#progressive disabilties

[duality-disability]

happy disability pride month to those with degenerative/progressive disabilites:

-Those who know what their disability is and why its getting worse

-Those whos disability hasnt been diagnosed yet but the symptoms and degenerative nature of their illness is still taking effect

-and those who have to watch their bodies steadily decline while their healthcare professionals refuse to treat them (for no fault of their own)

-to the ones who are told they are too young to have their body declining

-'too young' to be using their mobility aids, or seeing certain specialists, or who notice they're the youngest patients in certain clinics by years if not decades

You deserve to be seen, and heard, and supported; You deserve kindness and respect and to be taken seriously about your medical concerns and the nature of your disability/ies

having a degenerative disease can be really fucking scary, I wish that tomorrow is kinder than today was.

[manyminded]

hey. I dunno who needs to hear this today. but

you are not wrong for getting better. You are not betraying our community. you are not a bad person for trying to prevent others from falling into it. you are not hurting anyone by easing the pain for yourself.

disability is a hard, hard thing. being able to climb up to feeling better, tooth and nail, is an incredibly difficult process. but abled people tend to forget that there is a community here. there is a home to this pain. it has shaped us and our lives. our identities might be forever impacted by that.

you are not forgoing that by healing. it’s okay to get better. it’s okay to work towards being better. you are not betraying, forgetting, or abandoning us. it can be hard not to target yourself or others about this ‘crime,’ but I want you to know that it’s okay.

I believe in you.

[learningfromlosing]

Yeah went outside 💅🏻 no big deal. Some people could be scared but me? I was so brave

[badlibbing]

Did you know that Neopets has been releasing a bunch of disability-related in-game items?

The first batch to be released included a service Petpet (service "dog") and an AAC device, introduced on March 2nd!

Off to a fantastic start here, representing folks in need of service animals for health reasons and people with speech difficulties!

Next, on March 7th, there came a walking cane for the visually impaired, a portable IV drip for those with special medication needs, and a portable oxygen machine for those with breathing difficulties.

But wait, there's more!

March 9th saw the release of two book items, relating to the use of braille and sign language for the visually impaired and hearing impaired, respectively.

And the most recent release, on today, March 14th, gives us these spiffy wheeled walkers in case your Neopet needs a little extra help getting around.

(Note that it is unlikely for wheelchair items to be released due to most Neopets being in a standing position in their artwork.)

TNT (The Neopets Team) has been going above and beyond in recent months in terms of representation, owing largely in part to new staff members with new ideas. It makes me happy that people who need these kinds of tools in real life can make their favorite pets feel a little more like them! I'll be sure to update if/when more stuff comes along.

All images and release date information provided by Jellyneo's Item Database.

[moss-and-monsters]

Guys. My lads (gender neutral). I want to create more characters with disabilities (mental and physical). And generally be more diverse with my characters already made

If anybody has a disability they want to see more of/ have a better representation of

please tell me i would genuinely love that so much

Ok thanks

[inprogresstoday]

The Burden of The Misdiagnosed / produced by Lacey Marie Woida for We Come With Water / We Live With Water / That Makes Us Water / I Am Water exhibit.

Each of these stories provide insight into the personal journeys of people living with grief. We ask that you watch each video in its entirety, contribute a comment, and then share to your own social media networks.

This is the second in a series of videos produced in partnership with the Capitol Region Watershed District as part of the Rain Watcher Project, a family centered campaign dedicated to informing the public on our human relationship with water.

We will be posting one video and one link each day for the next 12 days.

The project embraces the idea that we all come from water, we all live in water and we all go with water– that water contains our histories, our relationships, our emotions and it grounds us.

