"Gonna break my rusty cage"

Dedicated to #ElaineWilson and #LoisCurtis

Rusty Cage - Soundgarden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBZs_Py-1_0

#metal #Seattle #grunge era #rock #Soundgarden #RustyCage #music #MusicalOffering #Hero #ElaineWilson #LoisCurtis #InternationalWomensDay #DevelopmentalDisabilitiesMonth #OlmsteadAct #freedom #InvisibleDisabilityRights

International Women’s Day Hero of Invisible Disability Rights – Elaine Wilson:

In celebration of International Women's Day, OutOfExile_IDR honors Elaine Wilson, champion of invisible disability rights and the Olmstead Act.  It seems germane, as March is also Developmental Disabilities Month.

During Martin Luther King week, I posted about Lois Curtis, a champion for Invisible Disability Rights (link below).  Lois, togather with another woman, Elaine Wilson, fought all the way to the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for the right to live in the community, rather than being institutionalized.  Fighting courageously for their freedom, they won the right to freedom for all people with invisible disabilities.  The case is often refered to as the “Brown v. Board of Education” for people with (Invisible) disabilities.

Excerpt below & image of Elaine from:
https://www.olmsteadrights.org/iamolmstead/history/

[“Elaine Wilson became seriously ill when she was one years old. She was hospitalized with a raging fever and it was unclear whether she would survive... When the fever finally broke and Elaine was …sent home, ….Elaine had lost some of her early motor function abilities, such as crawling or even sitting up by herself. The doctors assured Elaine's mother that (it) was only a lingering effect of the illness…. Elaine eventually did recover, but very slowly”.[]

In school, Elaine lagged behind other students having difficulties with focus and learning , eventually being diagnosed with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) attributed to the prolonged high fever as an infant.  Likley, this was the correct diagnosis.

She was reevaluated as a teen upon enrollment at “Gracewood State School and Hospitol” in Georgia.  There, she was diagnosed with an ableist slur containing the “R" word, once used in reference to PEOPLE living with Down Syndrome. Providers believed the only recourse was institutionalization. (I am bitting my tongue and holding back my opinions on the lot of it.)

She would spend about a decade living in institutions (State hospitals) against her will.  Following that, in the 1980s, she would be “ping-ponged" from care homes to hospitals, back and forth for nearly two decades of her life.

“When I was in an institution, I didn't like myself," Elaine says. "I was trapped. . . . I had no hope. I thought, Oh God, Oh God - When am I ever going to leave here?"

Another hero deserving mention on IWD is Sue Jamieson, the Atlanta Legal Aid Society Attorney who brought the case.  Sue and Lois Curtis were joined by co-plaintiff Elaine Wilson, to blaze the path of freedom for countless individuals with disabilities in their wake.

After more than 30 years and 36 psychiatric institutions, at times living homelessness and in varous “care homes", Elaine along with Lois Curtis, were victorious and finally free.

The 1997 ruling by Senior U.S. District Judge Marvin H. Shoob said that “… denying the women a community-based life amounted to segregation of people covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act.”  Judge Shoob later remarked “They were both so articulate” in regard to the testimony of Elaine Wilson and Lois Curitis.

Elaine passed in 2004 at the age of 53 but, will be forever remembered as a Disability Rights Legend for her resilience, strength and courage.  As part of her testimony, she told the court: “When I was in an institution, I felt like I was in a little box and there was no way out”.

Thanks to Elaine Wilson and Lois Curtis, people with invisible disabilities are afforded the right to live in freedom at home, instead of confinement in a “box", cage or institution, merely because of a health issue.  Thanks and honor to Elaine, Lois and Sue on this International Women’s Day.

“The Brave and the Strong” Lois Curitis – OutOfExile_ID:
https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/109690867328587920

Elaine’s story continued:
http://www.olmsteadrights.org/iamolmstead/history/item.5405-Elaine_Wilsons_Story_Continued

More on Olmstead and Elaine’s impact:
https://olmsteadrights.wordpress.com/tag/elaine-wilson/

More from disabilityjustice.org:
https://disabilityjustice.org/olmstead-v-lc/

ADA – Community Intergration for Everyone:
https://archive.ada.gov/olmstead/olmstead_about.htm

International Women’s Day Image from:
https://www.desicomments.com/womens-day/international-womens-day-5/

IMAGE CW - (eye contact)
Don't forget the ALT text.

#InternationalWomensDay #ElaineWilson #LoisCurtis #Hero #OlmsteadAct #SueJamieson #SCOTUS #freedom #home #gratitude #CommunityIntergration #DevelopmentalDisabilities #IntellectualDisabilities #BrainInjury #TBI #ABI #AcquiredBrainInjury #MentalHealth #disability #InvisibleDisabilityRights #Hero #DisabilityJustice #EmbraceEquity

@disabilityjustice
@disability

A social experiment.
👇 👇
The results are in and somewhat sad.

I did a social experiment last night: "Rolos vs IDR - Invisible Disability Rights."

I posted two pieces and the above "social experiment" toot simultaneously so they would appear on the timeline together. Links to both are below.

The score was:
Rolos 9 - IDR 1

The response for Rolo included favoring, boosting and two comments from the same Mastodonian that seemed to want to give a lesson on geometry in reference to the shape of Rolos.

Only one responce for IDR, a single boost. Thanks Jack. :solidarity:

Social change comes with support from all, abled and disabled individuals alike. As long as candy takes precedence over the abuse, mistreatment, exclusion and inequality of human beings, the future looks bleak for persons with invisible disabilities. Experiment failure.

