Month: April 2022

Categories
Awareness Inclusion

Dancing Differently

Dancer Faith

Question:
What does amputation, burn injuries, deafness, autoimmune disorder, dyslexia, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, dwarfism, and blindness have to do with one another?
a) disability
b) dancing
c) different ability
d) all of the above

Answer:
d) as demonstrated by 11 celebrities with disabilities paired with professionals in Dancing with the Stars from Season 4 to Season 27.

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In season 4, Heather Mills competed to show you can do anything with an artificial leg. Amy Purdy dancing with two below the knee prosthetics was runner-up in season 18. Third place in season 20 went to Noah Galloway who danced with both a prosthetic arm and leg. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said Noah broadened her scope of what dance looks like.

In Season 6, Marlee Matlin shattered the notion that hearing the music is integral to dancing. Instead she relied on her partner to express the music to her in his body. In Season 22, Nyle DiMarco described “seeing” the music that his ears couldn’t hear. Along with memorizing the timing of his partner’s moves and scratch and squeeze signals, they danced their way to winning the coveted Mirror Ball trophy.

The season 13 winner, J.R. Martinez, has severe burns on more than 34 percent of his body. He competed to give burn survivors hope, pride in their scars, and belief in themselves while facing their fears and limitations.

Jack Osbourne, a Season 17 celebrity with multiple sclerosis, danced to raise awareness and more research. He encouraged those with MS to set and accomplish achievable goals every day. Osbourne finished third.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) featured as a disability for celebrity and professional dancers alike. Both Jack Osbourne and Nev Schulman—Season 29 runner up—have ADHD. Professionals Daniella Karagach, Karina Smirnoff, and Derek Hough also use dance as a place to channel their excess energy and improve focus.

In Seasons 23 and 25, Terra Jole and Victoria Arlen both reached the semifinals. Terra, who has dwarfism, announced that being different is a great thing. And Victoria, an autoimmune disorder survivor, aspires to replace the term “disability” with “different ability.”

In season 27, Danelle Umstead relied on her partner for guidance. Because she is blind, touching his shoulders or legs allowed her to feel the movement and paint herself a picture.

Just as Dancing with the Stars showcases the beauty of dance, the celebrities with disabilities demonstrated the diversity of dancers. No matter the disability, dance has a place for everyone. Wheelchair users. Cane and crutch users. People with Down Syndrome. You name it.

And as Joe Powell-Main, UK para-dance champion who performs in his wheelchair said, “Sometimes it doesn’t look like conventional ballet—people in point shoes, legs up by their ears—but there needs to be a willingness to look beyond that and see that it’s different.”

On this 40th anniversary of International Dance Day (April 29), let’s dance to improve our mood, creativity, mental and physical health, self-confidence, ability to follow instructions, and perseverance. Let’s all dance in our own different style.

For discussion of diverse disability issues, link to my weekly blog and book trilogy on my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.

Categories
Celebrations Little People of America

Celebrate Authors with Dwarfism on World Book Day

World book day

Reduce stress. Improve memory and brain function. Increase attention span. Discover a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations, and across cultures. Contribute to social transformation. You can do it all by reading books.

For 25 years, the value of reading books has been celebrated on April 23, the anniversary of the deaths of authors William Shakespeare of England, Miguel de Cervantes of Spain, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega of Peru. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inaugurated World Book Day to promote the enjoyment of books and reading.

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In the words of some writers:

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” ~ Joseph Brodsky

“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” ~ Malorie Blackman

“Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled ‘This could change your life’.” ~ Helen Exley

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” ~ Joseph Addison

“Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.” ~ Anne Lamott

So are you ready to reduce stress, prevent crime, increase empathy, flirt with danger, exercise your mind, and learn how to live? If yes, I recommend you start by reading recent books authored by people with dwarfism:

“ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2021.

“Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses,” Angela Muir Van Etten, Kindle 2021.

“PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2020.

“Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences” (Interdisciplinary Disability Studies), Erin Pritchard, 2020.

“Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages,” Michele L. Sullivan, 2020.

“A Little Me,” Amy Roloff, 2019.

“LITTLE LEGS, BIG HEART: One Girl’s Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth,” Kristen DeAndrade, 2019.

“TEN FEET TALL: Step Into Your Truth and Change Your Freaking World,” Brandon Farbstein, 2018.

“Fierce at Four Foot Two,” Terra Jolé, 2017.

“THINK BIG: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2017.

“LIFE IS SHORT (No Pun Intended): Love, Laughter, and Learning to Enjoy Every Moment,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2016.

All books are available on Amazon.com and at various other book retailers.

In the tradition of World Book Day, get your free paperback and autographed copy of the out-of-print Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses from the recently discovered box of books in my sister’s basement in Sydney, Australia. Qualify for the free book and free shipping by completing your dwarfism trilogy paperback set with a 33% discount on Pass Me Your Shoes and/or Always an Advocate at $10 per book. Email angela@angelamuirvanetten.com so we can exchange mailing addresses.

Need specific information on the merits of each book? Go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

Categories
Motivation

Reach As High As You Can

Reach for the Stars

The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. ~ Michelangelo, artist, poet, and architect.