You can also find out more about Dhoua, her artwork and her stories at this link: https://in-progress.org/lacey-woida 

[dabnyfantown]

my hands hurt so bad just from scrolling on my phone i wish i knew what was going on

[potato-lord-but-not]

hi!!! im not sure how this will be formatted but I wrote out all the flag names in your picrew since I didn't know what all of them were and not everyone else might know them!

each 'box' refers to the 5 flags on the first order, if the second half of the flags are in a different order, I didn't check.

box 1 og pride flag progress pride flag black inclus pride flag pride flag queer pride flag disabilty pride month autism pride

box 2 genderqueer pride genderfluid pride transgender nonbinary deminonbinary demiboy demigirl bigender agender intersex

box 3 bisexual lesbian gay male genderfluid abrosexual pansexual polysexual demisexual asexual aroace

box 4 aromantic demiromantic polyamorous genderflux sapphic pride achillean pride pomogender queerplatonic demiboyflux aromantic spectrum

box 5 asexual spectrum boyflux quoisexual/WTFsexual neptunic aro mirrorpronomial gendersylph allosexual aromantic recipromantic genderfaun

i searched a lot and couldnt find the last exactly but it looks extremely similar to genderfaun

YOO thank you sm!!! These are all correct except gendersylph, which is the genderfae flag. but!! Thank you so much for doing all the research! I’ll have to pin this and edit it when i add new ones,, to hopefully lessen the amount of people asking lol

[freeworldallahexecutivembaclass]

Just making sure I do what I'm supposed to and complete my term with you in good fashion hopefully thank you it's been a honor the female rapper from the music Industry Nicki Minaj yes true and Cardi B are actually my sponsors they sponsor my education and yes my politics you got it so what saying to you breathing like I'm laughing like wow that is super cool thank you to the people it has been a honor to help you . Talk about women with power now I hope to help them and be like an Administrative Assistant to them I learned loyalty and my work ethic is incredible . Hopefully wish me luck if not it's no problem to them they good well for me at least I tried and I get a business education in the process . Anyway thank you it's been an honor and yes we love the ladies we dig the honeys I love women I love their style fragrance softness and company .

This was no walk in the park but I had to get my self together and again to prove that I deserve the job .

Certificate of relief from disabilties can get a man or woman any job they want you can't be turned away from gaining a license or employment because of your past you can work in corrections or even be a counselor anything you want to be if you just got released from prison you get what is called a certificate of relief from disabilities from your crime or crimes but it does cover the felony or felonies your parole officer will get you a program called CEO but all actuality you can get your security guard license or casac license with your certificate of relief from disabilities now if after your felony crime is covered by the certificate of relief from disabilities and you have misdemeanors on your record you can go to your county clerk office and ask for a certificate of relief from disabilities to cover your misdemeanors I guess they call it the certificate of relief from disabilities because it relieves of the disability of having a criminal record in getting licensed and getting a job don't worry they give it to you automatically when you get released from prison sorta to stop the recidivism rate in inner cities .I was the person that fought for that right the fair chance act now activated in California .I got the minimum wage raised to a decent living wage andFree College Education in New York and so much more since my time on using this platform Using Michelle Alexander book the new Jim Crow I help legislate The fair chance law and our Mayor put it in place I am happy Kamala Harris is talking about putting more money in our pocket from our occupation that is a goodie .I am hope for those that feel outta place wherever they go trust me man I got a job and I perservered and studied the law and my rights when I didn't have one this is to inspire people not give up on the job market or their selves and keep going and get your what you feel is worth in the job market what you need to survive and thrive on my job applications I would just put no I don't have a crime if I feel intimidated and I usually get the job to get my license for my skill of at that time I had to send a copy of the fair chance act and article 23a to get my license so I had to assert myself to get my license .https://fairchance.lacounty.gov/the-fair-chance-act/

What I bring to my fellow New Yorkers :Job growth in opportunities in all cities in America and soon the whole world and pay raises for their wages and salary from inadequate pay checks to better livable wages in full permanent employment with hopefully a new federal minimum wage pay and salary that I speak of at 17 $ dollars and hour for general laborers and people with a lack of skills so the more skills and service the higher their pay go but the 17 $ dollars an hour should be the base minimum for starters that for starting a new life and with better opportunities and life chances to make more progress the job force will grow and so will the consumer price index . education An A class and quality education to all New Yorkers to subscribe to , skills , social science knowledge of demographics and progressive economics for solutions for America and all countries , political thoughts and ideology for future oriented business and bettering the citizens of any community in ethics values goals and professionalism in any worker that labors to provide a service and creating wise minds out of Idle souls and crushed hopes on the faces of mothers sons daughters uncles nephews lost fathers discriminated against in the shadows of the gutter of society and making them better men and women I feel my education and teaching does that for people political ideas and economic infrastructure for urban environments .

