Thread by @Inadarkwood

In 2006, nondisabled school children (in Years Two to Six) were asked for their thoughts on whether disability appeared enough in the books they read. Here's what they said. These quotes are from a 2006 Booktrust Report.

The schoolchildren noticed disability wasn't in the books they read. They commented,

'The world is portrayed in a different way than it is.'

'If I was disabled, I would feel that books are made for the rest of society and not for disabled people.'

'I would feel that books are avoiding the subject and not acknowledging that people like me exist.'

'Disabled people should be illustrated and included so that we grow up more familiar and aware of people's differences.'

'I think you should write more books about people with disabilities because it is an interesting subject.'

'I think it's a good idea that children with disabilities be included in books because otherwise they might feel left out and one of a kind. It doesn't matter what they look like, it's what is inside that matters.'

'I don't think they shouldn't be included in pictures otherwise they might think that they're different from other people.'

'They should be treated like everyone else. People with disabilities are part of the world so should be shown in books.'

Many children saw the absence of disabled characters as an opportunity for publishers and writers. They said,

'There is a goldmine in this market!'

'I only today realised how little disability is touched on in books and TV. There is a whole new horizon of writing out there!'

These are just some of the quotes from the schoolchildren, of which there are many. It's both heartening and sad to see nondisabled kids grasping what the entire publishing industry seems unable to comprehend.

Disabled writers are often told that nondisabled readers would be confused by their stories. Disabled writers are often told that there isn't a readership for our work. The next time a publisher says, 'what about nondisabled readers?' show them this thread of children's comments!

Show publishers who say there's no interest in disabled stories this quote, from another nondisabled child, 'I want to read books which have disabled heroes and heroines.'

Or this quote from a nondisabled kid, 'Disabled people can be heroes or just ordinary characters.'

Another nondisabled child said, 'Disabled people should be included in more books and films! Disabled people do read books and must feel very left out.'

I could tweet quotes all day. It's just striking how nondisabled children understand why disability should be in books, and what it would mean to a disabled child. With ease, they've grasped the issues of representation that publishing seems entirely unable to comprehend.

As one child puts it, 'if you don't write about disabled people then you are missing out on a major part of reality. People want to know about this and want to read about it also.'

Hell, the children even mention how anyone should get disability 'right' and talk to disabled people to find out about their lives. Again, the kids are MILES ahead of the publishing industry

I'll close this gargantuan thread with the words of one child. They said, 'Disabled people can be heroes, too.'

In these quotes, the kids capture it all: the desperation and loneliness of not seeing yourself in books, what that does to your self-esteem, how we all benefit from better representation. With ease, the kids have grasped what has apparently eluded the entire publishing industry

Anyway, please throw this entire thread at the next ableist publisher you come across. Ta xoxo

A coda to this thread: I also did a thread a few days ago which is, in some ways, the opposite side of the same coin covered here. The other thread features the words of disabled kids on disability in books. You can check it out below!

https://twitter.com/Inadarkwood/status/1358078012693106689?s=20

This thread is starting to take off! On a related note, I'm currently looking for disabled poets writing for children, and not had much luck. Do you know any disabled poets writing for children, or anyone who might know more?

https://twitter.com/Inadarkwood/status/1337003869537251328?s=19