From Where I Sit

About

From Where I Sit by Kathy Bates offers an informative, honest, and sometimes deeply personal look into the world of disability. The topics Kathy writes about are not just disability issues; they are timely and relevant community issues. It is her hope that this blog will encourage the understanding that disability never discriminates, and it touches us all sooner or later.

Now Featuring "Ask Kathy"

I became a blogger in February 2016 when “From Where I Sit” began. I have researched and written on many disability-related topics, including disability rights, representation, language, pride, identity, and more! I have learned a lot from all of this blogging. But now I want to hear from you, my readers. What’s on your mind?

a caricature of Kathy Bates, a woman with blond hair in a wheel chair answering emails with a light bulb above her head

Ask Kathy

 

Kathy Bates (left) is a woman with a short blond bob and Amy Frechette (right) is a woman with short brown hair posing with her fluffy service dog Judah.
Autism on Screen
April was autism awareness month. My friend and colleague Amy Frechette who works at the Institute on Disability has Asperger’s Syndrome. We decided t... Learn More
Tommy, an artist with Cerebral Palsy uses a paintbrush clipped to his baseball cap to paint a water color landscape
Ask Kathy: Making Art Accessible
Could you tell me one way art teachers (in any medium) could continue to make sure their classrooms are inclusive, accessible environments for student... Learn More
Black glasses with rainbows in the lenses surrounded by a rainy day
Ask Kathy: Trauma diagnosis and education
Hi Kathy, Do you think a complex trauma diagnosis should be an eligibility factor for the education of students with disabilities? Why or why not? Learn More
The word "Language" is highlighted in pink in a book
She's Nobody Special
I started the second grade at eight years old in 1969—my first opportunity to attend public school. My parents were strong advocates for me, and in th... Learn More
A pink box with a red heart. Sound or light waves are coming from the heart.
Ask Kathy: Should my daughter go to the Valentine's Day dance?
I am the parent of a 14-year-old daughter, Ginny, who has a mild intellectual disability and wants to attend the local middle school’s Valentine’s Day... Learn More
Clipart of a person in a wheelchair sitting at a laptop with various people doing additional tasks.
COVID-19 and Accommodations Make Employment a Reality
Almost three years ago, in March 2020, I wrote about the pandemic in my blog post “United from a Distance.” Our lives had changed overnight, includin... Learn More
a caricature of Kathy Bates, a woman with blond hair in a wheel chair answering emails with a light bulb above her head
Ask Kathy: Why is the physical disability community largely silent on the role of trauma?
Kathy Bates responds to a reader's question about why the physical disability community is largely silent on the role of trauma. Learn More
White and blue one handed spinners on a red base.
Playtime is Serious Business
When I was young, my favorite activity during this time of year was to carefully go through each page of the toy section in the Sears Wish Book catalo... Learn More
Airline workers on the tarmac loading a power wheelchair onto a conveyer belt leading to the plane's cargo hold.
Healing Broken Wings: The Airline Industry Commits to Making Travel Accessible
In a speech celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) —the law protecting the disabled from discrimination—Secreta... Learn More
Impact of the disability vote
Gubernatorial Town Hall Unites Disability Community
In the United States, the disability community is 61 million people strong. Disability cuts across gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and age... Learn More