Brontë GrimmDec 4, 2022

My career as a disabled artist who makes art about my experiences as a disabled trans person can be summed up via an excerpt from the last grant rejection letter I received:

“…while the members of the selection panel felt your art was evocative, accomplished, and beautiful, we collectively felt the subject matter of disability would disturb and upset art patrons. Your work was ultimately rejected because we felt it wouldn’t resonate with the public.”

…My reality.

#MastoArt #disabled

Show threadDrewDec 4, 2022

@brontegrimm This hit hard. earlier this week I got a rejection letter from a publisher that read "this is very powerful and thank you for sharing your truth but" then they said it was too sad and didn't align with the themes of that collection. I remember thinking "how do you put a positive spin on having OCD, Anxiety, Severe Depression, and Paranoid Schizophrenia?"

It can be really hard when people don't understand what it is like. It hurts sometimes.

Show threadBrontë Grimm
@dharmadischarge it definitely hurts, no matter how many times you experience ableism. These kinds of ableism-laced rejections feel like personal attacks, because the thing they have issues with is inherent to who we are. I’m so sorry you have experienced this, too. Sending you solidarity hugs 🖤
Dec 5, 2022 at 12:54pmWeb