Avoiding ableism in postapocalyptic fiction

[msmcknittington]

I was having a conversation in cleolinda's journal on LJ about how frustrating the Dies the Fire and other books in that universe by SM Stirling are because of the ableism. This is a pretty big stumbling block for me in postapocalyptic fiction, because I have insulin-dependent diabetes, and I basically see myself written out of the story whenever I pick up one of these books. And not just "you don't exist" but "you existed, but you died a horrible death which the author just couldn't be bothered to write about".

So! With that in mind, can anyone recommend any postapocalyptic fiction which addresses people with disabilities and/or chronic medical conditions? It could even be as simple as the character needing glasses to see and not being able to get them because of the postapocalyptic setting. I think I'd prefer it if the character was a major character in the novel who was fully fleshed out, rather than an emotional accessory for or someone to be "rescued" by the protagonist. Happy ending, if possible.

I feel like this is a pretty tall order, but there must be something out there somewhere. I'd even be open to just plain fantasy recommendations which deal with disability in a realistic way. That aren't, um, the Vorkosigan Saga, that is.

Comments

[msmcknittington]

I've read quite a bit of postapocalyptic fiction, too, and I was hoping that someone would have read something that I hadn't which actually addressed what I think is a huge and compelling issue, and not just because I have diabetes. I'm really hoping that this isn't one of those situations where "if you want it, create it!" because I don't want to write a postapocalyptic novel. I only want to read them.

Thank you! I'll see if I can't track down the movie or the comic.

Ironically, I think it would be easier for me to get the medications I need (albuterol inhaler, metformin) if I had license to break into a pharmacy and loot than it is now.

:( Oh, the sad truth of the American health care system.

[brigid]

I haven't read the comic but the movie was... interesting in parts and awful in other parts. I like the way the vampires were treated, actually.

[msmcknittington]

O noes! Do you want to go into more detail? I don't care if you spoil it.

[brigid]

I don't remember a lot of what I didn't like about it, just that I considered reccing it for a bad film festival some friends of mine run. There's some really cliched stuff going on, though.

If you're really into vampires, check it out. I don't regret watching it, but I wish it had been better.

[msmcknittington]

I just looked it up on Wikipedia, and I saw that it starred Josh Hartnett, so I'm kind of forming a mental picture of the acting and such. And some vampires are killed with a snowplow? Maybe I'll give the movie a miss . . .

[brigid]

Oh yeah, there is some serious over-the-top-ness.

I'm a huge sucker for fan of vampires, in general, so will usually watch crappy movies/read bad books about them just to get my vampire fix. And really, the way the actual vampires are handled was nicely done.

[msmcknittington]

I like vampires, but I don't really like really bloody movies, so what with the head crushing and vampire plowing, it probably won't be for me. Sadly, I'm a fan of angsty vampires, while simultaneously being aware that it's all a little silly, really, all these men in frilly shirts yearning for humanity and marinating in self-loathing. So I'd probably like most vampire horror movies more if there was less blood and more . . . La Bohème with vampires.

[brigid]

See, I'm fine with a bit of the old ultra-violence unless it is specifically racist or misogynist.

[msmcknittington]

I'm not too fond of ultra-violence. I feel bad when, like, nameless cowboys die in Westerns. I think I'm more OK with meaningful deaths that make sense, though I'm not always fond of them, either.

[clare_dragonfly]

On the plus side, this post has made me think about the postapocalyptic serial I'm working on and consider adding disabled characters--something that has, I'm sorry to say, never occurred to me. It isn't a sudden apocalypse, more of a combination of economic troubles and physical and chemical warfare that contributed to a relatively slow decline, but surely people with glasses, diabetics, and asthmatics would still be around!

The main character does have PTSD, which is a different sort of disability. When I get it up and running (I plan to write it as an online serial), I'll be sure to let you know. Also hi, I know you from Ravelry! :D

[msmcknittington]

Yay! I'm glad something good has come out of it! :D

Hello! Are you also clare_dragonfly there?

[clare_dragonfly]

Yes I am! Well, actually claredragonfly with no underscore, because Ravelry doesn't let you have underscores (and hardly anybody lets you have hyphens, which is what I prefer). I'm in the Steamy Stitches group and I think we might have a couple of other groups in common too.