Kevin Schaefer,  —

Kevin Schaefer (he/him) is a writer, podcaster, and lover of all things pop culture. Diagnosed with SMA type 2 at the age of 18 months in 1995, he shares a vast array of hilarious and eye-opening stories from his life with a neuromuscular disability. He works as the associate director of community content for this site’s parent company, BioNews. He also hosts the SMA News Today Podcast. Kevin is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives with his parents in Cary, NC. People regularly mistake him for Tony Stark, on account of his intellect and advanced technological equipment.

Articles by Kevin Schaefer

Finding balance between excitement and routine in life with SMA

In every popular sitcom, there’s always a central setting for the characters to congregate. For some it’s a workplace, such as the Dunder Mifflin branch in “The Office” or the government building in “Parks and Recreation.” Other shows feature a shared living space, such as the geek-decorated apartment in “The…

Let’s end the infantilization of people with disabilities

“Hey, buddy, don’t get a speeding ticket!” “When was his last X-ray?” “Oh, wow, you work!” For whatever reason, society loves to infantilize disabled people. It’s practically a hobby for some people, be they medical professionals or middle-aged pedestrians looking to test their comedy skills when they see a wheelchair…

SMAers are worth more than a stare

People-watching is one of my favorite things to do at Disney World. It’s a free and accessible activity, and it comes with more surprises than any of the hundreds of rides at the parks. Whereas “It’s a Small World” gets repetitive after a while, observing the public pitfalls of…