As a person living with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (aka brittle bone disease), US-based singer-songwriter Gaelynn Lea uses her music to advocate for social change and bring the experiences of people with disabilities to the forefront. Her new song, ‘I Wait’ focuses on disability rights and is a plea for social justice-focused movements to include those with disabilities in their conversations.
“Disabled people truly need access to healthcare — it’s literally life or death — and they have been on the front lines of activism efforts to oppose cuts since the day our current administration took power. Many disabled activists have been arrested during protests and thousands more have been vocal online and in print,” Lea explains. “And yet, I’d read article after article — from really progressive publications — that would not even mention the disability community when referring to marginaliSed groups that would be affected by healthcare cuts. Or if we were discussed, it was little more than an afterthought.”
