resistance from the community and generated more than 40,000 cards and letters in support of keeping these acts. The Reagan administration did however manage to successfully terminate the social security benefits of hundreds of thousands of disabled recipients. Social security benefits for PWD are still in shambles today.
R is also for rare. I’m the lucky owner of several rare diseases. The type of Ehlers-Danlos I have (out of 17 subtypes) does not have a genetic marker yet. Many tests and blood screenings are being done with the Ehlers-Danlos Society to uncover what gene translates to faulty collagen production. There are some great theories out there, but living with a rare disease means searching high and low for the right doctors.
Frequently, rare disease patients deal with insurance and doctors at a near-constant hum to advocate for their own care. As insurance providers often do not cover off-label usage of prescriptions, doctors and patients have to get creative with discount programs, clinical trials, and the dreaded battles with insurance. For more on rare diseases, check out the National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) website. rarediseases.org/