Diana Huey says she tries not to get upset about by criticism from Disney fans upset about the casting of an Asian American as Ariel, a role they expected to be played by a white woman.

asiansinhollywood:

“In more cosmopolitan regions it might be surprising that Huey’s casting as Ariel would raise any eyebrows at all. That has been the incredulous reaction of “Mermaid” director Glenn Casale, who said he cast Huey in the role for one simple reason: She was the best singer.

“She was a good actress, she was the right age, she sings it like nobody else,” said Casale, best known for directing Cathy Rigby in “Peter Pan.” “We probably saw 50 Ariels, and Diana really sang it the best.”

Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Art Center Executive Director Maiko Tanaka, who is Japanese Canadian, had a similar response when asked to comment on the controversy.

Tanaka phrased her response in the form of two questions and a terse statement: “1. Can she sing? 2. Can she dance? 3. It’s a friggin’ mermaid.””

The Americans with Disabilities Act is the most comprehensive and foundational civil rights law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. Yet, 27 years after it was passed, people with disabilities still face enormous barriers. People with mobility disabilities routinely find themselves blocked from the simplest of social interactions. They are unable to go to the corner grocery store to pick up a quart of milk because there is a step at the door. They are unable to go to the local movie theatre with their friends because there is no accessible seating.

aegipan-omnicorn:

urbancripple:

madukrainian:

urbancripple:

From the article:

H.R. 620 would completely change the way in which a business is required to comply with the ADA. Instead of requiring that a business comply proactively, the bill would place the burden on the individual who is being denied access. This bill proposes that after an individual with a disability is denied access she must first notify the business owner, with exacting specificity, that her civil rights were violated, and then wait for six months to see if the business will make “substantial progress” toward access, before going to a court to order compliance.

Business owners can spend years out of compliance and face no penalty even after they receive notice, so long as the owners claim “substantial progress.” By allowing a business an endless amount of time to become compliant with the ADA’s reasonable requirements, H.R. 620 removes any incentive for a business to proactively ensure that people with disabilities have access. Instead, the bill encourages businesses to just wait until an individual’s civil rights are violated before making any changes.

And ya’ll wonder why I scream at people who try and tell me about how expensive and complicated the ADA is to comply with / enforce.

It’s that shit that gives bill like this their strength. Call your representatives. Use Resist Bot. Disabled folk AND OUR ABLE-BODIED ALLIES need to FLOOD the offices of our representatives and let them know that this bill will should not even be debated much less made law. 

Do what you can from where you are and demand that those who can do more step up. I know we’re tired and I know it’s hard but don’t give up. Save yourself one last spoon and make sure the edges are good and sharp.

If you need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out. I’ll listen; I’ll empathize. You are not alone in this. 

Resist Bot only works for your senators. This is a House bill.

They updated it! You can choose which one you need now. It’s super cool.

Here’s the page from Congress.gov that shows the list of co-sponsers – as of this reblog (09/07/17) there are 23. And it’s pretty evenly split between Democrats and Republicans (ableism is a bipartisan issue, but not in the way that we want!).

However, there used to be 24 co-sponsers. One of them withdrew his support.

We can change their minds!

Call your Rep!