Human resources administration we care to we work programs .

Manual labor stock clerk , delivery helper , mover and maintenance or these type of jobs remember we are renovating human beings and refreshing them and putting them into a new lifestyle for them or you could train yourself for these type of jobs that is where I'm going with mines I'm training myself for a career change in occupation .

Skills and intelligence - My Class The Free World 🌎Newspaper 📰 and Magazine 🌎🖥️🌹🌆👸🧑‍🔧🧑‍🏭🧑‍⚕️🧑‍🏭🧝👲👶🧑‍🍳🧑‍🦲👱🧑‍🦰🌹🌷🌋🏖️⛱️🌅🌁🌌🌠🪐🐯🦊🍉🍎🍠🧅🍅🥦The New and improved New York from my neighborhood to the world

1 . Business Administration skills - office work and office skills ( Bookkeeping and accounting ) doing the numbers and business management including leading and managerial duties leading people and logical organization skills .

2 . Clerical skills - computer 🖥️ skills ( Microsoft word , Microsoft excel and power point and computer based skills and manual office duties like filing , auditing and answering office email and typing business email making proposal letters for legislation and contracting .

3 . Sales and presentation - Resume writing , cover letters ,self branding what skills separate you from the other job candidates , selling and interviewing , customer service , selling , persuasion , friendliness , knowledgeable , clean , organizing skills , intelligent , inspiring , innovative , inventive , ambitious , outgoing and socially responsible adult .

4 . Politically and socially as well as economically aware In tune with their town politics and the news 🗞️📰 .

5 . Traveler and spontaneous , adventurous and an entertaining personality .

The story is that 50 Cent kind of dropped a hint to me on wanting to help cure the Aids epidemic in Africa and I heard it and I proposed it to send the cure for aids in Africa to the people in Africa infected with HIV Aids and this is the news headlines in March 2023 of it going through another accomplishment on my list of accomplishment thank you so much and they should be continuing sending it to Africa daily every day week month and years for generations and generations from now on a continuous basis that would be the right thing to do true humanity .

Check the news on CNN The US helped prevent AIDS from being a death sentence in Africa . The us is me and 50 Cent the rapper from his hit show power .

We did it congratulations on the cure for Aids in Africa .

The US helped prevent AIDS from being a death Sentence in Africa

Check the news on CNN on ending HIV Aids in Africa with the cure and new medicine Cabenuva HIV medicine that cures HIV Aids like the common cold and any other kind of communicable diseases

We did it congratulations on the cure for Aids in Africa .

The US helped prevent AIDS from being a death Sentence in Africa .

Cabenuva the new HIV Medicine is the cure for HIV Aids it knocks out HIV Aids like the common cold please send it to Africa to help heal the people .

[striving-artist]

Regarding the disabilty question: The value of a person 'not contributing to society' still might become clear in the value of them as a person. It is in my opinion a pretty good litmus test to evaluate the progressive state of a society based on how they treat people who don't perform tasks especially relevant in a capitalist society. Ascribing people a value due to their personhood might be what makes a society successful, seeing our values reflected in mutual respect for one another and everything.

I’m not sure I fully understand your statement about it becoming clear in the value of them as a person.

However for clarity of my own stance: I consider someone’s contribution to capitalism to be their economic value.

Someone’s cumulative contribution to society is their social value.

There is also a person’s inherent value, which has nothing to do with their actions or contributions.

[broodparasitism]

happy WBW! How are disabilities (physical and otherwise) accommodated?

Thank you! Disclaimer that I cannot discuss every single disability here, I'll do my best but will be primarily thinking of the disabilities the central characters have.

The world of Helst is not at our level of progress with medicine - a lot of disabilities are not as well understood or not manageable as they are now, but accomodations are there, depending on who you are.

