(WOMENSENEWS)– “When I first started dating,” Dr. Danielle Sheypuk tells Johileny Meran, “I would keep my wheelchair on the DL as much as possible.”
In this second of two installments of their Seat at the Table conversation, Dr. Sheypuk and Meran, 19, discuss dating as “the last taboo for the disability community to overcome.” From being stereotyped as “helpless,” “sad” and “sweet” to fighting ableism, Dr Sheypuk tells Meran to become comfortable with her body and disability as a way of fighting ableism. She also tells her that rejection isn’t a bad thing – it’s a sign that she’s “officially entered the dating world.”
“Seat At The Table” is made possible through the generous support of The Loreen Arbus Foundation and was produced in partnership with Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
