Being a disabled woman often feels like choosing between these life paths:
1. Object of Pity/Perpetual Child,
2. Inspirational Overachiever,
3. Fetish Toy, or
4. Good Disabled Girl Who Makes Sure Everyone Likes Her.
Sometimes all the personal intersecting identities and dealing with a predominantly heteronormative world gets to be too much. Having to face violence within the mind, at home, and work/school/etc. takes a large, exhaustive toll on everyday life. Those within the queer and trans community often find it difficult to sustain themselves. Many of us find ourselves asking how exactly it is that we do that.
For this week, I wanted to post a resource/link that advocates for self-care in the form of “radical” coloring books. Sustaining ourselves doesn’t always have to be some outrageous, unattainable idea. In this case, it just takes coloring utensils and a book. As for myself, many forms of art (sometimes just a paper and pencil when the resources aren’t available) have proved to help me take better care of myself. Being around people can get to be really exhausting, so taking some time alone to relax can be extremely beneficial.
I think these sort of self-care practices are really important in combatting all the bullshit queer and trans people of color have to deal with. We can’t always be taking on the world in the variety of ways that looks like for all of us. So as we’re finishing the quarter and overwhelmed with all the assignments we have to do, I ask that you take a little time to yourself for even a few minutes and practice self-care, however that may look for you.
