Tomas Young is 28 years old, sexy, well-spoken, from Kansas City, MO, and unfortunately, a T4 paraplegic. 

In 2003, he was shot and paralyzed by enemy fire (”Instantly dropping my AK 47,” he describes, after getting shot) after only 5 days in Iraq. Body of War is an amazing documentary that EVERYONE should see. Co-directed by the legendary Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, this film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March and is currently touring the country.

To learn more about this anti-war film, visit the it’s site, BodyofWar.com. Make sure to watch the trailer and to peruse it’s screening schedule; it may be coming to a city near you. I’m hoping that SOON it’ll be available on Netflix (I have the 3-disc unlimited plan), and I REALLY need to see this film in it’s entirety, instead of through dozens of various YouTube clips.

I almost had the opportunity to see it the first weekend of June here in Minneapolis at the National Free Press Conference, but due to PCA scheduling issues and my own damn fault, I couldn’t see the screening (or go to the awesome Q&A session afterwards with Phil Donahue). I’m still kicking myself over that.

ANYWAYS, Eddie Vedder (lead singer of Pearl Jam) wrote/performed a song for the film called, “No More.” It’s beautiful, poignant, and it makes me very happy to see such a high-profile musician affiliated with such an important film.

But yes, this film is great. It shows how brutal life with a SCI really is, how the VA has let Tomas down in re: to proper benefits to fully rehabilitate a paraplegic. and more importantly, how Iraq was a terrible mistake.

- Tiff

Stylish, sassy, chic … disabled?

Britain is airing a brand new model search reality show in July, specifically looking for models with disabilities. On a awful creative note, it’ll be called Britain’s Missing Top Model. They get no w00t from me for that lame show name.

Here’s the show’s tagline:

Eight young disabled women discover what it takes to be a model - but which of them will win a photo shoot and appear in a top fashion magazine?

Is this a marketing ploy? Is it a serious competition? My Brit friends will have to share their opinion with me after it airs, because unfortunately it’s damn near impossible to get BBC Three in Minnesota, unless you’e Stanley Hubbard.

Oh, and there’s one American on the show too. Her name is Jenny and she’s 22!

- Tiff

PS. I do give the show props for shedding light on the disparity of able-bodied vs. disabled models in the media though. Ok, that deserves a w00t…..”w00t.”

You gotta thank the wars our country has had for something: They’ve always helped disability rights. Why? Because disabled vets are a force to be reckoned with, and are once again changing the way society looks at disability. They’re bull-headed men/women who still want to live!

Look at WWII: It was because of those vets that adapted sports, better wheelchairs, the idea of independent living, etc, came to being. And in this fantastic article by FOX News (I can’t believe I’m pimping FOX News out. Help me God), Iraq vets are specifically making sexuality AND disability intertwined and a subject that has got the media talking. Check it out:

FOXSexpert: Can Disability Be Sexy? You Bet!

I specifically like this quote: “When most people think ’sexy,’ they don’t think disabled. Yet people with disabilities can be very sexual — much more than we give them credit for. Consider, for example, that some women with complete spinal cord injury experience orgasm.”

So, does this finally mean that AB guys no longer need to feel like they’re a perv if they find me sexy?

- Tiff

From the guy who brought you the award-winning movie, Super Size Me (Morgan Spurlock), comes the FX television show “30 Days.” It’s third season premieres June 3rd. And look what pertinent episode they have coming up!

“Ray played football for Baylor University from 1984-88 before his NFL draft in 1989. He won two Super Bowl rings in 1998 and 1999 as a starting member of the Denver Broncos. …In 1991, Ray was on the field with the Detroit Lions when his teammate and friend, Mike Utley, was involved in a play that left him paralyzed from the chest down.”

“For 30 Days, Ray will live in a wheelchair and will rely on his mental discipline to keep his legs immobile. His home and his car will be retrofitted to accommodate his needs. Coaching duties for his son’s football team will continue and Ray will join the Texas Stampede, the wheelchair rugby team featuring players made famous in the documentary film Murderball. He will attend a weekly support group for paraplegics at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation and meet with a physical therapist to monitor any potential side effects.

Throughout his 30 Days experience, Ray will be under the medical supervision of Dr. Robert Bruce in order to track any muscle loss, blood clots, pressure sores or other side effects that could occur while he is wheelchair-bound.”

How. awesome. is. that. Talk about a great thing for AB’s to witness.

Go Morgan Spurlock and Ray Crockett. You guys both get free swirly cones from my step-dad’s DQ!

For more info visit the show’s website @ 30 Days.

- Tiff

Amputee Swimmer Qualifies for the (actual) 2008 Olympics

Go Natalie du Toit of South Africa! Pave the way, girl!

- Tiff

Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film “The Orphanage” (”El Orfanato”), is an amazing horror film that literally INVENTS a new genre of horror.

And the best part, it features characters with disabilities. A very interesting, relevant movie for me (and I’m sure for you too).

The reason I believe it invents a new genre within the genre of horror, is because you actually cry tears of joy for the “scary bad people” at the end of the film.

Talk about a mindfuck. I truly loved it!

It’s on DVD and Netflix’s “Play Now” feature, so check it out asap. If you’re a horror fan and don’t mind subtitles, and have a disability on top of all that, you’ll really like this film.

Your sorta-movie reviewer extrordinaire…

- Tiff

It was just published yesterday, and it talks about all the really exciting and varied options there are (stem cells, olfactory cells, estim, schwann cells, pharmeceuticals, ‘aggressive PT,’ and gene therapy) to hopefully treat SCI, and soon find a cure/treatment.

Advances offer hope for spinal cord injured patients

It’s just good to see this kind of stuff in the news.

The more public awareness on SCI, the better! For real! We can’t let Paris Hilton, pointless primary coverage, and news on Scarlett Johanson’s engagement hog the news ALL the time.

- Tiff

I’m giving props this Friday eve to Logan Olson, a sexy chic wiith a TBI who started Logan Magazine not so long ago; a mag for young women with disabilities.

What a great concept! And it looks so professional too. w00t!

- Tiff

Did you know that DC Comics had their character, Batgirl (Batman’s daughter, Barbara Gordon), become paralyzed after being shot by her arch-enemy, The Joker, who then changed her identity to “Oracle”…a sexy paraplegic, computer genius, who ran her team of able-bodied ass-kicking proteges from her home in Gotham’s Clocktower?

And the coolest part? WB had a show based on “Oracle” called Birds of Prey, that was on from 2002 - 2003. “Oracle” was played by Dina Meyers; a red headed, blue-eyed, future-esque using wheelchair phenom…this sexy, main character WITH a disability was and still is a big deal to have ever made it to network television. A powerful and SEXY woman in a wheelchair?! Usually VERY taboo….

Here are some awesome screenshots from the show:

- Tiff

PS. Birds of Prey will be released on DVD July 15th, 2008.

Very sad , but something that needs to be shared:

Disabled Pregnant Woman Used As Target Practice, Dies

My question is a simple one: What makes people this cruel? She was obvious not a threat, she had the mentality of a child so they couldn’t very well hold her accountable for anything she may have said/done that might have pissed them off. But to TORTURE, IMPRISON HER in a basement for months on end….WHY, why, WHY?

What do they get out of this??

- Tiff