Is blindness an incidental characteristic, like hair color? Or is it an identity? What language should we use to talk about disability, and why does it matter? Andrew Leland, author of The Country of the Blind, joins Amy Julia Becker on the podcast for a conversation examining:

Blindness and identity
The importance of language and the use of metaphors in relation to disability
How the experience of disability can involve beauty, power, and loss
The role of allies in advocating with disabled individuals
How Andrew has reimagined the good life

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Amy Julia’s upcoming events
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Guest Bio:
Andrew Leland is a writer, audio producer, editor, and teacher living in Western Massachusetts. His first book, The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, about the world of blindness (and figuring out his place in it), was published in July 2023 by Penguin Press. You can find links to order a copy here.
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Connect Online:

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On the Podcast:

Amy Julia’s upcoming events
Leland’s New Yorker essay “How to Be Blind”
National Federation of the Blind
Sara Hendren’s book and podcast episode with Amy Julia
Amy S. F. Lutz’s Chasing the Intact Mind
Death Panel podcast
John McWhorter’s NYT essay: “When We Do, and Don’t, Need a New Phrase to Describe Reality”
Disability Language Style Guide

TRANSCRIPT: amyjuliabecker.com/andrew-leland/
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YouTube: video with closed captions
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Reimagine the Good Life with me through the lens of disability, faith, and culture as we challenge assumptions about the good life, proclaim the inherent belovedness of every human being, and envision a world of belonging. Find out more at amyjuliabecker.com.

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Disability and the Language We Use with Andrew Leland