Such a Pretty Girl: A Story of Struggle, Empowerment, and Disability Pride

by Nadina LaSpina

Overview

A memoir by a disability rights activist

Such a Pretty Girl is Nadina LaSpina's story—from her early years in her native Sicily, where still a baby she contracts polio, a fact that makes her the object of well-meaning pity and the target of messages of hopelessness; to her adolescence and youth in America, spent almost entirely in hospitals, where she is tortured in the quest for a cure and made to feel that her body no longer belongs to her; to her rebellion and her activism in the disability rights movement.

LaSpina’s personal growth parallels the movement’s political development—from coming together, organizing, and fighting against exclusion from public and social life, to the forging of a common identity, the blossoming of disability arts and culture, and the embracing of disability pride.

While unique, the author's journey is also one with which many disabled people can identify. It is the journey to find one's place in an ableist world—a world not made for disabled people, where disability is only seen in negative terms. La Spina refutes all stereotypical narratives of disability. Through the telling of her life’s story, without editorializing, she shows the harm that the overwhelming focus on pity and on a cure that remains elusive has done to disabled people. Her story exposes the disability prejudice ingrained in our sociopolitical system and denounces the oppressive standards of normalcy in a society that devalues those who are different and denies them basic rights.

Written as continuous narrative and in a subtle and intimate voice, Such a Pretty Girl is a memoir as captivating as a novel. It is one of the few disability memoirs to focus on activism, and one of the first by an immigrant.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613320990
Publisher:	New Village Press
Publication date:	07/19/2019
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Nadina LaSpina is a prominent activist in the disability rights movement and has been arrested countless times for civil disobedience. You can find her in the streets with Disabled In Action, ADAPT, the Disability Caucus, and other groups. After teaching Italian for many years, LaSpina created and taught courses in Disability Studies at The New School. She lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Part I Che Peccato: What a Shame 1

1 Riposto 3

2 The Best Hospital 19

3 Blood Sisters 33

4 Blythedale 47

5 The Real World 57

6 Better Off 75

7 A Place Where I Never Want to Go Back 87

Part II Fighting Back 99

8 We Can Fight for Our Rights 101

9 Just One of the Graduate Students 111

10 The Handicapped Teacher 127

11 Amputation 135

12 You Do What You Have to Do 143

13 Not a Real Cheery Picture 155

Part III Love and Activism 171

14 Love and Activism on Two Continents 173

15 Free Our People 187

16 No Need to Settle 197

17 The Handsome New Guy 207

18 Dead of Winter 219

19 Danny 227

20 Crips Are Beautiful 245

Part IV Come Sono Contenta: How Happy I Am 257

21 Vado Via Contento: I'm Going Away Happy 259

22 Come Sono Contenta: How Happy I Am 269

23 Thank You, Life 279

24 I Promise We'll Have Fun 293

25 Riposto 311

Epilogue 327

Acknowledgments 337

Editorial Reviews

"The author skillfully ties her personal experiences into a broader social and historical context … an empowering and feminist book. It shows an immigrant, writer, teacher, and activist’s perspective on pivotal moments in history. In an intimate way, Such a Pretty Girl shows how far disability rights have come in the past 70 years and touches on inequalities that still exist."

Book Riot

"A feminist, personal perspective on disability. One of the main themes is the author’s developing ability to claim and enjoy her own beauty and sexuality."

Gillian Kendall

"A feminist, personal perspective on disability. One of the main themes is the author’s developing ability to claim and enjoy her own beauty and sexuality." -Gillian Kendall,coauthor, How I Became a Human Being

“From the first vivid chapter set in Sicily to her gutsy activism in the U.S., LaSpina’s triumphant memoir of a richly lived life held me rapt."-Alix Kates Shulman

From the Publisher

★ 2019-04-28
From pity to empowerment, a woman born with polio illuminates her personal changes in attitude and accomplishment amid sweeping societal changes in rights for the disabled.

As a child in Sicily, LaSpina struggled with her family to understand the disease with which she was born. Was it a sign of the family's sin, and was she the cross they had to bear? Was it her destiny? If so, was she destined to be single and celibate? A nun or an old maid? Her father didn't think so; he moved the family to America, hoping that better medical care would provide a miracle cure. The author found herself in hospitals with other children who had mobility issues and other diseases. She underwent a series of painful surgeries, intending to be able to walk and leave behind the wheelchair she had learned to love. Ultimately, she did walk, with braces and crutches, but she kept falling, breaking bones and complicating her life. She wanted to please her father, who had focused the family's life and resources on enabling her to walk. Yet she was also becoming part of an activist movement that stressed acceptance and independence. Once feeling so insular, alone, and helpless, LaSpina, who created and taught courses in disability studies at the New School, began to feel "good to belong, to be part of something. I wasn't sure what that something was, but I knew I wanted to be part of it." Her memoir encompasses activism, civil disobedience, and legislation that would help move disability from the realm of disease requiring treatment (and eliciting pity) to respect, acceptance, and equal protection under the law. The author also addresses sexuality and romance, showing how she discovered that her life need not be limited as it once seemed destined to be.

"I was the luckiest woman in the world," insists the author in this revelatory and deeply moving memoir that clearly shows how and why she came to feel that way.

Kirkus Reviews

"In this insightful memoir, disability activist LaSpina effortlessly shares how her personal experiences led to her activism, creating a compelling story that is both instructive and moving. ... readers will encounter her successes and set-backs, both personal and political, and learn about the U.S. medical system and its treatment of individuals with disabilities. ... LaSpina's story of determination and hard-won independence is engaging, informative, and ultimately, inarguably, inspiring."

STARRED Booklist

"A memoir fueled by passion and grounded in history. Nadina LaSpina’s beautifully written narrative reveals a conscientious citizen and an exuberant and vibrant woman. Such a Pretty Girl is ultimately a love story."

Simi Linton

"From the first vivid chapter set in Sicily to her gutsy activism in the U.S., LaSpinas triumphant memoir of a richly lived life held me rapt."

Alix Kates Shulman

Jennifer Jill Araya gives a spirited performance of this captivating memoir by disability rights activist Nadina LaSpina. LaSpina, who contracted polio as a baby in Sicily, moved with her family to the U.S. as a teenager. She recounts the time she spent in hospitals, the abuse she suffered at the hands of doctors, and her experiences as a leader in the disability rights movement. LaSpina’s writing about disability culture is especially poignant, and Araya’s narration beautifully captures her burgeoning sense of disability pride. Whether she’s describing intimate moments between lovers or historic protests, Araya’s smooth, musical voice is a pleasure to listen to. Her ability to capture emotions heightens the power of LaSpina’s story. L.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile