I’ve been meaning to write a post about this article on “mad pride” from this weekend’s New York Times, featuring Liz Spikol who writes the blog, The Trouble with Spikol, which I read from time to time. This was just a fabulous article but I’m wondering whether putting it in the style section trivializes this pride movement?

The issues of diversity and disability came up yesterday in a university “discussion on diversity.” As often happens with these things, it was the same dedicated bunch of faculty/staff/students preaching to the choir although it was nice to meet new people and hear what they’re doing. I and another faculty member mentioned the special issues of disabled students — especially those with mental health issues (which often overlap with other identities, especially sexual orientation). Privately a few of us grumbled about the disciplinarian approach of our disability compliance officer, as well as the outrageous amount of time it takes students to get basic things like fixing the elevator done (ours broke for several days, which meant carrying disabled faculty and students up the stairs. Why didn’t they pay overtime for someone to fix it immediately?]

Not sure what the follow-up will be on this though — are we going to have future conversations? How do we convert the 99% of the university that wasn’t there?  Maybe we need a Mad Pride march?