Summer Book Reading: ‘My Body Is Not a Prayer Request’
Author: Amy Kenny
Reviewer: Mary Beth Farrell, Priest | Saint Mark’s Shared Ministry Team
Last week, as I was backing out of my space in our building’s garage, I saw a neighbor step into my rearview mirror. I didn’t hit him, but quickly saw that he had decided to help me back out of my space. He had a big smile on his face, and he looked like an airport ground control employee, with big arm movements. He is also slightly hard of hearing, so it took a couple of minutes for him to understand that I wanted him to move out of the way. I was as kind as possible, but I could see the deflated look on his face because he couldn’t “help” me.
I think that we’ve all had experiences like this, receiving help that isn’t helpful. And I will be the first to admit that I have done what my neighbor attempted to do, on multiple occasions.
The reason that these experiences caused me to pause is the excellent book I am reading, My Body Is Not a Prayer Request by Amy Kenny. The author explains that the title is “a loving pushback to the idea that my disabled body is an invitation for people to approach me without knowing me and without my consent, with the message that they are praying my disability will be erased.”
Amy is a Shakespearean scholar and a disabled person who has been a part of church communities her whole life.
She states that, “My disability is seen as a liability in church spaces, instead of a gift and blessing. And that is in direct contradiction to the God I know, the faith I have and the scripture that I read.”
As Episcopalians, we are known for our messages of inclusion– You are welcome regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, etc. But what are we doing, not just saying, to push back against ableism?
The more I read, the more I sensed the urgency and importance of her voice. And her message is embedded deeply in Scripture, in the words of our Lord, and the tenets of our faith.
As a disabled person in the church, I have been impacted in similar ways. Trying to negotiate a system that isn’t designed for disability and permanent accommodations can be incredibly discouraging. But breaking through, being heard and seeing change is equally empowering.
Reading this book and hearing this author have deepened my understanding, and raised new questions. I commend it to you highly.
For more information about this book, contact the Bookshop at bookshop@ourcathedral.org . If there is sufficient interest, we could offer a book group for this title. Please contact marybethfarrell@msn.com if you are interested.
What are YOU reading or recommending right now? Send your suggestions to Mary Lusk, maryl@ourcathedral.org, for possible use in the Connector.
Read past Summer Book Readings:
Becoming Grandma: The Joys and Science of the New Grandparenting