WriteDis is due to start on Twitter on 1 March 2017. It will be a month long discussion on disability and writing. I will post a question every day and you are invited to respond to that question using #WriteDis. If you are new to Twitter chats and don’t understand how it works, just ask me. Questions will also be available in advance.
In order to make WriteDis as inclusive as possible, there are a few guidelines.
- WriteDis is for anyone who wants to discuss disability and writing. You do not have to be disabled to join.
- If you are disabled, you don’t have to tell anyone if you don’t want to. Share as much or as little as you are comfortable with.
- Don’t assume that someone is not disabled just because they don’t say that they are.
- Disabled people can identify however they want. Abled people should avoid using terms like differently abled, handicapped, handicapable, and special needs. Please keep in mind that generally disabled people prefer identity first language (disabled person, autistic person, deaf person, etc).
- I hope that this event will provide education for all of us. However, disabled people are not under any obligation to answer questions. If you do have questions about disability, you can use the hashtag to ask them but do not harass specific people.
- People are experts on their own experience. If a marginalised person says that something is harmful and you are not part of that marginalised group, accept what they say, do not argue.
- Be respectful. Remember that everyone is at different stages of learning.
- Try to promote the most marginalised voices in our community.
- I want this event to be inclusive. If anything is not accessible, please let me know. If anything is not inclusive, again let me know.
I hope that you will join me on 1 March for #WriteDis. You can follow us on Twitter @WriteDis
Brooke Winters 