Ulric has what we’d call Erb's Palsy - he had a difficult birth that damaged a nerve in his shoulder and left it paralysed. He sometimes wears a splint that can help aid some very limited movement in his hand, and has his clothing/cutlery/jewellery/shoes etc tailored for the use of one arm, as well as medicine for pain relief since it gets pretty painful (more on that below). Book holders are a must for him, he reads a lot. Ulric is neutral on his disabililty for the most part, save for the pain - he was born with it, it’s all he’s known. There is the caveat that he has the financial means for these accomodations and to not need to do any manual labour that poorer people would not have that same access to, however. There’s also that he’s faced ableism from his family in particular: the men of his family are all soldiers in some form or other except him, and his father and brothers placing so much value on the military has led to him being somewhat of an outcast among them. There are other characters, such as Etienne, who experience chronic pain - within the Enclave and therefore within proximity to the most accomplished healers in the country. With that, and that most of the senior positions in the church are also, well senior citizens (Aurelius is the first to hold his position under the age of 40, the Emperor and most other Benandante being 60+) and so more likely to have health problems, there’s abundant access to various treatments for all the residents - again, this cannot be said for all of Helst - Adeline la Tellier, who Ninon works for, doesn’t have much she can do for the various dancer’s injuries that have come back in old age. It’s really a matter of where you are and how much you can afford in terms of accomodation. They have quite a different grasp on learning and developmental disabilties and mental illness that we do. Kreszentia’s autistic, for example, and but there’s no terminology used to describe it, let alone a diagnosis or any kind of community. When she got accepted to Iosph, Konrad just wrote to them with a warning of, “My daughter is just bizarre in a lot of ways and there seems to be nothing to be done about it, be prepared.” Ninon’s dyspraxia is viewed fairly similarly - at the Miloche hospital she’d have been punished for percieved untidiness but with Mrs Devereux, she just thinks Ninon means well, she just gets her thoughts muddled and can’t be trusted with precise tasks. Mental health? As a concept it isn’t really there. Ninon as per our understanding have religious OCD, but she and the other characters would never percieve it that way, nor is she aware that the environment she’s in is actively making it worse.

[pennsylvaniaprelawland-blog]

The Problem With The Americans with Disabilities Act

By Alexandria Lee, Dickinson College Class of 2026

February 3, 2023

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is a “renowned law” for people with physical and mental impairments. The ADA prohibits discrimination from Employment (Title I), Public Services (Title II), Public Accommodations and Services by Private Entities (Title III), Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelographs (Title 47/Title IV), and Miscellaneous Hostility to disabled people (Title V) [1]. The law grants people with disabilties “equal” opportunities, but politicians and civilians alike regard it as one of the most progressive laws for people with disablities. However, the idea that granting a minority a group semi-equal opportunities is progressive is why there is no undeniable accessibility. While legally the ADA is supposed to provide disabled people equal opportunity, in actuallity it does not. Disabled rights should not be seen as a “progressive movement”- their disability does not make them any less human, but the idea that the ADA solved all their problems leads to the dehumanization of disabled people.

The preconceived notion that the law provided equal opportunities to all disabled peoples, which is an incredibly big population, allows many people to ignore a bigger problem- that a law does not automatically mean it’s enacted. As well, the ADA excludes federal buildings (federal buildings are supposed to be covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, but many are still not accessible) [2]. The issue of enacting the law is a consistent problem. One of my closest friends, and roommate, is in a automatic scooter because of Friedreich's Ataxia[1] and has first hand experience with inaccessible buildings that are supposed to be considered accessible, especially living on a historic campus. The ADA requires “reasonable accommodations” [1] for people with disabilities, but what does this entail? Samantha Ritschel has not been able to access buildings because of elevators breaking down, accessible doors being locked, handicapped buttons being broken/in difficult to reach places, and even places without elevators or ramps at all- and that is only from one semester on campus. She’s been dismissed from employment for “not being the right fit” when she’s done everything right- violating Title I, the same place that also did not pay her in full. This is legal, under law, if the restaurant has a 14 © labor certificate [3]. She’s been in inaccessible buildings without “reasonable accommodations” [4]- violating Title II and Title III. She has constantly been neglected of her need for closed captioning for her hearing loss- violating Title IV. She has dealt with hostility when trying to accommodate herself, for example trying to use a bowl in the school cafeteria and being belittled by staff- violating Title V. Almost everyday Ritschel faces at least two violations of the ADA act- is it really that “progressive” for persons with disabilities?

