In the United States alone, over forty-two million people are living with a disability—thirteen percent of the population. And yet, it wasn’t until 1990 that the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act was passed by Congress. We have a long way to go to be a truly inclusive society, and that’s why being mindful and even celebrating Disability Pride all year long is important.
And while we’re at it, let’s add LGBTQ Pride as well. It is, in fact, crucial for those of us who live with a disability and are also members of the LGBTQIA+ community who feel — notwithstanding the progress that has been made — that we don’t belong in this world.
Literature is my way of lifting up my communities. And that’s one reason I wrote my debut novel Red Clay Suzie, a fictionalized memoir of my life growing up gay with a significant skeletal malformation of the chest. I hope you’ll read my novel and the books I recommend below to better understand that where it counts, we’re not so different from everyone else after all.
Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from it by Greg Marshall
The subtitle for this memoir was a tease that drew me in. Marshall’s tale is unconventional and funny and open. He doesn’t leave anything unsaid, and that’s what is so refreshing about this tale that explores layered family dynamics and the ever-changing relationship with our physical selves. I loved the book because, ultimately, it’s about love and acceptance — for others and ourselves.
The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund
While on the surface this wonderful book may seem to be a classic, queer-boy outsider story, it’s so much more. What sets protagonist Owen’s story apart is the unsettling balance of the literal and symbolic world he inhabits. It’s difficult to know what is real and what is metaphor, and that’s why this story is so compelling. Owen is sheltered, hidden away from the world by a fearful and neglectful mother, and that compounds his sense of feeling “other.” Add in a bird who settles into an opening in Owen’s chest, and a fascinating character emerges before our eyes.
Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington
Sadie deals with ever-present anxiety; it’s simply a part of her. But it worsens after she receives some troubling information and also sees authority figures commit an act of violence. Just like that, she’s on a slide into what turns out to be agoraphobia, a debilitating condition less outwardly visible than others, perhaps, but no less a disability.
The story is written in verse, which renders it more tender and heartfelt than conventional prose might allow. Sadie navigates love and her attraction to others, a refreshing depiction of a young queer heart. Here, devotion to community is tested as she feels the pull of comforting isolation. How will she overcome this struggle? That, dear reader, is yours to discover.
Letters I’ll Never Send by Nicole Zelniker
This story of courage and resilience is another important reminder that some disabilities are not visible, limiting as they may be. Sadie’s is such a tale, and it begins on the day she is released from a several-month stay in a psych hospital. What ensues is a series of events that threaten her newly found, albeit unsteady, footing. To write more would give away this gripping story. So, I leave it there.
Just by Looking at Him: A Novel by Ryan O’Connell
Elliott has a lot going for him: He’s in a relationship with a wonderful man, and his professional life is enviable by anyone’s standard. But, that’s not enough for O’Connell’s endearing protagonist, whose cerebral palsy insidiously shapes his view of himself, his self-worth. Elliott drinks to excess and cheats on his boyfriend, without losing his endearing aspect. The author deftly takes you on a hysterical and witty journey to heal, to make things right, to survive, and to thrive.
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