Lisa A. Crayton - The Fight for Disability Rights

Published in 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2020 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Crayton, Lisa A., author.

Title: The fight for disability rights / Lisa A. Crayton.

Description: First edition. | New York : Rosen Publishing, 2020.

| Series: Activism in action : a history | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018015262| ISBN 9781508185444 (library bound) | ISBN 9781508185437 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: People with disabilitiesJuvenile literature. | People with disabilitiesCivil rightsJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC HV1568 .C73 2019 | DDC 323.3/7dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018015262

Manufactured in the United States of America

On the cover: Leaders do what it takes to gain ground in the fight for disability rights, including climbing the steps of government buildings (top) and making their voices heard in the Disability Pride NYC Parade (bottom).

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

S hane Burcaw knows what its like to have a disability. He also knows the importance of embracing social activism to help in the fight for disability rights. Since age twoand for more than twenty yearsBurcaw has used a wheelchair. It helps him with the complications from spinal muscular atrophy, a fatal disease that affects the muscles. Some people might be sad and hopeless if they shared the same diagnosis, but not Burcaw. He advocates for disability rights. He even founded a nonprofit organization to help bring awareness to the disease. He speaks and writes about living with a disability and shares the power of humor and positivity to help people embrace life to its fullest. His timely messages of hope despite adversity mirror those of past and current disability activists.

At one time, having a disability meant being excluded from society. People with disabilities were treated like outcasts and had few rights. The disability rights movement turned things around and challenged stereotypes. Activists refused to accept societal limitations and fought for the rights of those with disabilities. Some had their own disabilities, and some did not. But together, they changed the world.

Disability advocate Shane Burcaw uses humor and positivity while sharing his experience with a fatal disease, and while fighting for disability rights.

Today, it is commonly accepted that having a disability does notand should notstop a person from reaching his or her fullest potential. People with disabilities pursue their dreams, moving freely in society, thanks to the help of accessible transportation, braille lettering in elevators, advances in medical devices for sight, hearing, and mobility, service animals in schools and workplaces, and talk-to-text features on electronics. Moreover, people with disabilities work where they want, enjoying careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). They also work in education, law enforcement, construction, fire safety, and entertainment. Really, there is no career that is off-limits to a person with a disability!

Despite the accomplishments of the disability rights movement, more can be done. There is a growing need to help maintain the rights already won and to continually advocate for those who encounter prejudice, discrimination, or injustice. Teens are needed to join the fight. In his book, Not So Different: What You REALLY Want to Ask About Having a Disability, Shane Burcaw writes about social stigmas. He explains: So many of the social stigmas that people with disabilities face could be squashed if we are able to instill in young people the idea that we are all different, we all have different weaknesses, and abilities, and thats not just okay, its beautiful. Burcaws idea is similar to the focus of the disability rights movement. It is one teens can help to support. When they actively participate in social activism, they empower people of all ages and abilities. They affect change, altering peoples perception of what being different means, and how it adds to the beauty of the worlds populations. All teens can join the fight for disability rights, and by teaming up with their peers, they can make the world a better place for all of us.

CHAPTER ONE

A DIFFERENT WORLD

D iversity is a buzzword that is commonly used when describing a variety of people. It usually applies to race, however, it also covers gender, age, sexual orientation, and abilities. Activism has helped to change how people view all of these differences.

Socially conscious teens have played a role. They have beenand arekey to social change. They help shape public opinion about how and why it is important to accept all peopleno matter what! Teens voices and efforts are needed to continually make the world a better place for everybody, including people with disabilities.

THATS DIFFERENT!

Almost everything produced has something special about it that draws attention. An upgraded version of a cell phone or video system may offer opportunities to completely customize games for greater flexibility and enjoyment. A newly designed brand of athletic shoes may feature vivid colors and accents that make them more desirable than competing brands. Anticipated differences like these are usually applauded, encouraged, and welcomed. That is not the same reaction as when people unexpectedly encounter others who look, sound, act, or process things differently due to a disability. Reactions vary when people see someone with a disability. One common reaction is surprise, as people wonder about the condition. Some are courageous enough to ask about it. Others are not as brave. In some cases, onlookers are scared of disabilities. Their fears can often be tied to superstitious beliefs, but more commonly, ignorance or concerns that they might catch the condition. However, disabilities are not contagious, and people cant catch them like they would a cold or flu.

REAL-LIFE WONDER

Writers often pen material based on a real-life experience. R. J. Palacio wrote her bestselling novel, Wonder , based on her young sons fear when he saw a girl with unique facial features. Palacio and the boy rushed away, but she later thought maybe she had missed a teachable moment that would help her son overcome the fear of differences. In an interview for People Magazine , Palacio recalled the experience: That just got me thinking about what it must be like to face a world every day that doesnt quite know how to face you back.

Palacios considerations led to the writing of Wonder. In it, the main character has Treacher Collins syndrome, a genetic condition affecting the face. When he starts fifth grade at the first traditional school hes ever attended, he is met with fear, bullying, and other negative responses. How he and others react is the focus of the novel, as it encourages kindness and acceptance of people with differences. The movie version of Wonder debuted in November 2017, receiving rave reviews. It was later nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.