Editing Disability-Affirming Content: Deconstructing Media Representation, Tropes, Stereotypes, Euphemisms, and Slurs

Join Editors Toronto on Tuesday, January 27, 2025, at 7:00 pm EST via Zoom for “Editing Disability-Affirming Content: Deconstructing Media Representation, Tropes, Stereotypes, Euphemisms, and Slurs.”

In this disability-affirming language session for editors, we will focus on deconstructing both past and currently evolving language choices in a way that avoids “best practices” and any form of prescriptivism or “correct or incorrect usage.” While we will discuss the “whys” and “hows” of language options, style choices, and style guides, we will also focus on questions, concepts, considerations, and resources for further reading with the goal of looking beyond language. By analyzing theoretical models of disability, disability frameworks, history, grassroots activism, public policy, social determinants of health, media representation, implicit biases and ableism, tropes and stereotypes, and intersecting forms of oppression on a systemic level, we will consider how ableism translates into real-life consequences not only for disabled people but for everyone – and discuss how to bring disability-affirming practices to our editing spheres and beyond.

About the Speaker:

Natalia Iwanek (she/they) is a disabled and chronically ill freelance copy editor, proofreader, and translator with a specialization in plain language, inclusive language, and accessibility. Natalia holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and political science, has completed both the editing and plain language certificate programs at Simon Fraser University, and is currently working toward a master’s degree in Spanish translation. From 2024 to 2025, Natalia was the co-editor-in-chief of Editors Toronto’s BoldFace, previously served as assistant to the editor-in-chief, and sat on the Editors Canada student relations committee, the marketing and communications committee, and the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) task force. In 2022 and 2021, Natalia was a recipient of the Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service. Natalia navigates life as a disabled and chronically ill person between Northern Mexico and Central Canada.

Accessibility:

Closed captioning will be available via Zoom during the event.

Schedule:

6:55 pm — Zoom meeting opens
7:00 pm — Opening remarks
7:05 pm — Natalia Iwanek
7:45 pm — Q&A