My Essay on CNN Opinion: “What If We All Unfollowed Trump on Twitter?”

Unfollowed TrumpImagine if we all unfollowed Trump on Twitter. What would happen??

That’s the question I posed on social media recently, after I was inspired by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy’s eye-opening tweet in which he explains why he did just that.

Then last week, I got to explore that question more in my latest for CNN Opinion because, frankly, there was just so much to unpack here. It sounds so simple, does it? And, it may even seem small, but I had a bit of a revelation while we were in New York City. I didn’t read Trump’s tweets all week and, honestly, I didn’t know this level of blissful existence was possible. For far too long, I found myself checking his Twitter on the regular — usually daily — and my mood was really starting to feel it. Without even realizing it, I’d developed this unhealthy habit. Why did I feel so compelled to read his disgusting dribble when most of it wasn’t even true? There’s enough bullying on social media. I certainly didn’t need to seek it out myself! The more I think about it, if we ALL unfollowed Trump? That just might be the most patriotic thing we ever do.

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I also explore whether it’s irresponsible, especially for me as an op-ed writer and journalist, to ignore his tweets…

I’ve found myself deep in that endless scrolling. What was he doing? What was he saying? Who was he bullying now? I looked at his Twitter not because I wanted to stay on top of current events necessarily; I just couldn’t put my phone down, in the same way that you can’t stop watching really bad reality TV for its shock value: “OMG, did he really just tweet that?” Sigh of disbelief.

Not reading Donald Trump’s words on social media would be a powerful act of collective resistance. Millions of us could be sending the message that racism, homophobia, misogyny and ableism have no place in 2019. Not in our communities. Not in our government. And not in our social media feeds.

What Trump craves is for Twitter to be his stage and for people who hang on his every word. He wants an audience. Let’s not give him one.

You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

[Photo via Unsplash]

My Essay on CNN Opinion: “Why Lilly Singh Is What Late Night Comedy Needs Right Now”

Lilly SinghAhhh, friends! I can’t believe that I forgot to share one of my CNN op-eds with you! This one is all the way back from the end of March about YouTuber Lilly Singh breaking the glass ceiling of late-night TV. Bye bye, boys’ club!!!

I’ve been forever frustrated by the landscape of late night, haven’t you?? Especially in our current political climate and the #MeToo era, we’re seeing men telling us the news of the day — from their perspective. We’re in an age right now where we need better inclusion and representation when it comes to who is telling these stories, and I’m hoping that Lilly Singh hosting a late night show will be the first in a very long line of glass-ceiling-breaking female hosts.

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I even take the writers’ rooms of late night to task for not employing nearly enough female writers…

It’s easy for someone like Leno, an older white male, to say that late-night comics should stay out of politics, but the fact is it’s 2019 — and it would be tone deaf to ignore the political and social challenges facing Americans. In fact, I would argue that it’s even more critical that Singh have a show, so she can start national conversations around marginalized communities.

Late-night television often provides the fodder for the water cooler (or Slack thread) conversations the next morning. So, Singh will soon have a powerful platform to kickstart a conversation on a host of issues, especially as we near the 2020 presidential election.

You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

My Essay on CNN Opinion: “What Clouded Ali Stroker’s Shining Tony Moment”

Ali StrokerAfter two months of my pitches missing the mark, I got another acceptance from CNN Opinion!! Did you see Ali Stroker take home a coveted trophy at this year’s Tony Awards? Her nomination alone was a game-changer, but her win? Well, it’s downright historic!

She became the first wheelchair user to win and my heart soared when I heard her inspiring speech, in which she dedicated her award to kids with disabilities who have been waiting to be seen in the world.

But for all the moving-forward, making-progress vibes of her award, we still saw a stark reminder that society still has a ways to go when it comes to inclusion. Ali Stroker’s historic Tony win shows us about disability and accessibility — namely, that society still needs to do better.

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I explore this question: It’s 2019…why are people with disabilities still an after-thought and expected to live in a world that wasn’t made for them?

My heart sank because this scene illustrates the everyday ableism people with disabilities face, and it’s not an uncommon one. The issue of accessibility is something we’re all too familiar with, from theaters without ramps to restaurants with steps to buildings without elevators.

The truth is, the world is not made for people with disabilities, and there’s no denying the twinge of irony that came with Stroker’s win. Here she was, breaking down barriers and shattering disability stereotypes, yet confronted with a barrier to accept the award. In addition, by separating her from her peers and fellow nominees, this lack of a ramp was yet another example of a person with a disability being physically marginalized or separated from a group or community because of being differently abled than everyone else.

