{"product_id":"beautiful-people-my-thirteen-truths-about-disability-hardcover","title":"Beautiful People: My Thirteen Truths about Disability - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMelissa Blake\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDisability activist and social media influencer Melissa Blake offers a frank, illuminating memoir and a call to action for disabled people and allies. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e 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: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Her tweet went viral, attracting worldwide media attention and interviews. Now, in her manifesto, \u003ci\u003eBeautiful People\u003c\/i\u003e, Blake shares her truths about disability, writing about (among other things): \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e the language we use to describe disabled people \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e ableism, microaggressions, and their pernicious effects \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e what it's like to live in a society that not only isn't designed for you, but actively operates to render you invisible \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e her struggles with self image and self acceptance \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e the absence of disabled people in popular culture \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e why disabled people aren't tragic heroes \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"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 \u003ci\u003eDateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down While Chronically Ill and Disabled\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"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, \u003ci\u003eBeautiful People\u003c\/i\u003e is a book with heart and is an absolute delight to read.\"―Erin Khar, author of \u003ci\u003eStrung Out\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMELISSA BLAKE \u003c\/b\u003eis an American writer, journalist, disability activist and high-profile social media influencer. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e She was born in 1981 with Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, a genetic bone and muscular disorder, and has had more than 26 surgeries, including surgeries on her knees, hands, hips and spine. She credits much of her independence to her parents, who taught her to use her voice and to advocate for herself. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Growing up, writing was a way for Blake to express herself and explore the world beyond her disability. After graduating from Northern Illinois University with a journalism degree in 2005, she began a career as a freelance writer. She wrote a weekly newspaper column for nearly five years, covering everything from family and musings on life to pop culture. Her writing on disabilities, relationships and pop culture has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN Opinion, Health, Good Housekeeping, Glamour and Cosmopolitan, among others. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Blake lives in DeKalb, Illinois.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 272\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.1 x 9.25 x 6.2 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 05, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAward:\u003c\/strong\u003e Alex Awards (2025)\u003c\/div\u003e\n                ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48670443143416,"sku":"9780306830426","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0698\/5629\/7208\/files\/prbE6J10YI9780306830426.webp?v=1782947217","url":"https:\/\/barneysbooksellers.com\/products\/beautiful-people-my-thirteen-truths-about-disability-hardcover","provider":"Barney's Book Sellers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}