Disability Rhetoric

“Disbability Visibility” is a compilation of essays and short-stories from the 21st Century written by people with disabilities. Compiled by editor Alice Wong, the essays and short stories feature narrative glimpses of the lives of each author, from childhoods to relationships, from careers to activism, each story has follows the thread of disability into the intersections of everyday life. “Disability Visibility” is an anthology written both for the people who have never felt seen, and for people who want to expand their horizons and understand the complexity of our human nature. It is a chance for the authors to amplify their voices, their impassioned words giving insight into our perceptions and the reality of just how every experience is unique. It is a chance for the reader to grow in empathy and understanding towards your neighbor, and a must read for those who want to explore disability and intersectionality from a lived-experience perspective.

Authors like Shoshana Kessok, who walk the reader through the complexities of the medical system and the misguidance of bipolar disorder, help readers to get a glimpse of the fallacies of healthcare. But Kessok doesn’t leave the reader with the complications of getting your medications adjusted and the never ending appointments. Rather, they acknowledge that once you receive the help you need, your life can stabilize, and reaching out for help is always better than suffering alone. They talk about the interweaving of mental illness with creativity and how so many people feel that real artists have to suffer (mentally, physically, emotionally etc.). Kessok says, “I read books about people theorizing about the connection between mental illness and creativity and I shake my head. I don’t need to know the connection, because if there is one, it doesn’t matter to me. I take my medicine and work my craft at the same time because I don’t need to suffer as an artist” (Kessok, 187). Stories like these battle against society’s preconceived notions and reveal the truth about mental illness, while also serving as cautionary tales of putting too much truth into stereotypes.

Each story is unique, as unique as the author who crafted them, and stories about feeling different are not uncommon. June Eric-Udorie speaks about how having nystagmus made her feel broken, always praying for healing that would never come. In “When You Are Waiting to Be Healed”, she acknowledges the desire to be without disability and the sometimes confusing choice one can make when coming to terms with the identity of “disabled”. But she also acknowledges the joy of understanding yourself. “I come to church happy in the body I exist in; I come to church knowing that I am not a mistake waiting to be fixed,” June says (Eric-Udorie, 58). June gives the reader an understanding of growth and healing beyond definition, providing concepts that may fight with the reader’s previous conceived notions of healing.

This anthology is a series of love letters to the understanding of yourself, a celebration of difference, and a reconciliation between the past and the present. It proves that there is no predetermined way of living, that there is a freedom in expression and value in being in relationship with others who share a thread of understanding. “Disability Visibility” works around the reader’s biases, scraping away the force-fed egregious narratives fed to us by society and replacing it with bubbles of the lived experience of people with disabilities through all aspects of life. Ariel Henley, whose essay titled, “There’s a Mathematical Equation That Proves I’m Ugly”, which redefines our understanding of beauty, sums up the artistry found in each essay with a beautiful quote about her experience. “But art isn’t necessarily about beauty. Art is supposed to make you feel something, and I began to realize my appearance was my art. My body, my face, my scars told a story- *my* story” (Henley, 46).

A compendium of innovation, beauty, and wholeness, “Disability Visibility” is a quick read, offering readers a chance to see themselves and to see the lived experiences of people with disabilities. This book shows readers how empathy is the answer, and how we get there is by viewing each and every person, just as they are, seeing the value in all of our varied experiences. 5/5