The Crippled America hashtag started an important conversation. It's not the one Trump intended.
How disability Twitter took back the #CrippledAmerica hashtag.
Like so many words centered on impaired bodies, "cripple" has a negative connotation.
So when presidential candidate Donald Trump managed to both insult a reporter who has a physical disability and release a book titled "Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again," you can bet Disability Twitter responded.
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Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.
The #CrippledAmerica tweet-in started in a blog post by Nina G., who was, at that time, the world's only stuttering stand-up comedian.
She wrote:
 “In protest to Trump's initial remarks of Kovaleski and subsequent comments about how much money he has spent on people with disabilities, I propose we have a TWEET-IN protest (just like a sit-in).
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 To help educate Trump and the rest of the US about the American Disability experience, tweet #CrippledAmerica (a hash tag he has used to publicize his book released this month).
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Share your experiences of life, love, barriers, employment, parenting, sex, art and everything else that represents real Disabled Americans! Let's make our experiences heard! #CrippledAmerica #DisabilityPride #Empowerment"
Folks started tweeting about their American disability experiences immediately after reading Nina's blog.
They "hijacked" Trump's hashtag like she suggested, using it to share their daily lives with the world:
Women w disabilities have a 40% higher chance of intimate partner violence than women without. THAT is #CrippledAmerica #DisabilityPride
— Lindsay Baran (@lindsay_baran) December 2, 2015
And information, services, and shelters are rarely accessible to women with disabilities. #CrippledAmerica https://t.co/VaKXH9Qr2m
— Ryann (@ryann_patrus) December 3, 2015
While most people hear how lucky they are to have their adorable children, I hear how lucky my kid is to have me. #CrippledAmerica
— Elizabeth Picciuto (@epicciuto) December 2, 2015
 #CrippledAmerica is paying extra for vital services like transportation. $75 to reserve a cab to the NYC airport when it's usually $40.
— Lauren Krohn (@lkrohnnutrition) December 2, 2015
Thousands of tweets later, Twitter is full of everyday details about living with a disability.
The tweets cover everything from health care to social norms to job interviews and, of course, Trump.
When most people hang out at the bar, they're drunks. When I do it, I'm an inspiration. #CrippledAmerica
— Brandon R. Friede (@brfriede) December 2, 2015
Went on a job interview several years ago, at a law firm. Turned out they had no entrance without steps. #CrippledAmerica
— Goddessoflubbock (@hotandhumid) December 2, 2015
People sometimes speak to me with the same voice reserved for dogs and small children. I have a master's degree. #CrippledAmerica
— Sara Luterman (@slooterman) December 1, 2015
Some folks also wanted to remind Trump that it's not just that America is crippled — it's that he actually needs "Crippled America," too.
Disability is largest minority in US. U can't win w/o us #CrippledAmerica #stealingyourhashtag
— Lara Schwartz (@Lara_Schwartz) December 2, 2015
 To Mr. Trump, I'll say this: Americans with disabilities want you to know that supporting Crippled America is one important route to making America great again.
 Please try it out.