Beautiful people : my thirteen truths about disability

Blake, Melissa (Blogger), author.

First edition.

Book

New York : Hachette Books, 2024.

xiv, 256 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

In the summer of 2019, journalist Melissa Blake penned an op-ed for CNN Opinion. A conservative pundit caught wind of it, mentioning Blake's work in a YouTube video. What happened next is equal parts a searing view into society, how we collectively view and treat disabled people, and the making of an advocate. After a troll said that Blake should be banned from posting pictures of herself, she took to Twitter and defiantly posted three smiling selfies, all taken during a lovely vacation in the Big Apple.

Blake, Melissa (Blogger)

Human rights workers -- United States -- Biography.

Women with disabilities -- United States -- Biography.

People with disabilities -- United States -- Biography.

Women journalists -- United States -- Biography.

Bloggers -- United States -- Biography.

People with disabilities.

Human rights.

Civil rights.

Autobiographies.

Introduction: Speaking for myself -- Disabled isn't a bad word -- Physical ableism is real--and it's harmful... -- ... And verbal ableism is just as harmful -- Self-acceptance is a journey, not a destination -- I'm not here to be your inspiration... nor am I the tragic hero -- Selfies are statements for me and other disabled people -- Disabled people are worthy romantic partners -- Disabled and beautiful belong in the same sentence -- Wheelchairs (and other mobility aids and assistive devices) are freedom, not confinement -- Representation matters in pop culture--from TV to toys -- The future of fashion is accessible -- Family matters -- The future simply has to be more inclusive--and intersectional -- Epilogue: Letter to my seventeen-year-old self.

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