Author Archives: Kay Olson

Part D drug formulary quirks

Posted on September 8, 2006 by Kay Olson

I’m signed up for Medicare Part D, though it wasn’t by my choice. The company they chose for me sent me a huge packet filled with information, rules, disclaimers, and a partial drug formulary — that is, a partial list … Continue reading →

Posted in Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Disabled Rights & Issues | 8 Comments

French ad offers fresh perspective

Posted on September 7, 2006 by Kay Olson

This was originally posted on The Gimp Parade in March, 2005. A French energy company has produced a video advertisement about access for the disabled that is quite interesting. The link leads to a page in French (naturally) where you … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues, Media criticism | 10 Comments

Nothing about us without us

Posted on September 6, 2006 by Kay Olson

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this (.pdf file) since I read it a week ago. It’s the text of a speech by Jim Elder-Woodward given to the Scottish Disability Equality Forum in 2000 that begins with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues, International issues | 3 Comments

The joys of impairment

Posted on September 4, 2006 by Kay Olson

In discussions about quality of life or eugenics or disability pride, some nondisabled person often asserts that it’s obvious — despite all moral arguments on the value of disabled persons lives — that a body with impairments is just physically … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues | 91 Comments

Protesting pity

Posted on September 3, 2006 by Kay Olson

So the MDA Telethon is tonight and tomorrow. I’ve written here and here about the reasons a charity telethon — particularly one that insists on using Jerry Lewis to evoke pity for disabled people — does not help the status … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues | 4 Comments

Fake disabled children

Posted on September 1, 2006 by Kay Olson

A couple weeks ago the Wall Street Journal ran an article about how textbook publishers meet diversity quotas for the photos in their books. The article covers the lengths publishers go to in order to portray diversity in race, ethnicity, … Continue reading →

Posted in Disabled Rights & Issues | 16 Comments

Introduction of Blue

Posted on September 1, 2006 by Kay Olson

My name is Kay Olson, though most people in the blogworld know me as Blue. Or Blue Lily, or back at the Ms. Boards before they imploded I was Blue Girl. Amp has asked me to guest blog for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Site and Admin Stuff | 9 Comments