A Socioecological Approach to Adolescent Suicide Risk: The Roles of Social Bonds and Recognition.

“It is the story that made the difference. It is the story that hid my humanity from me [….].” “Amputee. Some assembly required.” The phrase, emblazoned on the man’s t-shirt, isn’t the first thing I noticed upon entering the exam room, but it’s one of the more memorable. Phil, an amputee due to cancer treatment, doesn’t hide his prosthesis. He readily describes himself as an amputee, rather than a “person with an amputation.” Whether Phil is aware of it or not, his shirt makes a statement about disability language and reveals something about his identity as a disabled person. Phil’s willingness to embrace his identity as an “amputee” fundamentally reaffirms the notion that disability is part of life, a critical part of identity, and a natural part of human variation. In this political moment, recognizing disability as part of human variation and reaffirming our commitment to disability justice is vital. Despite the persevering work of those engaged in disability justice, marginalized groups are under threat. Cuts to social services and civil rights protections threaten the lives and well-being of people regardless of their disabled or nondisabled status. While the media has long engaged in inaccurate representations of disability (; ), current national discourse, led by the Trump Administration, only reinforces ableist stereotypes (). Disabled people face purging of references to disability from federal agencies and initiatives (), removal of sign language interpreters from the White House, fundings cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the disbanding of the Department of Education—both of which provide essential services and protections to many disabled people—and proposed cuts to Medicaid that threaten the ability of disabled people to access healthcare (). Cuts to social services and civil rights protections threaten the lives and well-being of people whether they identify as disabled. These threats also further complicate claiming disabled identity as a source of pride and opportunities to advance disability justice through social mobilization (; ).