Living the Edges: A Disabled Woman’s Reader, the lives of women with disabilities have not changed much. Still Living the Edges provides a timely follow-up that traces the ways disabled women are still on the edges, whether that be on the cutting edge, being pushed to the edges of society, or challenging the edges—the barriers in their way. This collection brings together the diverse voices of women with various disabilities, both physical and mental, from nations such as Canada, the United States, Australia, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Through articles, poetry, essays, and visual art, disabled women share their experiences with employment, relationships, body image, sexuality and family life, society’s attitudes, and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. In their own voices, they explore their identity as women with disabilities, showcasing how they continue to challenge the physical and attitudinal barriers that force them to the edges of society and instead place themselves at the centre of new and emerging narratives about disability.

Diane Driedger has been involved in the disability rights movement at the local, national and international levels for 40 years, with organizations such as Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI), the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada, and Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD). She has published ten books, including four anthologies by women with disabilities, and The Last Civil Rights Movement: Disabled Peoples’ International (1989). She is also a poet and visual artist. Her most recent poetry book is Red With Living (2016). Diane is Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Disability Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Diane Driedger's profile page

"I am recommending Still Living the Edges because I see myself in the pages. It is beyond lyrical, laughable and likeable. It includes leaders, legislation and loyalty. It captures our stories in poetry, art and narrative plus surprising highlights of shared barriers, stereotypes and marginalisation because we are women living with our disabilities – regardless of the label our disabilities are given. This book highlights our struggle to be mothers, lovers and others. Our roles in voicing issues that impact on our lives, sharing our history, and at times untold secrets hidden in the past and the present. Read it, learn."

—Pat Danforth, Founding Member, DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada

"In Still Living The Edges, Dr. Driedger provides an eclectic lens for the reader to challenge their personal experiences and bias through the expertise of the contributors. This impressive selection of stories and testimonials, articles, poems, and prose keeps you engaged and provides insights from an intersectional framework! I was personally enthralled with each contribution and took away a broadened perspective of how life impacts each of us very differently, as we continue to strive towards a barrier-free society."
—Kathy J. Hawkins, President, DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada