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
Author Archives: Cait (like Kat) Gordon
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
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
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
We Are Not Broken
This week I’m getting my geek on a bit. I am now in the post-Game-of-Thrones era, and while I pretty much despised most of the last three episodes, there’s one thing in particular that rubbed me the wrong way. WARNING: This article is spoilery, so maybe stop reading now if you want to watch Season … Continue reading
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?
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
Not Without Our Consent
Last week some fellow Spoonies shared something with me that really ticked me off, and I’d like to open up the topic of consent to a level some of you might not have thought about before. Those of us who use mobility devices such as walkers, rollators, and wheelchairs—to name a few—not only consider these … Continue reading
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