It’s telling the disability community that they need to conform to the able-bodied world instead of the other way around.

You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

My Essay on CNN Opinion: “Wheelchair Barbie — the Doll I’ve Been Waiting My Entire Life For”

Wheelchair BarbieRemember when I shared that photo of the Barbie collection that Janelle and I had growing up? You know, how we’d play with them for hours on end and give them grand, sweeping adventures? Ahh, yes, those were certainly the days — shout to the ’80s and ’90s!! But you know what? I always used to wonder why none of the dolls looked like me. Where was Wheelchair Barbie, I thought??

Well, I got to celebrate a most glorious of days recently!! One of my writing goals for 2019 is to publish an op-ed on CNN every month. I’m 2/2 so far with my latest essay about Mattel’s upcoming Barbie in a wheelchair and what this means for disability representation. And, YES, this is such a big deal when it comes to the disability community. It means that children will feel seen in their favorite toys. It means that they’ll be able to identify with the toys they play with every day. It means that they’ll feel included rather than excluded.

That. Is. Monumental. My amazing friend Emily Ladau says it perfectly. Emily is a writer and disability advocate, and like me, she wished for Wheelchair Barbie when she was young…

“To see a move toward updating and expanding disability representation in Barbie’s world isn’t just fulfilling one of my childhood wishes; it’s ensuring that other kids who play with Barbie dolls will also recognize that disability is part of who people are. While I believe there’s much more work to be done for the toy industry to truly represent diversity in a meaningful way, I think including certain types of physical disabilities indicates a long overdue step in the right direction.”

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, where I was so happy to get the chance to interview some disability advocates and get their thoughts…

“Maybe with the new Barbie in a wheelchair, future generations of children with disabilities will come to embrace what makes them different instead of feeling shame. Being disabled profoundly shapes a person’s experiences. It’s an important part of one’s identity, and like Doctor Barbie or Black Barbie, it should be represented and normalized.

And for some people with disabilities, a wheelchair even plays a key role in their personal success. It’s both a powerful symbol of freedom and independence, and a tool that helps people live a full and meaningful life.

As Barbie celebrates her 60th birthday next month, my hope is that these lessons surrounding representation, inclusivity and empathy will inspire a new generation.”

Wheelchair BarbieYou can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! And here’s to us going home for the holidays, wherever that may be! Love you all… xoxo

My Essay on CNN Opinion: “Casting Bryan Cranston As a Quadriplegic…?

Bryan CranstonI suppose it’s only fitting that my first byline of 2019 is a CNN op-ed!! I wrote about how disappointing it is to see another able-bodied actor playing a disabled character. This time, it’s Bryan Cranston in The Upside and, well, I don’t see any upside to lack of representation. And if the comments I’ve received are any indication, we’ve got a long way to go on squashing ableism. Spoiler alert: NEVER read the Twitter comments!

Anyway, I’ve written about the need for greater and more positive disability representation in TV and movies in the past. I’ve also featured initiatives like the Disability Film Challenge that are advocating for inclusion and working tirelessly to give actors with disabilities a voice. That’s why, with all these amazing changes happening in the disability community, Hollywood still seems so behind the times. Are they just not hearing our pleas? Do they not care about getting it right on the big and small screen? When will they catch up and get it right?

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, in which I outline exactly how it makes me feel to see an able-bodied actor on screen, in a wheelchair, playing a character who is disabled. It’s not only insulting, but it’s also incredibly inauthentic to see Bryan Cranston in the role…

As a disabled woman, I never saw people like me on TV or the movie screen. I didn’t see them in my favorite romantic comedies. I didn’t see them in my favorite sitcoms. I didn’t see them anywhere — not even in commercials. Instead, I saw able-bodied actors playing disabled characters.

There is an important distinction here. It’s easy to pretend to have a disability for a few months, knowing that you can get out of the wheelchair and walk away from it once filming is over. You will eventually leave it behind and go on to the next project.

But people with disabilities can’t do that. Part of acting is being able to identify with the character you’re playing, and being disabled is an identity, so no matter how brilliant the actor is, unless that actor is also disabled, the authenticity just won’t be there and the character won’t be entirely believable.

You can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts and this casting of Bryan Cranston! Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! And here’s to us going home for the holidays, wherever that may be! Love you all… xoxo