Harilyn Rousso – författare

Women with disabilities face a double set of prejudices, based on gender and disability. The world too often sees them in terms of stereotypes: childlike, dependent, incompetent, asexual, unable to take on the role of worker, sexual partner, or mother. As a result, women with disabilities are left confused about who they are, and who they can become. In this exploration into the lives of ten women with disabilities, Rousso hopes to remedy this confusion. To some degree, all of the successful, adult women profiled in this book have faced these same prejudices about their potential at school, at work, or in their social lives. But they have found ways to make satisfying choices for themselves despite the barriers, and they invite women of all ages to draw upon their experiences to do the same. Rousso encourages and charges women with disabilities to make choices which go beyond society's streotypes and reflect their own unique talents, interests, and dreams, while at the same time taking into account their real limitations and needs.

For psychotherapist, painter, feminist, filmmaker, writer, and disability activist Harilyn Rousso, hearing well-intentioned people tell her, "You're so inspirational!" is patronizing, not complimentary.In her empowering and at times confrontational memoir, Don't Call Me Inspirational, Rousso, who has cerebral palsy, describes overcoming the prejudice against disability--not overcoming disability. She addresses the often absurd and ignorant attitudes of strangers, friends, and family. Rousso also examines her own prejudice toward her disabled body, and portrays the healing effects of intimacy and creativity, as well as her involvement with the disability rights community. She intimately reveals herself with honesty and humor and measures her personal growth as she goes from "passing" to embracing and claiming her disability as a source of pride, positive identity, and rebellion. A collage of images about her life, rather than a formal portrait, Don't Call Me Inspirational celebrates Rousso's wise, witty, productive, outrageous life, disability and all.

Enables teachers and other school personnel working with students with disabilities to provide a gender equitable educational experience.2002 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Highlighting the educational issues of girls and young women with disabilities, Double Jeopardy examines how they are exposed to discrimination based on gender and disability/special education status, and how they experience less successful vocational outcomes than their disabled male or nondisabled female peers upon leaving school. It studies both gender equity issues and inequitable practices that affect a wide range of students, such as Title IX, biased curricula, inequitable student-teacher interactions, and other issues such as eligibility for special education services. The book also describes innovative programs and strategies designed to empower disabled youth, who are ten percent of all students.Contributors include Adrienne Asch, Michael Benz, Bonnie Doren, Estelle Eskenazi, Nancy Ferreyra, Michelle Fine, Craig Flood, Merle Froschl, Dolores A. Grayson, Katherine Hanson, Taran Jefferies, Eric Jolly, Melissa Keyes, Eleanor Linn, Theresa Mickey McCormick, Harilyn Rousso, Ellen Rubin, Michelle Schwartz, Susan Shaffer, Linda Shevitz, Susan J. Smith, Ellen Wahl, Michael L. Wehmeyer, and Maryann Wickett.