Read, Shake, Appreciate #7
Welcome to Read, Shake, Appreciate! This is your weekly round-up of words that made me feel inspired, songs that made me shake my ass, and people who I think deserve some spotlight.
This week I’m reading:
Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
There are only a handful of books that I’ve ever wanted to turn over and immediately start reading again as soon as I’ve finished them – this is one. Rebekah’s essays explore everything from dating as a wheelchair user, to representation of disabled people in media, to the inaccessibility of housing and healthcare. Each chapter explodes with nuance, honesty and the beautifully lyrical style of writing that made me fall in love with Rebekah’s posts years ago.
Here’s a brilliant part:
Disabled bodies have always been a part of our collective story, whether we acknowledge it or not – and right now, they’re a largely untapped reservoir, waiting to add texture and depth, new jokes and plotlines, curiosity and nuance, adaptability and access to our understanding of what it means to live together on this planet. As we reach for narratives that test the boundaries of identity and reimagine the expectations of gender, race, and sexuality, disability is ready to contribute to a conversation that challenges old paradigms and asks new questions about it means – what it could mean – to be human.
This week I’m shaking to:
Makin’ a Move by Lady Bri
This song gives me – and I don’t say this lightly – strong Lizzo vibes. Give it a listen and then let me know whether you also feel like you’re 62% more ready for anything life throws at you.
This week I’m appreciating:
Extraordinary artist and golden human, Taynee captures bodies in the way I wish everyone in the world saw them. Check out her art, give her a follow, cover every inch of your space in her prints, you will regret none of the above.