Liz Kessler's blog

Five ableist things I wish people would stop saying to me

Liz Kessler — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 13:44:08 +0000

Our society is not very good at listening to neurodivergent folks. When we're not being told we are lazy, the things we ask for are routinely ignored.

Sometimes the way that this happens is very subtle, and even the people who say they value accessibility sometimes say hurtful things when they are not paying attention. Here are some examples.

1. "You seem like you are okay" or "You seem normal"

Public pain and collective rage at the end of 2016

Liz Kessler — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 05:53:36 +0000

I've cried in public more times than I can count. I've cried openly on the bus after saying goodbye to a loved one, I've cried at parties, and I've cried at work. Yesterday I sat in a coffee shop and told a trusted friend about a bunch of shit that I've been going through lately, and cried with the pain and the release of a host of feelings I can barely describe.

I've lived with depression and anxiety for most of my life, and for me crying is a part of that. Crying in public has allowed me to get through my worst moments and release feelings that needed to be released. I don't really care what strangers think, and I've been lucky enough to have friends who are pretty supportive and non-judgemental.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau needs to stop talking about mental health

Liz Kessler — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 19:35:23 +0000

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau calls herself "an activist for women's empowerment and gender equality" and has spoken out a number of times about her struggles with bulimia and anorexia. Most recently she spoke at an event called "Girlfriend's Guide to Mental Health" in Ottawa.

While I'm sure her "philosophy of promoting strong mental health for girls and women of all ages" is appealing to some wealthy women with self-esteem issues but all I could do when I read about it was roll my eyes.

Grégoire Trudeau's approach is completely individualist, over-simplistic and useless for most of us who struggle with anxiety, depression and trauma. It's also not new.

Drivers are a threat to public safety

Liz Kessler — Sat, 03 Sep 2016 16:29:20 +0000

On Friday morning, I biked to work. This summer I have cycled about two or three times a week. It's about 15 minutes to bike from my house, most of it down a six-lane major street that is busy by Winnipeg standards but would seem relatively calm to anyone from Vancouver, Ottawa or Toronto.

Friday was different, because I was still reflecting on the death of a cyclist in Ottawa on Thursday. Nusrat Jahan was 23 and killed while cycling in a bike lane, only two blocks from her home.