On Suicide and Stock Images
CW: This article contains stock images that depict disabled people in suicidal poses. Stock images of disabled people have always been a bit of a joke. There are the inspiration porn shots; disabled women, arms far-flung in an attitude of ecstasy, wheelchair implausibly positioned on a beach or in a boggy field. The portraits of tragedy; gloomy, silhouetted images of wheelchairs in dark corners or sad seniors with their faces buried in their hands. It's all a bit of a giggle really - especially when you take into consideration that most of the 'disabled' people posing aren't really disabled at all. Hit the button that says 'images with same model' and you'll see what I mean. Suddenly the model is running through the same field with a kite. It's crip blackface - annoying, but slightly amusing. Disabled people have laughed about this for a long time, in a resigned kind of way. I'm not laughing any more. Today I wrote a Twitter thread wit...