Thread by @DearGradStudent

in honor of #DEHEM21, I want to remind everyone about the episode I did with the wonderful humans who run the @DisInGradSchool account -- @caitskirby & @KaydenStockwell (Kayden also now helps with podcast transcripts!!) 🧵

#AcademicChatter #phdchat #phdlife

Before recording this episode, I had a very superficial idea of what I thought it meant to be a disabled grad student. That accommodations were readily available. That disabled students were honored with accommodations as long as they had the right documentation.

That the reason disabled students weren't in grad school was some unknown variable we all couldn't figure out.

How wrong I was.

Academia gatekeeps disabled students, faculty, etc. in a very purposeful, abusive, aggressive, ableist way.

Accommodations are not always honored, even with documentation. & if they are, not to the fullest extent. Students basically have an unpaid 15+ hour a week job trying to convince folks to accommodate them so that they can be successful in a system not set up to let most succeed.

And I am not disabled. This is a fraction of the experiences that disabled grad students go through. If you are unfamiliar with the #DisabledInSTEM community, I recommend following the hashtag & following new folks this month.

And as a reminder, disability advocacy is part of DEI. And Black students and students of color or gender minorities folks who are also disabled experience this to an even worse degree and this can no longer be ignored.

Do not forget your disabled colleagues in your advocacy work.

Fight for disabled students. Fight for disabled Black students. Fight for disabled students of color. Fight for disabled non-binary and other gender minority students. Fight for disabled and sexual minority students.

I learned a lot about the system, myself, & my biases during this episode. Give it a listen if you are unfamiliar with the things I've mentioned. (transcripts available thanks to @KaydenStockwell)

Part 1: deargradstudent.com/episodes/17

Part 2: deargradstudent.com/episodes/17-2

If you aren't already, go follow: @DisabledStem @DisInHigherEd @DisInGradSchool @dismhmatters @DisabledInPsych @DisabledAcadem @nolan_syreeta @disabledphd @StemDisabled @AutSciPerson & other incredible disabled students who work their asses off on Twitter to raise awareness.