About

Welcome to The Anti Charity Shop.

This website is not actually a shop.

It is a catalogue of products made by Deaf, disabled, learning disabled, autistic and neurodivergent makers. The idea began as a thread on Twitter in 2019 because I wanted to directly support disabled-led businesses and make it easy for others to do so too. To shop, simply click on the product that interests you to be linked to the maker’s own site.

This website is not anti-charity shops.

Believe me when I say I love a charity shop! Browsing charity shops is my favourite past time. But I also want to believe that one day, our world will be so accessible, inclusive and equitable that there will be no need for charity shops and we can all carry on enjoying them as newly-branded ‘second hand stores’.

This website is not anti-charity.

I believe that charities can play a really important role in society. They can raise funds for important causes and raise awareness of issues that need our attention and of the people who deserve our support. But not every charity was created equal and it is my belief that the bigger a charity gets the less likely it is to provide tailored, empowering and meaningful support.

Models of disability

Now, there are different ways of thinking about disability. The one that is probably the most well-known is The Medical Model of Disability, which suggests that a body or mind is broken and needs to be fixed or cured.

Another way of thinking is The Charity Model of Disability, which suggests that being disabled is a terrible tragedy, that disabled people should be pitied and that non-disabled people should be inspired by disabled people just…well, existing.

Both of these models of thinking are offensive, unhelpful and othering.

I subscribe to the Social Model of Disability, which says that every body and mind is different and that it is society’s failure to account for difference that is the issue. The world would not exclude people if society would cater to difference in its design.

So, that is why this website is called The Anti Charity Shop. Do not pity us, do not find us inspirational, do not think we need fixing- but DO buy the cool stuff we make!