By Sophia Best/The Sunflower
When asked by her brother what she hopes to bring into the world with her writing, Rebekah Taussig wrote, “I want my writing to meet people in that shame, to lift the veil and point to the source, to remind folks that their disabled bodies are not The Problem here, to hold up a flag that says, ‘You are not alone.’”
No book lifts that veil better than “Sitting Pretty.”
“Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body” by Taussig was chosen for Wichita’s 2025 Big Read because of how it covers a multitude of social issues that not only affect the disability community, but everyone. It also allows people to engage in disability culture — the experiences and beliefs of those with disabilities.
“Sitting Pretty” is a witty and poignant look at disability from a grossly underrepresented point of view — the people with disabilities. Taussig talks about her life, from making magazine cut-out vision boards and sleeping in the top bunk to how ableism intersects with her life.
Being a disabled woman gives her different experiences than an able-bodied woman or a disabled woman of color. Taussig comedically tells her perspective while not sharing it as “a how-to guide.”
“Sitting Pretty” gave me both laughs and an understanding of one woman’s journey through life and how ableism affected it, even when events and people were attempting to be fully inclusive. Even at events that label themselves as inclusive, Taussig noticed they don’t have a bathroom accessible for a wheelchair user.
I thoroughly enjoyed Taussig’s “mini-memoirs” and how childhood anxieties about being different both grow and shrink as you age, like in the chapter “Feminist Pool Party.”
Taussig talks about being the only disabled girl at childhood pool parties and sleepovers, how it left her feeling alienated and begging her mother to make up an excuse for her not to go, and how that alienation followed her into adulthood.
While talking about accessibility, “Sitting Pretty” makes itself accessible to both readers and non-readers through snappy, entertaining vignettes. It keeps the reader wanting more, and it’s the perfect read for Wichita’s Big Read.
The Big Read began March 15 and will finish April 26. Check out upcoming events, such as a mini-memoir workshop and a preschool storytime, to engage with the book in the Wichita community.
The Wichita Journalism Collaborative, of which The Sunflower is a part, will host a panel event on April 23, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Advanced Learning Library, located at 711 W. 2nd St. The event, titled “Housing for All,” will focus on the challenges individuals face when seeking accessible and affordable housing.
This article was republished here with the permission of: The Sunflower