The DIS/Ableist Network
The DIS/Ableist Network
The DIS/Ableist Network
(The DIS/Ableist Report) "We Aren't A Puzzle That Needs To Be Solved" With Rachel Barcellona
32 minutes Posted Apr 20, 2021 at 3:06 pm.
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Show notes

On this episode of The DIS/Ableist Report, we have a candid conversation with Rachel Barcellona about autism, modelling, acting, pageantry, and more. We talk about the general concept of beauty, and how society is beginning to include disabled people in that conversation. We brush up against the #freethestim movement, the outdated topic of "passing." As disabled people, we should be allowed to be openly disabled, and be comfortable with ourselves and our bodies. Rachel draws an important distinction between Autism Acceptance vs. Autism Awareness, as well as the language used to describe autistic people. She also talks about the Neurodiversity symbol (which looks like an "infinity" symbol), and how it is a better representation of autistic people than the infamous puzzle piece, which "...enforces the idea, especially by neurotypical society, that we're a puzzle that needs to be solved."