Beautiful People

My Thirteen Truths About Disability

By: Melissa Blake

Narrated by: Melissa Blake

Well-known disability activist and social media influencer Melissa Blake offers a frank, illuminating memoir and a call to action for disabled people and allies.

In the summer of 2019, journalist Melissa Blake penned an op-ed for CNN Opinion. A conservative pundit caught wind of it, mentioning Blake’s work in a YouTube video. What happened next is equal parts a searing view into society, how we collectively view and treat disabled people, and the making of an advocate. After a troll said that Blake should be banned from posting pictures of herself, she took to Twitter and defiantly posted three smiling selfies, all taken during a lovely vacation in the Big Apple:

I wanted desperately to clap back at these vile trolls in a way that would make a statement, not only about how our society views disabilities, but also about the toxicity of our strict and unrealistic beauty standards. Of course I knew that posting those selfies wasn't going to erase the nasty names I'd been called and, the chances were, they would never even see my tweet, but that didn't matter. I wasn't doing it for them; I was doing it for me and every single disabled person who has been bullied before, online and in real life. When people mock how I look, they're not just insulting me. They're insulting all disabled people. We're constantly told that we're repulsive and ugly and not good enough to be seen. This was me pushing back against that toxic, ableist narrative.

For the first time, I felt like I was doing something empowering, taking back my power and changing the story.

Her tweet went viral, attracting worldwide media attention and interviews with the BBC, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, PEOPLE magazine, Good Morning America and E! News.

Now, in her manifesto, Beautiful People, Blake shares her truths about disability, writing about (among other things):

• the language we use to describe disabled people
• ableism, microaggressions, and their pernicious effects
• what it's like to live in a society that not only isn't designed for you, but actively operates to render you invisible
• her struggles with self‑image and self‑acceptance
• the absence of disabled people in popular culture
• why disabled people aren't tragic heroes

Blake also tells the stories of some of the heroes of the disability rights movement in America, in doing so rescuing their incredible achievements from near total obscurity. Highlighting other disabled activists and influencers, Blake’s work is the calling card of a powerful voice—one that has sparked new different, better conversations about disability.

©2024 Melissa Blake (P)2024 Hachette Go

Critic reviews

“I love this book. Melissa Blake takes us with her on her journey as a disabled person through an ableist society that seeks to erase the experiences of her community with inaccessibility, exclusion, pity, sentimentality, and, yes, cruelty. Melissa’s clarity, rigorous honesty, humanity, and delightful humor deliver her story in full. It is not only an invaluable document in the ongoing battle for disability rights, but a joy to read. Brava!”—Bradley Whitford, actor

“Melissa Blake offers a delightful explanation of disability in a voice that is both sparkling and knowledgeable. Newcomers to disability studies will find Melissa’s book an accessible resource to our culture and history. Disabled readers will recognize their experiences reflected in her authentic musings on everything from social media and dating to transportation and building a career as a disabled professional. No matter what kind of body we move through the world in, Melissa’s warmth is a welcome invitation to join her in recognizing the beauty we each possess.”—Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, authors of Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down While Chronically Ill and Disabled

“In prose that is clear, warm, and always laced with humor, Melissa draws you in, making you a part of her world. With her trademark wit, pop culture references, and ability to tackle challenging topics with seeming effortlessness, Beautiful People is a book with heart and is an absolute delight to read.”—Erin Khar, author of Strung Out

A must read

This should be required reading for everyone. We as a society have a lot to learn about inclusion and ensuring accessibility for everyone in all spaces, and listening to those in the disabled community share their stories helps everyone unpack their own ableist tendencies, both conscious and unconscious. Thank you for sharing with us, especially now

When I reached the epilogue, I was so sad to be near the end

As someone who became disabled at 24 and then gained a second diagnosis of autism at 26(I’m nearing 27 now) as a queer, female person, I’ve just begun to accept my disability and do the work to tackle my internalized ableism. Growing up with a twin brother with cerebral palsy who passed away when we were 8, I can relate a lot to Melissa’s storytelling about her childhood and the dynamics of her family. I’ve followed Melissa for many years on Instagram and it was such a gift to read more in depth about her life. She gave me new perspective on how I cognitively frame my disability mentally and has inspired me to work hard to unmask and pursue jobs, people, and places that are going to love and accept me for me. Thank you for sharing your story. By the time I got to the epilogue, I was so sad to be nearly finished. I hope this book isn’t your last!