Buckle up, Bear Country—this one’s a doozy. This week, we dive into The Berenstain Bears: God Made You Special, a book that on the surface has the best of intentions but stumbles hard into some serious pitfalls. What happens when a children’s book about faith and differences accidentally reinforces inspiration porn, infantilization, and outdated disability tropes? A very uncomfortable discussion.
Sources Referenced:
📖 Special Olympics Inclusive Language Guide
📖 Disability Rights UK on “Inspiration Porn”
📖 Ashley Shew’s Against Technoableism
Join the conversation! Drop your thoughts in the comments, share your own favorite (or least favorite) books about disability, and let’s talk about how we can create a more inclusive Bear Country.
