Am I Disabled Enough?
I get asked a lot if I have a disability. The short answer is no. This is why I am the founder of this business.
I am not sure if other founders get asked this question. I understand asking someone why they chose their life purpose, but in this case I am being questioned because some believe I am appropriating the disability experience as my own. I am not. I have a genetic condition called Asphyxiating Thoracic Dystrophy, also known as Jeune Syndrome. My case is so mild that by law, I do not have a disability. That is not the case for other people who have this condition.
MIGA Swimwear starts from recognizing that my ableist views, which I didn’t question until I was in my mid-twenties, hurt my self-esteem and my perceptions of self-worth. This experience is what I have tapped into to create this business. Our brand is not for people who ascribe to ableist beliefs. Our brand is for those that are self-aware enough to understand that we grow up with biases towards having a disability, for those who believe that the world is unfairly inaccessible to this community (15% of the world population), and for those who are committed to denounce this and be allies to this community, whether they have a disability or not. Ultimately, it is those people who understand that by learning more about the disability experience we can bring about change, making this world a more fair and tolerant place.
In the American with Disabilities Act, a person that cannot complete one or more major life activities such as walking or taking care of one’s self is considered as having a disability. Getting dressed is an integral part of the human experience. Just like underwear has proven to be fundamental in identity-affirming for the transgender community, swimwear can provide body-acceptance in the disability community. We hear from some of our followers that even though they live close to the ocean they don’t go to the beach, just talking themselves into doing this activity is exhausting in itself, because they rarely feel welcomed, so they just end up doing something else. Swimwear is a category that society has attached so many rules to (i.e. “the bikini body” or wearing only one-pieces after a certain age) that with the creation of the brand we are dictating that differently abled bodies are swimwear bodies too and more importantly, that this community deserves the healing properties of being close to a body of water.
Belonging is a fundamental need of the human condition. Because of the disfigurement I have on my feet, I look different from my family and up until some years ago, I had never seen anyone with feet like mine. Thus, in 2016 I set out to create a community through our brand so that no one else would feel ashamed or isolated because of their disfigurement. In 2018, however, I realized that I clearly needed to revise my language and once again check my ableism, focusing on disfigurement meant focusing only on the physical differences brought about by my genetic condition.
So in 2019, we expanded our brand messaging to include disabilities and chronic illnesses. It is at this point when we start getting a lot of questions about whether I have a disability or not, “just how disabled are you?”. This begs the question, why does it matter whether I have a disability or not? Everyone should care about disability. After all, 1 out of 4 of 20-year-olds today will become disabled before reaching retirement age. Assuming that you should only care about or create an adaptive business because you have experience with disability is not only wrong, it is ableist.
Focusing on the disability community also became tricky because the disability experience is so broad that we often get stuck comparing traumas. And this, to me, is the biggest threat to this community. Instead of discrediting each other, because someone has had it worse than others, let’s focus on what matters, which is contesting ableism so that we can make this world a more accessible and inclusive place.
Comments
HOW I GOT BACK MY BITCOIN FUNDS WITH THE HELP OF MR. WILLIAMS CYBER SERVICE
My name is Anthoney Belle and I’m from Capitola CA, USA. A few months after my retirement, I was introduced to cryptocurrency trading and investment by a group that contacted me online. Unknowingly to me, I was being catfished. I lost almost all my retirement savings to these con men. I had given up and was depressed until a friend of mine told me about WilliamsCyber Service, a cryptocurrency recovery company with 100% success stories. I didn’t hesitate to contact this company and I provided them with all the information including my wallet address, It took WilliamsCyber Service 36 hours to recover 96% of my money. I’m truly grateful for their service and I recommend their service to everyone willing to recover their cryptocurrency funds.
E-mail: William-Mercado@cyber-wizard.com
i want to share to the whole world how Dr Kachi the Great of all the Spell Caster, that helped me reunite my marriage back, my Ex Husband broke up with me 3months ago, I have been trying to get him back ever since then, i was worried and so confused because i love him so much. I was really going too much depressed, he left me with my kids and just ignored me constantly. I have begged him for forgiveness through text messages for him to come back home and the kids crying and miss their dad but he wont reply, I wanted him back desperately. we were in a very good couple and yet he just ignores me and get on with his life just like that, so i was looking for help after reading a post of Dr Kachi on the internet when i saw a lady name SHARRON testified that Dr Kachi cast a Pure love spell to stop divorce. and i also met with other, it was about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 24 hours at the end of her testimony she dropped his email, I contacted Dr Kachi via email and explained my problem to Dr Kachi and he told me what went wrong with my husband and how it happen, that he will restored my marriage back, and to my greatest surprise my Ex husband came back to me, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day our marriage is now stronger than how it was before, Dr Kachi you’re a real spell caster, you can also get your Ex back and live with him happily: Contact Email drkachispellcast@gmail.com his Text Number and Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 his Website: https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site
HOW I GOT CURED FROM PCOS & OVARIAN CYST. ( marianspells@gmail.com )
I am sharing this to give hope to those who are probably struggling from PCOS/Ovarian cyst on how they can be cured just like me. I was diagnosed with PCOS/OVARIAN CYST and I remember how broken I was when my doctor told me it would be difficult to conceive naturally and PCOS was a lifelong disease [ as the doctor puts it here ] I was devastated and confused. I had excessive weight, Irregular periods, Acne and a 10cm cyst accompanied by lots of pain. It wasn’t an easy journey for me. Although my husband was supportive, I really needed to have my own child and get rid of PCOS/OVARIAN CYST. How long do I have to wait to have my own child? When will this severe pain end? Sitting on my balcony and doing research with my phone, I bumped into a testimonial of Dr MARIAN about curing diverse ailments with natural herbs. I was hopeful and felt some slight relief, then I decided to reach out. I was happy I did. HE prepared a medication using herbs and roots which was delivered to me through courier services. I took the medication as prescribed, My cyst was gone completely and I was able to get rid of PCOS within three weeks [21days] of taking the herbal medication made from some selected herbs and roots. My doctor confirmed I was free from PCOS & CYST. Not so long after the treatment, I was confirmed to be pregnant naturally and I was able to conceive and had my first child. It was a massive joy for me and my Husband and I decided to put in more testimonies about the herbal doctor [Dr. MARIAN] cause i know there are people whom are in need of help also. I didn’t have to undergo surgery, everything worked out naturally. DR MARIAN i want you to know the service you provide no doubt changes the life’s of so many of us. Such an amazing service and I’m very thankful for having found You and i appreciate your time and effort in helping me. Dr MARIAN also specializes in curing: Infertility, Herpes, Endometriosis, Fibroid, Cancer, Hepatitis, COPD, IBS, DIABETES, and lots more.
SHE ALSO SPECIALIZES IN SPELLS SUCH AS:
(1) If you want your Divorced Husband/Wife back.
(2) If you want your Ex Boyfriend/Girlfriend back.
(3) If you want strong protection.
(4) You want to be Promoted in your Office.
(5) Find out why you are not progressing in Life and the Solution. e.t.c…
You can CONTACT DR MARIAN via:- EMAIL: marianspells@gmail.com OR Whatsapp: +2349160402535