In “Dark Disabled Stories,” Ryan J. Haddad brings his experiences as a single gay man with cerebral palsy to the stage at the Public Theater in New York City. While the play still features Haddad’s signature sexual encounters, this time he presents the harsher realities of being abandoned or duped after them. Haddad’s aim with this play is to confront the everyday challenges that disabled people face, without sugarcoating them. The show challenges the common narratives of disability representation: either disabled people are pitied or considered inspiring for going about their daily lives.
Throughout the play, Haddad and his co-star, Dickie Hearts, share their stories about sex and dating as LGBTQ+ disabled people. The goal is to create a conversation and normalize the idea that disabled people have the right to be exactly who they are and decide what is best for their bodies. The show sheds light on the fact that disability rights are the same basic human rights that women and LGBTQ+ people have fought for.
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Haddad and Hearts challenge the audience’s perception of disabled people by showcasing the “ordinary truth” of their experiences. This includes moments of conflict over bodily autonomy and the misconception that disabled people want to be “cured” or “fixed.” “Dark Disabled Stories” aims to educate and represent the fabulous disabled queer community and their sexual desires, bringing more diversity and inclusion to the stage.
The play also features Alejandra Ospina, who provides audio descriptions of the show, and her experience navigating New York City’s often inaccessible subway system in a motorized wheelchair. Hearts, who is Deaf and multiracial, communicates alongside Haddad in American Sign Language and shares his own hookup story in the play. The show brings together performers and perspectives beyond Haddad’s own, creating a conversation around disability and LGBTQ+ representation.
In a society that often ignores or marginalizes disabled people, “Dark Disabled Stories” gives a voice to the unheard and unseen realities of the LGBTQ+ disabled community. By exposing these difficult truths, Haddad and Hearts hope to create a more inclusive and accepting society that celebrates diversity in all its forms.
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