The ADA is really not as influential as people want to believe. It did make more people consciously aware of disabled people, and their struggles, but it did not substantially decrease their daily or long-term struggles.. When it comes to adjusting an able-bodied person’s daily life for a disabled-person’s accessibility, it almost never happens. There is no value for accessibility still today, even with laws passed. Well, Where do we go from here? First, we must erase this notion that the ADA of 1990 erased all disabled people’s accessibility issues. Writing down that you can’t discriminate against people in wheelchairs, does not mean it will actually happen. There needs to be a priority to value disabled lives, not just give them basic rights (but that needs to happen too). As well, the ADA encompasses so many different disabilities that it can possibly provide for every single one- Ritschel’s disease is not even listed. There needs to be more precise accessibility for different diseases. A 1:6 slope into a building [1] is not accessible for everyone, especially those in manual wheelchairs. After we understand differences in disabilities and value each person, then we can begin to move forward into a truly progressive society.

______________________________________________________________

[1] “Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as Amended.” ADA.gov, www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/ada/.

[2]“Why Is It That Some Federal Buildings Still Aren’t ADA Compliant Even Though They Require Businesses to Abide by It?” Quora, www.quora.com/Why-is-it-that-some-federal-buildings-still-arent-ADA-compliant-even-though-they-require-businesses-to-abide-by-it. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.

[3] ‌““Subminimum” Pay for Disabled Workers Moves Closer to Extinction.” News.bloomberglaw.com, news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/subminimum-pay-for-disabled-workers-moves-closer-to-extinction.

[4] “The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Brief Overview.” Askjan.org, askjan.org/articles/The-Americans-with-Disabilities-Act-A-Brief-Overview.cfm?cssearch=1946925. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.

[1] An autosomalrecessive genetic disease which impairs walking, induces a loss of sensation in the limbs, and impaired speech that may worsen over time.

[kikithebooknerd]

~ Do not mistake progress for a solution. Do not use progress as an excuse. ~

A little reminder that just because things are better than they use to be, just because things aren't like they were in the past, doesn't mean that the problem has disappeared.

"well at least it's not like it use to be", "well at least now you can...", "Well at least most people aren't like that anymore". → Stop using progress to excuse harmful behaviours because, guess what, all those things you think have disappeared have not.

Ableism, homophobia, racism, sexism, and more are all still shockingly prevalent in society today. It's systemic, it's subtle, and it has been ingrained into our norms to the point of total normality. The only difference is now we have made progress which is used as a cover to hide these ingrained systems of oppression.

How do I know this? Because everytime I argue for LGBTQ+ rights, for BLM, for Disabled Rights and for Feminism the first thing that comes out of the other person's mouth is "well at least it's not as bad as it was in the past". But guess what, it still exists, it still disadvantages those of us who are in these minority groups, it still is prevalent to US, we are still being victimised and demonised.

Just because things have seemingly improved doesn't mean the underlying issue has disappeared. I am so so happy to see the progress we have made in society, I am so glad to see my generation, and the generation that is following me, being more open minded, more accepting and kinder.

I'm so thrilled to see us redefining labels, tearing them down, and fighting for each other. But it pains me to see all this progress that so many people have fought for has been weaponised into an excuse to prevent us from dismantling the systems that perpetuate this oppression. I'm pained to see progress being used as an excuse for people to still be -ist and -phobic.

I want to be able to celebrate progress without people turning it against us. I want to celebrate progress but acknowledge that the job is not done.

~ Progress is not an excuse it is a step in the right direction ~

[2-wheeler]

It's weird how different people treat you as your chronic illness progresses.

Friends comfortably joking with eachother.

Family inviting you to all the events.

Strangers walking past you politely.

To:

Friends uncomfortably laughing and watching their words carefully.

