Different Worlds and Different Bodies: the Disabled Body in Literature

From the Seven Dwarfs through to the Little Mermaid, depiction of the disabled body in literature and mainstream media has been undeniably shaped by fairy tale story, rhythm, and the quest for the "happy ending". But what does that happy ending look like when your body doesn't fit the mould traditionally associated with it? Join Canadian author and disability rights advocate Amanda Leduc for a presentation exploring the history of the disabled body in fairy tales and literature-a talk that examines the forces that shape our perceptions, and encourages us to engage in new, responsible ways with story so that disabled bodies-and human beings-can thrive in the world we shape with story today.

This event will include live captioning, BSL, and a comfort break. The event will be recorded for access purposes.

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate. She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was longlisted for the 2020 Barbellion Prize, and the novel The Miracles of Ordinary Men (ECW Press, 2013). Her new novel, The Centaur's Wife, is forthcoming from Random House Canada in February of 2021.