When people talk about resistance, they often picture bodies in the streets. Raised fists. Chanting. Protest signs were held high for hours. That image is powerful, and it’s also incomplete.
For many, especially disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, or otherwise marginalized folks, marching isn’t always possible; sometimes it’s not safe or accessible, sometimes your body cannot do it. Opting out of protests is a valid, necessary choice that does not reflect your level of commitment.
And yet, resistance is broader than these loudest or most visible actions. Resistance is not one shape. It never has been.
What Resistance Actually Is
At the core, resistance refuses erasure. It means telling the truth, caring for others, building knowledge, and creating meaning even in systems that thrive on silence and exhaustion.
Resistance matters because power depends on compliance, and not all compliance looks like obedience. Sometimes it looks like it’s disappearing. Giving up. Believing you don’t matter enough to keep going.
Continuing anyway is a form of refusal.
Throughout history, movements have been sustained not just by protests, but by writers, organizers, archivists, caregivers, artists, researchers, teachers, and everyday people who kept showing up in the ways they could.
Resistance Has Always Been Multifaceted
The Civil Rights Movement thrived beyond marches. Community organizing, mutual aid, education, legal strategy, storytelling, and cultural work helped sustain it. The Black Panther Party is known for its militancy, but also ran breakfast programs, clinics, and educational forms of care-based resistance. (The Black Panther Party Stands for Health, 2026)
Disability justice movements show this further. Groups like ADAPT redefined access. (ADAPT and the Disability Rights Movement, 2026) Judy Heumann taught that dignity isn’t optional, and disabled people create change, not just receive it. (Mizner & Ciesemier, 2023) Intersectional leaders like Mia Mingus and Alice Wong highlight how overlapping identities strengthen resistance. (Wong & Mingus, 2014)
Much of that work didn’t happen on a single day in the streets. It happened over years. In meetings. In letters. In courtrooms. In classrooms. In living rooms. In bodies that were often exhausted and in pain.
That is resistance, too.
The Myth of “You Have to Be There”
There’s a harmful myth that says if you’re not physically present at every protest, you’re not doing enough. This disproportionately impacts people for whom attendance is impossible.
Accessible forms of resistance, such as online advocacy, letters to lawmakers, virtual meetings, fundraising, sharing resources, and peer discussions, remain valid ways to contribute, supporting inclusive futures and collective action within movements. It also overlooks the importance of collective approaches for sustaining movements (Disability Justice, 2024).
Writers who document injustice. Artists who create language for grief and hope. Researchers who preserve truth. Caregivers who keep communities alive. People who build slow, steady systems instead of viral moments.
These roles are not secondary. They are foundational.
If your resistance looks like:
- Writing when the world wants you silent
- Researching when misinformation spreads easily
- Resting so you can keep going tomorrow
- Creating art that helps people feel less alone
- Building small, consistent community spaces
- Telling your story honestly
You are not opting out of resistance. You are practicing it.
Resistance as Continuation
For many of us, especially those living with disability or chronic illness, resistance is not dramatic. It’s daily. It’s choosing to keep participating in the world that often wasn’t built with us in mind.
It’s continuing to write when attention is fractured. Continuing to learn when exhaustion is real. Continuing to care when systems fail us repeatedly.
Resistance is not always about confrontation. Sometimes it’s about continuity. And continuity is powerful.
You Don’t Have to Be Everything
No single person carries a movement. No one does all the work. Resistance functions as an ecosystem, not a hierarchy.
Some people march. Some people document. Some people organize quietly. Some people teach. Some people tend to the emotional and physical needs of others. Some people preserve stories so they are not lost.
The question is not “Am I doing enough?” The better question is “What am I able to do, and how can I do it with integrity?”
An Invitation
If you’re reading this and wondering whether your work counts, let this be your permission slip: It does.
Your resistance need not look like anyone else’s or be constant, visible, or physically demanding to be real. It only needs to be honest and sustainable. To avoid burnout, pace yourself, take breaks, set boundaries, and prioritize rest for sustained engagement.
If you feel comfortable, I invite you to reflect:
- What does resistance look like in your life right now?
- What small, steady acts help you stay connected, informed, or human?
- What are you already doing that you haven’t yet named as resistance?
Remember, every act of resistance matters. Whether it’s quiet or visible, small or large, your efforts create real change. Stay grounded in what you can do, knowing that what you contribute is vital. You are part of a legacy. Your resistance continues the story.
Further Reading & Watching
Below is a starting place—you can expand this over time in your own research adventures. Wherever possible, seek out resources available in accessible formats, such as audiobooks and captioned videos, to ensure you (and those you wish to share with) can engage with them.
- Books & Essays
- Documentaries
- Crip Camp (On Netflix)
- Eyes on the Prize (On PBS)
- Community & History
References
(January 21, 2026). The Black Panther Party Stands for Health. Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/black-panther-party-stands-health
(2026). ADAPT and the Disability Rights Movement. Denver Public Library. https://www.denverlibrary.org/teen/guide/adapt-and-disability-rights-movement
Mizner, S. & Ciesemier, K. (March 8, 2023). Judy Heumann’s Legacy Lives On. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/disability-rights/judy-heumanns-legacy-lives-on
Wong, A. & Mingus, M. (2014). Disability Visibility Project: Mia Mingus, Part 2 – Disability Visibility Project. Disability Visibility Project. https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2014/09/26/disability-visibility-project-mia-mingus-alice-wong-2/