Family waiting for you to ask about events instead, and usually offering alternatives of you coming.

Constantly being asked if you need help

To:

Friends disappearing because the situation is too uncomfortable for them.

Family avoiding you.

Always being helped without being asked.

[annieisyourfavourite]

I am living on borrowed time I was 10 years old when I supposed to die. My tiny little body tried it's very best, but it only had 10 years worth of function in it. 10 years old is the time of hopscotch and double dutch and growing. It is still elementary, it is young, it is vibrant, it has barely just begun. 10 years old is when you're finally allowed to stay up past 9, when you're about to get your very first pet, when the world is still enchanting and big and new. I am living on borrowed time. Because when I was 10 years old instead of running and playing and dreaming, I was dying. Rotting. Decaying. My body had become a graveyard, eating away at itself from the inside out. I became thin and weak. I started withering away until I was nothing but the shell of a child who once had a soul so bright it rivaled the stars. Now broken and dim and dead. I am living on borrowed time. Because April 18, 2009 is the day my life ended. The man who had delivered me into this world was the one to look my mother in the eye and tell her that her baby was dying. She cried, and at the time I did not understand, but I do now. Because 8 years of borrowed time takes it's toll. Because every day, I'm lucky to be born in an age where people like me are allowed to live. Every horrible symptom is just water under the bridge in the grand scheme of things. Every 3 am close call of stumbling and shaking and crying and crumpling to a ball on the floor because my body has robbed me of the ability to walk another step is a fucking miracle because I have been graciously gifted the choice of fighting every single day just to make sure I wake up the next time. I am living on borrowed time. Because a meal is no longer just a meal. Even the base human need of food for sustenance has become my battlefield. My blood has become my penance for waking up every day since that fateful April night 8 long years ago. I am living on borrowed time. And the clock ticking in my ear is ever constant, and I am far too aware of each desperate second I am spending here, wasting away from the inside out. I am living on borrowed time. Because today, right now in this very moment is the only thing I have guaranteed. This half-life, this purgatory, this never ending road of suffering and uncertainty is not one that is in the business of mercy. I am living on borrowed time. And it has made me a ghost, nothing more than a wavering vaper, desperately trying to make footprints in the sand because any second now I may just disapate right in front of you and then there'll be nothing left but the whispers of these words that I was once screaming, begging to be heard. I am living on borrowed time. And one day, whether I like it or not, that gift will run out, and my time will be up.

Borrowed Time

[enlightened-aura]

Review of Good Kisser (2019) by Makaila Atsonglo

       Good Kisser, one of the films premiered at the Reel Out Film Festival, is directed by Wendy Jo Carlton and follows the romance between two women, Kate and Jenna. These two women have been together for about two years. I would describe Kate as realistic, money-oriented, and a “straight to the point” type of person. To contrast, Jenna’s personality is seen as more bubbly, hopeful and likely to succumb to her emotions. This couple decides to try something new within their relationship to keep it interesting. The new addition comes in the form of Mia, a well-travelled yet sophisticated woman from Kate’s past, (unbeknownst to Jenna), who has agreed to a three-some with Kate and Jenna. Throughout the movie, Jenna is hesitant and anxious about being with another woman besides her partner and feels as though something is off, with the situation and with her relationship. Despite trying to ease her partner, Kate loses herself in the moment and in her attraction to Mia, leaving Jenna suspicious of her girlfriend’s devotion to Mia. In the movie, it is evident that Kate has her attention on Mia more than Jenna. However, Jenna and Mia connect emotionally through their interests and compatible personalities. The three women go along with their intended plans, which results in Mia being the main focus for both Jenna and Kate, leaving the other jealous and feeling neglected. By the end of the movie, it is revealed to Jenna that Kate has been having an affair with Mia for several months and proposed this idea of a threesome as a way to come clean about her transgressions. The movie ends with Jenna leaving Kate, but Mia confesses her attraction to Jenna and asks her to run away with her, leaving Kate single.

