Is disability a tragedy? Is it a gift? What place is there for grief and for joy in this story of disability so many of us are living within our families? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently portrayed disability as tragic, as something that needs to be fixed, in his comments about autism. In response, Matthew Mooney, co-founder of 99 Balloons, joins Amy Julia Becker to share a better and truer story of disability. They explore:
- Societal perceptions of disability
- How relationships change the story of disability
- Recognizing the inherent worth of every individual
- Navigating grief, loss, and suffering
- Cultivating the beauty found in community
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- 99 Balloons
- Amy Julia's Vox essay: My daughter has Down syndrome. Would I “cure” her if I could?
- NYT Essay by Emily May: Kennedy Described My Daughter's Reality
- I Corinthians 12, Exodus 4, and John 9:3
- Hans Reinders
- RFK Jr.’s statements about autism
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WATCH this conversation on YouTube by clicking here. READ the full transcript and access detailed show notes by clicking here or visiting amyjuliabecker.com/podcast.
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ABOUT:
When Matthew and his wife Ginny were 30 weeks pregnant, they learned their son Eliot had trisomy 18. Eliot was born eight weeks later and lived for 99 days. The Mooneys founded 99 Balloons, a nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities locally and globally.
Matthew now serves on the 99 Balloons Board and lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Ginny and their three children—Hazel, Anders, and Lena.
A writer, speaker, and consultant on disability and inclusion, Matthew is also an attorney and a PhD candidate in Theological Ethics at Aberdeen University. His work has taken him to Haiti, Mexico, Ukraine, Uganda, India, and beyond.
Websites: 99 Balloons :: matthewlylemooney
Social: insta
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