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

 

An illustration of a smiling woman with flowers coming out of her head that are being watered by a man on her shoulder and a woman on a ladder.
A Great START
Mental health is a community issue, and it feels more important than ever. Community supports and services can play a significant role in reducing the... Learn More
An adult signing paperwork on a clipboard
A Catch-22 Trips Up Some in Legal Guardianship Who Try to Regain Independence
Over time, Clouse’s traumatic brain injury improved. He started working as a welder, met his future wife, and got his parents’ permission to marry her... Learn More
Bob shaking hands with a line of older men in baseball caps.
Death of Bob Dole a Loss for Disability Community, Advocates Say
“The disability community lost a giant on Sunday with the passing of Senator Dole,” said Heidi Mansir, president of the board of directors at the Amer... Learn More
Headshot of Kathy Bates as a young woman
A Gift
I began my freshman year at Somersworth High School in 1976. The magnet school was the only public school open to students with disabilities in the ge... Learn More
A woman of mixed race with shoulder length curly hair is wearing a striped turtleneck and sits in a wheelchair
A Beautiful Resistance
“One of the biggest things that I realized when my disability first started is there was just so much that I had to learn. I had no idea what barriers... Learn More
Temple Grandin sits in a bucket with kids on a playground.
Temple Grandin Working on Line of Playground Equipment for Kids with Autism
“One of the things I’m interested in right now is, I’m seeing too many smart kids that are having problems at school,” Grandin said. “One of the worst... Learn More
A pair of hands holding a white cutout of a head with colored pieces creating a heart for the brain.
With Crossover Between Autism and Mental Health, Diagnosis Can Be Tricky
“There’s a ton of overlap,” Schutte said, and that is why it has often been hard to recognize that there is more than autism happening. Some of the an... Learn More
Flooded St. Charles Parish in Louisiana
People with Disabilities, Few Good Options During Disasters
Scallan and her 20-year-old son, who has Down syndrome and autism, initially evacuated to Shreveport. They stayed in a hotel with her elderly mother a... Learn More
Raindrops wtih the text "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's learning to dance in the rain."
Dancing in the Rain
Mental health issues have been more out in the open than ever before, which is an unexpected positive side effect of the pandemic. We've had to deal w... Learn More
988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Fact Sheet: 988 and Suicide Prevention Hotline
In August 2019, FCC staff—in consultation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra... Learn More