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Living Disability: Building Accessible Futures for Everybody
How can we build more accessible cities? Living Disability brings together vibrant perspectives on disability justice and urban systems.
A musician and snow removal expert, a queer curator, a public pool aficionado, and a journalist turned city councillor – these are just some of the disabled writers exploring disability justice, analyzing urban systems, and proposing more equitable approaches to city building in this anthology. Essays and interviews push the conversation about accessibility beyond policy papers and compliance checklists to show how disabled people are already creating more inclusive spaces in cities of all sizes.
Living Disability is universal in scope but intimate and local in focus, grounded in personal struggles and celebrations. Decisions about public transit, affordable housing, and park design all disproportionately impact disabled communities; by sharing stories and strategies, contributors consider the ways disabled thinkers and doers are embracing overlooked aspects of urban design and tackling the toughest problems facing cities. Each chapter provides context to welcome both disabled and non-disabled readers into conversations about the future of inclusion so that all readers can develop their own understanding of what accessible cities look and feel like. This book appeals to city builders of all stripes committed to learning from and working with underrepresented communities. It equips architects, designers, community leaders, innovators, and citizens with the key concepts they need to collaborate with rather than care for disabled neighbors.
A musician and snow removal expert, a queer curator, a public pool aficionado, and a journalist turned city councillor – these are just some of the disabled writers exploring disability justice, analyzing urban systems, and proposing more equitable approaches to city building in this anthology. Essays and interviews push the conversation about accessibility beyond policy papers and compliance checklists to show how disabled people are already creating more inclusive spaces in cities of all sizes.
Living Disability is universal in scope but intimate and local in focus, grounded in personal struggles and celebrations. Decisions about public transit, affordable housing, and park design all disproportionately impact disabled communities; by sharing stories and strategies, contributors consider the ways disabled thinkers and doers are embracing overlooked aspects of urban design and tackling the toughest problems facing cities. Each chapter provides context to welcome both disabled and non-disabled readers into conversations about the future of inclusion so that all readers can develop their own understanding of what accessible cities look and feel like. This book appeals to city builders of all stripes committed to learning from and working with underrepresented communities. It equips architects, designers, community leaders, innovators, and citizens with the key concepts they need to collaborate with rather than care for disabled neighbors.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2024
18 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 26, 2025
This was really good but some sections were quite dense and academic. Took me back to reading textbooks. Super informative, I learned a lot and I'll be thinking about a lot of the chapters in this for a long time. I loved how every chapter had a "plain language summary" to explain the content in a more accessible way. I wish the plain language summaries were a bit longer, even.
I have beef with one chapter which talked about how under capitalism, disabled people are forced to work in order to survive. Unfortunately, as we well know, many disabled people struggle to find and maintain employment due to access barriers. Bizarrely, the author suggested a possible solution for this could be a future where workplaces and residential buildings are the same(?!) which is super coal mine vibes. So many of the other chapters were really angry and radical, so why the hesitation to blame our shit government for cheaping out on disability supports? Or to maybe think bigger, i.e. universal basic income...? This one just missed the mark for me especially in comparison to the other chapters.
I have beef with one chapter which talked about how under capitalism, disabled people are forced to work in order to survive. Unfortunately, as we well know, many disabled people struggle to find and maintain employment due to access barriers. Bizarrely, the author suggested a possible solution for this could be a future where workplaces and residential buildings are the same(?!) which is super coal mine vibes. So many of the other chapters were really angry and radical, so why the hesitation to blame our shit government for cheaping out on disability supports? Or to maybe think bigger, i.e. universal basic income...? This one just missed the mark for me especially in comparison to the other chapters.
February 12, 2025
3.5 stars! Some really great essays, but a bit disability 101ish. My old prof is using it as a text book for her planning, access and aging course and i think i would have really loved to have read this in school. Alas!
December 24, 2024
I went to the editors’ book launch not too long ago and was immediately intrigued to pick up this anthology — hearing about Macrae’s background in urban planning and how that intersects with disability activism, and that that element would be a key part of this anthology, I was immediately intrigued. As well, seeing the faces of some contributors in the room (even getting to talk to one — it was wonderful to chat with you, Claire!), I knew this book would have a rich and diverse range of experiences from my local area and around my country of Canada overall, so since then I knew I had to read it.
After waiting for what felt like forever for it to FINALLY be available in my ebook library, I finally got the chance to read it — and honestly, it was everything I expected it to be and more. Going to the book launch made it feel real for sure, but the book alone feels incredibly raw and human in and of itself.
This anthology is incredibly insightful and left me with a much deeper understanding of disability advocacy overall. Each contributor’s story is written beautifully and are interwoven with each other beautifully, the division of the book in sections being an excellent choice that interlocked each contribution with the other in a collective theme while transitioning smoothly into the next theme.
