The Mighty Portrays itself as a resource to help "people facing disease & disability".   However, they have repeatedly published essays and articles that promote stigma and the narrative of tragedy surrounding disabled lives.   They have continually centered the experience of parents with little regard to the privacy and dignity of disabled children or adults.   

Recent articles included a "Meltdown Bingo" that mocked and belittled Autistic children experiencing a meltdown.  A meltdown is a terrifying experience for the Autistic person, and it is one that is often accompanied by guilt and shame.  This article was published with no thought to the humanity or dignity of Autistic people.  It was played for laughs and toxic "parent support".   If your "support" comes at the expense of the dignity and humanity of your children, it is the opposite of helpful for EVERYONE.   While this article was removed, there was no apology to those who were harmed.    This article is just one recent example of materials that portray disability as something we do to our parents.  

To truly "help" disabled individuals, one must have an understanding of ableism and the impact of these actions.  If your purpose is to help the disability community, you must stop publishing inspirational stories (inspiration porn) that use disabled individuals as props so that others can feel good about themselves. We are not here for your inspiration or for your pity. You must stop publishing  essays that center the parent's experience as more important than the humanity and self-esteem of their disabled children. 

You must stop tokenizing the disabled and neurodivergent adults and the parents who actually get it right when you do seek to publish them. You do this by editing their voices to suit your agenda by making our concerns more palatable to parents.  You must stop fighting them on issues of accessibility such as image descriptions and by insisting on language that you prefer over what we tell you is offensive and ableist.  

Neurodiversity Versus The Mighty:

http://michellesuttonwrites.com/2015/12/21/neurodiversity-vs-the-mighty/ 

 

Why I'm Not In Love With The Mighty: 

http://utterlyunpublishedauthorsdaughter.blogspot.com/2015/05/why-im-not-in-love-with-mighty.html

 

Open Letter To The Mighty: 

http://un-boxedbrain.com.au/2015/12/open-letter-to-the-mighty/

Why I've Had it With "The Mighty":

http://www.meriahnichols.com/why-ive-had-it-with-the-mighty/

The Mighty does great harm not just to disabled individuals, but to our families and communities in how they depict disabled lives. Apologize for the harm that you've done to us.  Apologize for the hurt you've caused to our families.  Apologize for spreading stigma, pity and fear in our communities.  Make a commitment to do better by listening to disabled adults, learning about ableism, acceptance, disability rights & justice....and stop pretending that you are here to help us when you continually hurt us! 

You have a huge platform for positive change and with that comes a great responsibility to the community you claim to serve.  The Mighty, you need to do better by disabled people and you need to start now.

We, disabled adults, parents, friends and loved ones of disabled individuals demand that you either do the work to "help" us or stop misrepresenting yourselves immediately.