#5SmartReads - June 17, 2022

Qudsiya on the real meaning of Juneteenth, long-covid changing how disability is viewed, and the extreme harm overturning Roe V. Wade has on disabled people

Qudsiya created and hosts the podcast, Down to the Struts, about disability, design, and intersectionality. The podcast just launched its fifth season, and you can subscribe to Qudsiya’s brand new newsletter. When she’s not podcasting, Qudsiya loves outdoor adventures with her friends in DC.

I highly recommend this powerful read, and all of the pieces in the Juneteenth issue of Vox’s The Highlight. Vox partnered with Capital B to craft a series of powerful essays that place our newest federal holiday in the painful, yet hopeful, legacy of our nation’s birth. Definitely worth your time and reflection this month, and for the rest of the year.

“It is wrong that our Constitution denies the fundamental equality of all Americans. It is wrong to count some votes more than others. It is wrong to drive families into poverty solely because we count some votes more than others. It is wrong to allow the one unelected branch of government to dismantle our voting rights. It is wrong that our Congress will not restore those rights because a few senators care more about preserving the filibuster than they do about ensuring that Black people have an equal voice in our society.

And it is wrong that an authoritarian narcissist, who possesses no aptitude for or interest in governance, was allowed to occupy the White House after receiving nearly 3 million fewer votes than his opponent.

Juneteenth is an apt time to reflect on these matters. It’s a reminder of our nation’s most unforgivable sin. But it is also a celebration of freedom, and of those who overcame unimaginable odds to write equality into our Constitution.” 

Disability is the largest minority anyone can become a part of at any time. This is evidenced in the tens of millions of Americans who have joined the ranks of people with disabilities as COVID long-haulers. This is why we must bring urgency to the cause of centering access—whether it’s healthcare, education, employment, or social/cultural inclusion—when creating access is a priority, everyone benefits.

The right to reproductive autonomy is about more than just the right to an abortion:

“A recent poll conducted by Data for Progress and shared with The 19th shows that 53% of Americans with disabilities want abortion to remain legal in most circumstances, in line with 55% of non-disabled people who want the same thing. Advocates in the community say intellectually and developmentally disabled people face constant attacks against their bodily autonomy, including forced sterilizations, conservatorship, and a general lack of sex education.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved Top Gun: Maverick even more than the original. I leave you with this super fun interview with the director, Joseph Kosinski for some behind-the-scenes tidbits.

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