As a neurodivergent person myself, as well as a future DeafBlind intervenor and with a passion for disability justice and stories, this anthology is part of the beating heart of that justice and forced me to think in new ways, challenging me in some instances of what I thought I was comfortable with, thus challenging my own internalized ableism. Most of the contributions being set in Ontario or Toronto, my home city, it felt very close to home to me and from now on, I will forever view my city in a whole new light.
Also, a note that I really appreciate that each contribution has a plain language summary — as a neurodivergent human with ADHD and a learning disability, sometimes I miss key points or zone out mid-sentence, even when I hyper focus on the text. So having the plain language summary made this book incredibly accessible for me, as reading them at the end helped jog my memory and fill me in on what my brain unintentionally spaced out on and couldn’t fully process. I wish all books were like this!
In summary, this book is a refreshing and vulnerable perspective on disability and is a must-read for anyone passionate about disability advocacy, or just anyone who wants to feel seen. This book made me feel seen yet also challenged in the best way possible.
Can’t recommend this book enough. 5 stars, 6 if I could ⭐️
After waiting for what felt like forever for it to FINALLY be available in my ebook library, I finally got the chance to read it — and honestly, it was everything I expected it to be and more. Going to the book launch made it feel real for sure, but the book alone feels incredibly raw and human in and of itself.
This anthology is incredibly insightful and left me with a much deeper understanding of disability advocacy overall. Each contributor’s story is written beautifully and are interwoven with each other beautifully, the division of the book in sections being an excellent choice that interlocked each contribution with the other in a collective theme while transitioning smoothly into the next theme.
As a neurodivergent person myself, as well as a future DeafBlind intervenor and with a passion for disability justice and stories, this anthology is part of the beating heart of that justice and forced me to think in new ways, challenging me in some instances of what I thought I was comfortable with, thus challenging my own internalized ableism. Most of the contributions being set in Ontario or Toronto, my home city, it felt very close to home to me and from now on, I will forever view my city in a whole new light.
Also, a note that I really appreciate that each contribution has a plain language summary — as a neurodivergent human with ADHD and a learning disability, sometimes I miss key points or zone out mid-sentence, even when I hyper focus on the text. So having the plain language summary made this book incredibly accessible for me, as reading them at the end helped jog my memory and fill me in on what my brain unintentionally spaced out on and couldn’t fully process. I wish all books were like this!
In summary, this book is a refreshing and vulnerable perspective on disability and is a must-read for anyone passionate about disability advocacy, or just anyone who wants to feel seen. This book made me feel seen yet also challenged in the best way possible.
Can’t recommend this book enough. 5 stars, 6 if I could ⭐️
February 6, 2025
I focussed on the chapter by Sarah Manteuffel. Her outline of how she goes through the world helps us to consider small things we could all consider that could make a big difference for some. Sarah’s suggestions for action are clear; and many should be so easy to implement.
April 16, 2025
This is a great book. It’s always important to try to understand how others live life and how they see things that we consider mundane. Before reading this book, I had never considered that rain could be such a danger to people in a power chair as it would damage their very expensive chair. For some reason, I had assumed that while being in the rain can be annoying (especially so if you can’t walk), it wasn’t particularly ruinous. Turns out that it very much can be. Also, it turns out that the often maligned single use plastic bags can very much be a saviour for people using a power chair stuck in the rain.
Reading books like these is always a perspective changing experience. We often hear about racism and sexism because of the amount of people that are affected by it. Ableism on the other hand is hardly ever mentioned. Most abled people rarely ever see people with a disability (either because they are somewhere inaccessible or because the disability isn’t visible). This leads to a sort of “social forgetting” of the existence of people with a disability. Indeed, while progressives may try to be inclusive of people of colour or queer folks, they often forget about people with disabilities. For this issue, books like Living Disability are essential.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the power chair. the author did a great job explaining the feeling of “losing one’s legs” as the mechanical and electronic components of the chair degrade with time. Furthermore, the book made it very clear how expensive being disabled is. The disability tax is real. Another fascinating chapter was the one on adult diapers, which looked at the intersection of ableism with ageism. I liked the variety of perspectives and forms of disability shown here throughout the book. Unlike some reviewers, I didn’t think the tone was overly academic or anything like that (though that may vary from person to person). I will say that I felt that this book could have explored a larger variety of voices in terms of an international perspective. All of the voices here are Canadian or living in Canada and disability affects people differently in different places. It would’ve been interesting to read an article by let’s say an Egyptian with a disability and how they live in Egypt (which has very different cultural practices and sociopolitical norms from Canada).