Invisible Disability Rights are #HumanRights and #DisabilityIsDiversity

Heinous abuse of people with invisible disabilities by humanity (cw):
https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/109549519506159425

Rolos candy:
https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/109674897422321516

#equality #change #amplify #inclusion #support #listen #EndBigotry #EndAbleism #disability #MentalHealth #DevelopmentalDisabilities #IntellectualDisabilities #TBI
#DisabilitySolidarity #Love4All #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilityRights #Legend #LoisCurtis #ElaineWilson #OlmsteadDecision #heros

@autisticadvocacy @disabilityjustice @disability

Image courtesy of psu.com

A social experiment.
👇 👇
The results are in and somewhat sad.

I did a social experiment last night: "Rolos vs IDR - Invisible Disability Rights."

I posted two pieces and the above "social experiment" toot simultaneously so they would appear on the timeline together. Links to both are below.

The score was:
Rolos 9 - IDR 1

The response for Rolo included favoring, boosting and two comments from the same Mastodonian that seemed to want to give a lesson on geometry in reference to the shape of Rolos.

Only one responce for IDR, a single boost. Thanks Jack. :solidarity:

Social change comes with support from all, abled and disabled individuals alike. As long as candy takes precedence over the abuse, mistreatment, exclusion and inequality of human beings, the future looks bleak for persons with invisible disabilities. Experiment failure.

Invisible Disability Rights are #HumanRights and #DisabilityIsDiversity

Heinous abuse of people with invisible disabilities by humanity (cw):
https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/109549519506159425

Rolos candy:
https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/109674897422321516

#equality #change #amplify #inclusion #support #listen #EndBigotry #EndAbleism #disability #MentalHealth #DevelopmentalDisabilities #IntellectualDisabilities #TBI
#DisabilitySolidarity #Love4All #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilityRights #Legend #LoisCurtis #ElaineWilson #OlmsteadDecision #heros

@autisticadvocacy @disabilityjustice @disability

Image courtesy of psu.com

To The Brave And Strong.

Thinking of Lois Curtis today. Remember her resilience and determination. She is deserving of every persons respect. If you don't know who she is, take some time to discover.

Without her, there would be no Olmstead Act protecting the right to freedom. The links below tell her story from many different points of view, including the familial. There is however, much that still needs to change on the trail that Lois blazed.

Her strength and courage will always inspire me.
She was a Superhero for Invisible Disability Rights and forever, will be.

Thank you Lois.
OutOfExile_IDR ❤️ #gratitude #respect #JeMeSouviens

Excerpt from faams. org article linked below:
"Lois never gave up or stopped being positive. She lived a meaningful life in the community after she won her lawsuit. In her own words, this is what living in the community meant to Lois, "

“Well, I make grits, eggs, and sausage in the morning and sweep the floor. I go out to eat sometimes. I take art classes. I draw pretty pictures and make money. I go out of town and sell me artwork. I go to church and pray to the Lord. I raise my voice high! In the summer I go to the pool and put my feet in the water. Maybe I’ll learn to swim someday. I been fishing. I seen a pig and a horse on a farm. I buy clothes and shoes. I have birthday parties. They a lot of fun. I’m not afraid of big dogs no more. I feel good about myself. My life a better life.”

#LoisCurtis #Trailblazer #InvisibleDisabilityRights #Hero #OlmsteadDecision #OlmsteadAct
#disability #DD #MentalHealth #freedom #home #family #community #courageous #resilient #Remember #DisabilityRightsLegend

Image from:
https://anthesis.us/honoring-african-americans-with-disabilities-in-reflection-to-black-history-month/

https://www.olmsteadrights.org/iamolmstead/history/

https://publications.ici.umn.edu/impact/28-1/lois-curtis-on-life-after-olmstead

https://www.faams.org/the-meaning-of-lois-curtiss-life-and-the-olmstead-ruling/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Curtis

To The Brave And Strong.

Thinking of Lois Curtis today. Remember her resilience and determination. She is deserving of every persons respect. If you don't know who she is, take some time to discover.

Without her, there would be no Olmstead Act protecting the right to freedom. The links below tell her story from many different points of view, including what she did, means to families. There is however, much that still needs to change on the trail that Lois blazed.

Her strength and courage will always inspire me.
She was a Superhero for Invisible Disability Rights and forever, will be.

Thank you Lois.
OutOfExile_IDR ❤️ #gratitude #respect #JeMeSouviens

#LoisCurtis #Trailblazer #InvisibleDisabilityRights #Hero #OlmsteadDecision #OlmsteadAct
#disability #MentalHealth #freedom #home #family #community
#courageous #resilient #BlackHero #SuperWoman #Remember #DisabilityRightsLegend

Image from:
https://anthesis.us/honoring-african-americans-with-disabilities-in-reflection-to-black-history-month/

https://www.olmsteadrights.org/iamolmstead/history/

https://publications.ici.umn.edu/impact/28-1/lois-curtis-on-life-after-olmstead

https://www.faams.org/the-meaning-of-lois-curtiss-life-and-the-olmstead-ruling/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Curtis

All I can do about #LoisCurtis is nurse these watery eyes and contemplate on my gratitude for her fight, my frustration that the fight is not over, and my loving willful defiant hope that we will abolish all institutions and bring everyone home some day.

Lois was a #BlackDisabledWoman that fought for her freedom from residential "care". Her tenacity eventually gave us the Olmstead Decision which is partly responsible for social supports that are meant to keep people out of institutions and in their communities where they belong.

These systems are imperfect, but Lois's vision was clear - home, community, and self determination