Living with a disability can at times be challenging and exhausting. Sometimes, when you’re feeling down, it can help to know there are other people out there in the same or at least a similar boat. We scoured the internet to find the best blogs regarding disability, and have come up with five inspirational ones—and an extra one perfect for those with a wry sense of humor.
1. Words I Wheel By
Born with Larsen syndrome, a genetic physical disability, Emily Ladau has been a disability advocate since she was 10 years old. How did she become an advocate at such a young age? By appearing on Sesame Street and talking about her condition with Big Bird and others! Today, she’s an Adelphi University graduate, speaker and published writer for a variety of publications including The New York Times.
2. Carly Findlay
Blogger, writer, speaker, activist, and one of “Australia’s Most Influential Women,” Carly Findlay may not look like everyone else, and she’s okay with that fact. Carly was born with Ichthyosis, meaning she has very red and scaly skin. This results in a lot of infections all over her body, occasionally leaving her “bandaged up like a mummy” in the hospital. It also results in lots of stares, jokes and discrimination. In fact, after being turned away by a taxi, Carly’s complaint resulted in her being part of a discrimination training video made by the Victorian Taxi Commission.
3. Wheelchair Travel
In 2012, a car accident changed John Morris’s life, leaving him wheelchair-bound, minus three limbs—and very angry and sad. Prior to the accident, John was a world traveler, and thought his traveling days were done. Despite the difficulty of planning trips with his disability, he slowly ventured out. First to Los Angeles, then to Boston, next to Seattle. And finally to Beijing, China. Now, he’s sharing his experiences with others through his “accessible travel journey” stories.
4. Yes, That Too
Alyssa Hillary, a 42-year old Autistic graduate student, blogs about “life, the universe, and everything.” She’s an Autistic activist, but what’s unique about her blog is that it’s not just about Autism (though it does come up a lot). She also shares her thoughts on everything from sexism and diversity to bullying and Halloween.
5. Noah’s Dad
When Noah was born with Down syndrome, his dad began researching the disability online. While he found plenty of inspiring and supportive stories, as a visual person what he wanted to find were videos. Videos that would answer the questions, was therapy intense? Will Noah run and play like other little boys? Just what will day-to-day life would be like? But he found nothing. So he decided to tell the story of his son’s life through daily one-minute videos, creating an online narrative to help other parents of a Down syndrome child see that it’s not as scary or sad as many may believe.
6. Living With Bob
Inspiring stories are wonderful, but if you can only take so many of them before rolling your eyes, you’ll love this blog. Rusty Hoe (not her real name) suffers from a chronic illness called Dysautonomia—which she calls Bob because “have you ever tried to spell or say Dysautonomia?” She doesn’t take life too seriously, and instead chooses to “face the crapfest that is her health with a large dose of black humor.”
There you have it, our top six blogs to follow. Looking for more inspiration? Check out our story Five Super Successful People With Disabilities, and if you need help applying for disability in Florida be sure to contact one of our caring advocates. Are you following a blog you think should be on our list? Let us know in the comments section.