        Good Kisser showed a good representation of lesbian women and the LGBTQ+ community, but it lacked representation of racial minorities and those with disabilities. This movie had 5 characters in total, three main characters and two minor characters who had little dialogue. However, all of these characters are able-bodied. The only glimpse of mental illness was when Jenna took a pill to calm her nerves, but this was never elaborated upon. The minor characters were Clark, Mia’s next door neighbour who was helpful in calming Jenna down and providing insight on Mia. Another minor character was Yuka, an androgynous Uber driver who took the main characters to Mia’s house and made a second appearance at the end of the movie, befriending Jenna. Clark is the only male and stands in as a supportive figure to white lead, Mia, and racially ambiguous Jenna. He is one of three non-white characters in the movie, being racially ambiguous, yet has the fewest lines and appearances. Likewise, Yuka appears to be East Asian, and yet again, has a small amount of lines and is only a supportive character to Jenna. Both minority characters were treated just as that, minorities. They had no storylines of their own and simply disappeared and reappeared whenever the leads were in distress. Essentially, they were used for token diversity. The insignificance of their roles incited thoughts of forced diversity as it seemed that Wendy Carlton put Clark and Yuka there to get awarded for having a more diverse cast. It seemed as though the movie wanted to appease the masses in every way possible and did so by using token diversity, which is blindly accepted by popular culture. “Those who refer to popular culture as mass culture want to establish that popular culture is a hopelessly commercial culture. It is mass produced for mass consumption. Its audience is a mass of non-discriminating consumers. The culture itself is formulaic and  manipulative. It is a culture that is consumed with brain-numbed and brain-numbing passivity” (Storey). Merely placing minorities in the movie without careful thought is not going beyond the expectations of society and is a passive way of adding diversity. I feel as though ignoring the blatant misuse of racial minorities would not be progressive in ensuring that people of colour will be added in movies correctly and ensure that their only contribution is to wipe the tears of the white and racially ambiguous leads. I feel like queer and disabled people of colour are underrepresented in the LGBTQ+ community and in order for this movie to be truly intersectional, it should include these people. As a black woman, I did not feel represented in this movie as there was no one that resembled me in anyway. I believe there is definitely room for improvement with people of colour being supporting characters that are not flat, and are not solely their race, but also stand out and represent LGBTQ+ people of colour as well.

         Despite these flaws, Good Kisser has a unique and truthful way of portraying women and lesbian relationships. The fact that this movie was created for LGBTQ+ people and allies, by people who are queer, ensured that the relationships shown between Kate, Jenna and Mia were not exploitative of lesbianism or a form of queerbaiting. Queerbaiting is “a way of appealing to [queer viewers] without alienating their main audience, who may be uncomfortable with openly queer characters, or who may not care about them” (Mitchell). With the director being a woman, I could clearly see that this movie was created with the LGBTQ+  and female audience in mind. Queer people were the majority audience and Wendy Carlton did a fantastic job of appealing to the intended audience and properly representing women in queer relationships. While watching the movie, it was evident that, despite the mature sexual subject matter, the creators were dedicated to an authentic portrayal of emotions and connections between the characters that did not adhere to common fetishes and sexist stereotypes. This was evident in the way that throughout the movie as I was taken on a rollercoaster of emotions following Jenna’s anxiety, was able to get to know all the character’s dynamics and was not just thrusted into the sexual aspects of the plot. The LGBTQ+ audience was appealed to without exploiting them, yet still enticed the entire theatre without baiting us.

        Overall, Wendy Carlton did a good job in her portrayal of women and lesbian relationships by building the main character’s personalities authentically without oversexualization. However, I believe she played it safe by using diverse characters as tokens to appease popular culture. With the amount of underrepresentation queer people of colour and queer people with disabilties recieve, I belive it is important to acknowledge that Good Kisser merely scratched the surface of intersectionalism and more work needs to be done.

Word Count: 1100

                                              Works Cited

Storey, John. “Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. .” Queen's Single Sign On - Loading Session Information, 2009, ereserves.library.queensu.ca/ares/ares.dll?Action=10&Type=10&Value=117942.

Milton, Josh, et al. “What You Need to Know about Queerbaiting.” PinkNews, 26 June 2019, www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/26/what-is-queerbaiting-everything-you-need-to-know/.