You Read, I Draw

“Sitting Pretty; The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body” Observations and Reflections with Linda Kunick

Written by Courtney Combs-Mock

Linda Kunick, aka the Butterfly Lady

is drawing an art piece for Ensemble Theater reflecting on the book “Sitting Pretty” by Rebekah Taussig. Before we began reading, Linda knew she wanted to visualize this piece to show the process of receiving ground service at the airport. She had the idea to show the path from the front door all the way to the final destination as a Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders game board.

Linda asked me to read to her as she draws because she isn’t able to read on her own and audio books make her fall asleep. First we read the preface “To everyone with a body that has been sent to the margins. Our stories matter”. Linda asked, “what does in the margins mean?” I said, “off to the side” and Linda replied “Oh, this should be good!”

Instead of starting with the beginning, we chose a chapter from the contents to begin at what we thought would relate to her art concept the best. The chapter title that stood out was “The Complications of Kindness”. Many times, while reading this chapter, Linda and I stopped to reflect on how deeply we related to the stories.

“The goal is not to avoid falling or needing help. The goal is to be seen, asked, heard, believed, valued as we are, allowed to exist in these exact bodies, invited to the party, and encouraged to dance however we want to.”

— "Sitting Pretty" by Rebekah Taussig

The ideas of consent and communication being directly related to the effectiveness of kind acts is simply true; You must value the individual you wish to help enough to ask them if they need help (otherwise you are intruding with well wishes).

Then a series of questions came up and we paused reading to answer them. Linda answered each question thinking about a time where she experienced difficulty in an airport.

Linda in Progress

“This piece is about the time I was denied ground assistance at the airport. I always get it because I think I can’t find my way around without it.” Linda explains.

What needs did you actually have in the moment that were ignored or misunderstood?

LK: Once on a trip, when I landed in Michigan to return home to Cincinnati, I was denied the ground service that I requested because all the wheelchairs were being used and the people in them were upset for some reason. I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair because I am able to walk so the man said I had to go find the A2 Delta flight myself. I made him repeat over and over the name of the place I needed to go, he got upset when I said not to write it down.

I was upset and I went to every Delta airline I could find to ask them if they were going to Cincinnati, five said no. When I finally found the right flight I was so glad, I said “I did it!” But I shouldn’t have had to do that. That man should have helped me too because I can’t read or find my left from right.

Did you want anyone to help?

LK: Only if I ask for help, you know that.

Was it even helpful?

LK: No, it was not helpful. It made me like, gee wiz.

What could be put in place to anticipate this need?

LK: Practice before I leave, and I did on Delta. The airport could be nicer. A lot nicer. And more willing to help people out by putting them in wheelchairs and pushing them through the airport.

Did I want to be filmed or photographed?

LK: I don’t want to be filmed or photographed when ground service helps me because I want to be independent. That’s why I love the greyhound bus.

How many times have you been put in this position before?

LK: Another time and probably in the future when I travel to see my friend. When I was denied ground service it was because I didn’t look like I needed help and I did. Now I know that If I don’t let them put me in a wheelchair, I will not look like I need help.

How does this experience feel to you?

LK: It feels like when I was young and I followed Debbie (my sister) everywhere because I knew she would be able to help me. I had to be helped because I didn’t know how to say No. And now I don’t have to be helped with everything unless I choose. Now I’m a leader.

After answering the questions in this chapter, I continued reading to Linda as she drew butterflies being pushed in wheelchairs; she sees herself as the butterfly.

She tells me that I’m going to have to help her out with something different and to type out some words for her. Linda is an author of 3 memoirs, using Dragon (speech to text technology) and her sister as an advocate editor.

She has me type out this list:

WAIT HERE

5 DELTAS LATER

“I FOUND IT!”

MAKE IT HOME

We cut and pasted the phrases on the game tiles, taking the audience through the difficulties of her journey in game form. Some spaces Linda kept open because, “I didn’t know what to do there either.”

Linda’s artwork and other Visionaries + Voices artists reflection pieces will be on display at the Cincinnati Public Library, Walnut Hills Branch on June 9th at 6:00PM for the NEA: Big Read with author of “Sitting Pretty”, Rebekah Tuassig. Following the Big Read, Rosalind Bush and Linda Kunick will lead art workshops making butterfly puppets and tape sculptures that is free for all ages to participate.

Learn more

Disability Visibility at NCECA, 2023