Internalized Ableism, Week 1: I’m Too Young for a Mobility Device
Accessibility / chronic pain / Fibromyalgia / internalized ableism

Internalized Ableism, Week 1: I’m Too Young for a Mobility Device

Welcome to our first series of 2020: Internalized Ableism. In the upcoming weeks, a SpAN contributor will share about how ingesting ableist narratives has affected their life. So, a general content note about this series is that it includes themes of internalized and externalized ableism. For decades, I’ve managed some type of chronic pain. I … Continue reading

The Dark Side of WriterWorldLand
Connecting / Getting support / Spoonie Challenges / Writing journey

The Dark Side of WriterWorldLand

CW: This article mentions gaslighting and ableism. The other day on Facebook, I posted: Me: *writes a thing * Ahhh… I love my career. I get to make up stories. It’s lovely. Also me: *visits Author Twitter* Holy crap, Writerland is a cesspool of opinions from privileged tools who think they know everything! Also also … Continue reading

Remembering I’m Disabled
chronic fatigue / chronic pain / Fibromyalgia / Spoonie Challenges / Working

Remembering I’m Disabled

I use a mobility device. I’m on the autism spectrum. I manage mental illness, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue. I’m the creator of the Spoonies Authors Network and co-editor of the Nothing Without Us anthology. A huge part of my existence is now about promoting the works and voices of disabled/Deaf/neurodiverse folks and those who … Continue reading

I Built My First Disabled Community With a Fictional Character
Author image / body celebration / chronic fatigue / chronic pain / Crafting characters / Fibromyalgia / Living fully / Spoonie Challenges / Writing journey

I Built My First Disabled Community With a Fictional Character

I’m sure many of you will read that title and think: One too many cupcakes, Cait? Is all that sugar affecting your perception? Nope. It’s true. My first entry into feeling in community with a disabled person was when I bonded with Noola Quirk from Life in the ’Cosm. Okay, yeah, I know it seems … Continue reading

Me, ableist? That’s cr*zy!
Connecting / Crafting characters / Offering Support / Represention

Me, ableist? That’s cr*zy!

Content warning: This article deals with terms that can be hurtful to people who manage disabilities, mental illness, or other medical conditions. I mention these terms to educate about why we should choose other words instead. If the title of this article made you cringe, then I feel hopeful because you recognized a term originally … Continue reading

Do you have a fatigue budget?
chronic fatigue / Living fully / mental health / Spoonie Challenges / Working

Do you have a fatigue budget?

The other day, a buddy of mine and I were discussing how the slightest medical procedures or even routine vaccinations can greatly impact our chronic fatigue symptoms. We can lose spoons just like POOF! I told my friend that having more time alloted to their fatigue budget would really help. Then I explained how in … Continue reading

You must write every day—my favourite BS notion.
chronic fatigue / chronic pain / Fibromyalgia / Living fully / Spoonie Challenges / Writing journey

You must write every day—my favourite BS notion.

I have been trying so hard to stay out of social media arguments these days, stopping myself from reading or writing comments. Mostly because I find it comes to nothing in the end and drains my spoons. But then a thing happened this week I couldn’t ignore. A quote appeared on my Twitter timeline from … Continue reading