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Kim Mance is a journalist, writer and blogger for publications like Condé Nast Traveler, and Marie Claire. She co-hosted Travel Channel’s Destination Showdown, and hosts Dream it. Book it. Do it! for Comcast on-demand.

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Bio in a Box

I'm editor-in-chief of Galavanting, an online women's travel magazine. I'm also a freelance writer on topics from politics, to parenting, to freethought. 

Oh, and I've got five great kids; three of my own, and two who came with the love of my life.

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Entries in I Can Say What I Want to Say (1)

Sunday
Oct312010

Happy Effing Halloween (profanity involved)

This is Stephen. He is a person whose legs don't work. But he loves 'Transformers', the colors green and pink, and wants to be a movie director when he grows up. He beat cancer inside his spinal cord (a few times), so he'll probably be a kickass director someday. Or whatever else he chooses to be. Don't treat him sub-human to make yourself feel more comfortable when you see him. Thanks.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT -
For all those who feel a little bit uncomfortable when you see someone in a wheelchair and don't want to stare: Just look at them and do whatever you'd do with someone else whose legs were making them move around. Don't avert your gaze, or be awkward, or try hard. Just treat them like a person. They are a person. Just like you. Nothing prepared them for a wheelchair -- just like nothing has prepared you for a wheelchair if you end up in one at 10 am tomorrow.

Don't be a condescending douchebag.

Bear with me. I'm still a little pissed about our Halloween trick or treating experience. Here's the deal: My kid's legs don't work (see right).

And here's the story, if you're in interested: My kids were having a great time, getting way too much candy, then third-to-last house on the route, the kids all said "trick or treat" (it took me years to get them to all say it when the person opens the door, then said "thank you" and / or "happy halloween" at some point), then my rosy-cheeked nine year-old son Stephen happily followed up with, "Trick or treat!" again -- because she didn't notice him, since he couldn't get to onto her porch because of his wheelchair. (Which, by the way, this is the first year he's had the new motorized one and I couldn't even keep up, such a

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