Billy Barty never learned to be small. He often said ‘To be BIG you must think BIG’ and he did. ~ Wesley Morse, brother-in-law of the three-feet-nine-inch tall actor and founder of Little People of America.

April 14, National Reach As High As You Can Day, is a day to reach for our dreams, aim high, or think big. Aspirational for everyone, but essential for people with dwarfism whose reach limitations touch every aspect of life. But first we must identify what we can’t do! Yes, you read that right. And here’s what I mean.

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  1. I can’t do everything, but I can do anything I want because my wants are filtered by a realistic understanding of my abilities. For example, not being able to kneel, run, or solve math problems stopped me from wanting things I can’t do. My inability to kneel ruled out pining for a plumber’s license; not being able to run suppressed my race to track athletics; and my inability to solve math problems stifled any urge to fly to the space station.
  2. I can’t accept limitations others impose on me. The uninformed may say, you can’t do that. Little do they know how motivating this is. Proving it can be done, spurs me on to show how wrong they are.
  3. I can’t do some things the same way as other people, but I can do those things differently. For example, I wash my hands in an inaccessible public bathroom by using the hand sanitizer I carry in my handbag; I reach items off a high shelf with a reacher; and I ‘walk’ distances riding a mobility scooter.
  4. I can’t believe the derogatory things people say about me. Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it. Rene Descartes.
  5. I can’t always accept the status quo. For example, advocacy is needed to change inaccessible buildings and facilities like ATMs, elevator buttons, and self-serve gas pumps. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ~ Harriet Tubman, escaped slave and ‘Moses of her people’ in the Underground Railroad.
  6. I can’t accept discrimination. Being rejected because of my size is a barrier to knock down or bypass.
  7. I can’t always make it by myself. I may need help with some things, like opening a heavy door, reaching something, or changing a light bulb. And I’m okay with receiving help and giving help to others; it makes for a better world.

Finally, I can’t wait to see how aiming high leads you to achieve your goals. If you aim higher than you expect, you could reach higher than you dreamed. Sir Richard Branson, billionaire entrepreneur and adventurer.

For discussion of diverse disability issues, follow Top 100 Disability Blogs and Websites at https://blog.feedspot.com/disability_blogs/ and my Monday blog posted on feedspot.com and https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/.

Categories
Guest

Shining a Light on Crime Victims with Disabilities

Photo Credit: Claudia Wolff

During the month of April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is recognized. As a nonprofit that provides services to people with disabilities, including victims of crime, Coalition for Independent Living Options (CILO) appreciates the attention April brings to these important issues.

People with disabilities are exceptionally vulnerable to being sexually assaulted or abused as children. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, people with disabilities are three times more likely to be sexually abused as children. The disability types with a heightened risk include intellectual, communication, and behavior-related disabilities.

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Those who rely on a caregiver are at risk of sexual assault and abuse at the hands of those they trust. Abusive caregivers may downplay the abuse, attempting to justify their actions as “necessary” or as a normal part of the caretaking process. Often the abuse goes unreported as the victim fears retaliation, may not want to get the caregiver in trouble, or may fear losing their independence if the caregiver is removed.

Unfortunately, society as a whole does not typically recognize those with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, as sexual beings. This results in youth with disabilities being left out of important conversations surrounding consent, sexual education, and healthy relationships. Without a strong foundational understanding of their rights over their own body, youth with disabilities may be targeted by others who assume they are less likely to be viewed as credible.

Male-identified individuals are also at risk for sexual assault and child abuse. According to one study, the prevalence of lifetime sexual violence was 13.9% among men with a disability, as compared to 3.7% of men without a disability.

Awareness surrounding the issues of child abuse and sexual assault of people with disabilities is critical. Often people with disabilities don’t recognize that they are experiencing abuse. In many cases, community members and service providers identify and report the suspected abuse. Increased education to law enforcement about crime victims with disabilities is vital. There is a misconception among first responders that people with disabilities, especially those with cognitive or intellectual/developmental disabilities, lack full understanding of what took place, or do not have accurate recall of events. Law enforcement may not investigate or push cases forward for prosecution for these reasons. Likewise prosecutors may consider the person lacking credibility and choose not to file charges.

Equally important to awareness is ensuring access to much needed services and resources. Those enduring abuse may be unaware of resources available in the community, or may encounter barriers in accessing those resources. For example, those with communication disabilities may not be able to clearly explain their experience or may use assistive technology that listeners unfamiliar with the device have difficulty understanding.

This April, take time to learn more about the impacts of crime on those with disabilities.

If you, or someone you know, is a crime victim in need of services, contact your local law enforcement agency and ask for a referral to a victim advocate that works exclusively with people with disabilities.

Statistics in this post are drawn from the Vera Institute of Justice, https://www.vera.org/publications/sexual-abuse-of-children-with-disabilities-a-national-snapshot and the Building Partnerships Initiative for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, https://mabuildingpartnershipsinitiative.com/resources/prevalance-of-violence/.

This post first appeared on Angela Muir Van Etten’s blog on April 4, 2022 at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/. Sharing is encouraged.