In the end, I highly recommend this book if simply for the sake of hearing how people with a disability feel about their day to day. It will definitely change your perspective and open your eyes to issues that you would never think of on a daily basis. It’s incredible how different life can be and it’s always good to put it into perspective and to advocate for others who don’t have the same means that you do. Most importantly, we should always center the voices of those that are marginalized. Thank you to Emily MacRae for editing this book and thank you to my local library, without which I would’ve never found this book in the first place. 4/5
Reading books like these is always a perspective changing experience. We often hear about racism and sexism because of the amount of people that are affected by it. Ableism on the other hand is hardly ever mentioned. Most abled people rarely ever see people with a disability (either because they are somewhere inaccessible or because the disability isn’t visible). This leads to a sort of “social forgetting” of the existence of people with a disability. Indeed, while progressives may try to be inclusive of people of colour or queer folks, they often forget about people with disabilities. For this issue, books like Living Disability are essential.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the power chair. the author did a great job explaining the feeling of “losing one’s legs” as the mechanical and electronic components of the chair degrade with time. Furthermore, the book made it very clear how expensive being disabled is. The disability tax is real. Another fascinating chapter was the one on adult diapers, which looked at the intersection of ableism with ageism. I liked the variety of perspectives and forms of disability shown here throughout the book. Unlike some reviewers, I didn’t think the tone was overly academic or anything like that (though that may vary from person to person). I will say that I felt that this book could have explored a larger variety of voices in terms of an international perspective. All of the voices here are Canadian or living in Canada and disability affects people differently in different places. It would’ve been interesting to read an article by let’s say an Egyptian with a disability and how they live in Egypt (which has very different cultural practices and sociopolitical norms from Canada).
In the end, I highly recommend this book if simply for the sake of hearing how people with a disability feel about their day to day. It will definitely change your perspective and open your eyes to issues that you would never think of on a daily basis. It’s incredible how different life can be and it’s always good to put it into perspective and to advocate for others who don’t have the same means that you do. Most importantly, we should always center the voices of those that are marginalized. Thank you to Emily MacRae for editing this book and thank you to my local library, without which I would’ve never found this book in the first place. 4/5
July 29, 2025
I LOVED this anthology. It feels like an all-in-one home for disability design, studies, and justice. I loved the intersectional approach to different disabilities related to gender, sexuality, and class. The mix of mental and physical disabilities significantly broadened the scope of the book. While this book focuses heavily on urban planning (which I believe is the author's background), it does showcase the thoughts and recommendations of disabled people, which can be applied to a broader spectrum. I highly, highly recommend this book as a way to familiarize yourself with ways to support, uplift, and recognize disabled people and their fight for equitable opportunities in everyday life. I will be thinking about this one for a long time!
Important Note that I didn't realize before reading: this book is Canada-based (but applicable to so many other places)!!!
Important Note that I didn't realize before reading: this book is Canada-based (but applicable to so many other places)!!!
July 18, 2025
Great book about disability for the uninitiated like me. I really liked how it included many varied testimonies across all spectrums. I particularly liked the chapters about the difficulties of dealing with a failing wheelchair, the chapter about traffic lights and sounds, the chapter about inter-abled relationships and the chapter about diapers and ageism. I also liked the perspective that we don't need to provide a solution to point out a problem. Sometimes to find solutions we need to discuss the problem with others first.
I guess it was supposed to be centred on Canada, but that kind of discussion of Canada-centric policies made it very abstract to me, so unfortunately it got a bit boring in certain advocacy chapters. I also got a bit of weirded out by the implication that work and home should be put together, like that model has issues if we look at Google for example.
I guess it was supposed to be centred on Canada, but that kind of discussion of Canada-centric policies made it very abstract to me, so unfortunately it got a bit boring in certain advocacy chapters. I also got a bit of weirded out by the implication that work and home should be put together, like that model has issues if we look at Google for example.
February 22, 2025
4.5 stars
Excellent essays on disability and accessibility. I learned a lot from the many different writers that I will be carrying forward. The biggest takeaway is that everything in life (literally) should be designed, built and created with full accessibility in mind. Also, bodily autonomy is important and we are doing a sad job as a society of helping everyone live their lives to the fullest.
Excellent essays on disability and accessibility. I learned a lot from the many different writers that I will be carrying forward. The biggest takeaway is that everything in life (literally) should be designed, built and created with full accessibility in mind. Also, bodily autonomy is important and we are doing a sad job as a society of helping everyone live their lives to the fullest.
June 17, 2025
Made it through half of this book (not because of the book, but because of my attention span). Was a lovely read commuting on public transit. Very Ontario specific which is relevant to me. Lots of different perspectives/lived realities.
March 30, 2025
An excellent selection of essays providing insights into lived experiences of disability that I haven't come across anywhere in my years of researching the area.
Some of the points are very specific to the Canadian experience, But I think they have been selected and presented in such a way that empathy for usual situations, The reality of disability within the system built for "normal" are excellently conveyed.
Some of the points are very specific to the Canadian experience, But I think they have been selected and presented in such a way that empathy for usual situations, The reality of disability within the system built for "normal" are excellently conveyed.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews