Reimagining Punk: A Future Rooted in Disability Justice
By Daisy Salinas
In 2017, I started Xingonas in the Pit (XITP), a San Antoinio-based feminist punk collective aimed at creating a network of safe music and art spaces. We launched Texas' first Black and Brown Punk Fest and organized various festivals, shows, and workshops, all while developing a safer space team to foster supportive environments for all participants. However, the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 brought this momentum to a standstill, significantly impacting many local venues, including La Botanica, an all-ages queer vegan bar that hosted our festivals before its closure.
As someone who is immuno-compromised, the pandemic and health challenges forced me to take a break from organizing festivals, which has been really hard after dedicating a decade to this work. In response to covid, XITP has concentrated on launching our Covid Conscious Craft Club from my garage, which we've transformed into a craft studio. This club offers a safe and inclusive space for all ages to create art and connect with others who are covid conscious, particularly individuals with disabilities who have experienced isolation since the pandemic began. Thanks through the support from the Covid Conscious Bloc of San Antonio (@ccb.sa), we have masks available (including kid’s sizes). We also offer dry erase boards and markers for folks who are hard of hearing, along with ramps for wheelchair users and an accessible restroom to ensure everyone can participate comfortably. Our goal is to accommodate all needs.
As we look to the future, XITP plans to organize more music festivals and events, but this can only happen if we prioritize the inclusion of disabled folks, just like we’ve been doing with our craft club. Our dedication to this work is deeply rooted in Disability justice, a framework that emphasizes the connections between ableism and other systems of oppression. Disability justice connects to punk culture because punk philosophy has long emphasized the importance of uplifting the most marginalized individuals, and this should include folks with disabilities. By prioritizing community health, XITP aims to foster a punk scene that is truly inclusive, where everyone feels safe and empowered to take part. Because the fight for liberation is interconnected and this inclusivity must extend within the punk community.
Our vision for future music festivals includes mandatory mask-wearing, air purifiers, outdoor settings, and ensuring accessibility for disabled and immunocompromised individuals who are the most vulnerable during health crises. This includes ensuring that venues are accessible, providing resources for those needing additional support, and fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered to voice their needs. It may be hard to accomplish these goals in venues who only prioritize drink sales, but it’s possible to find spaces that genuinely value inclusivity. We have to work to find each other.
While some people may be tired of hearing about covid, imagine how tiring it is for disabled people who can’t just turn away and whose lives are threatened every day by the things most people are choosing to ignore. Trust me, I know it’s not fun to talk about, but we have to face reality. Covid is still one of the leading causes of death in the world. We can’t just pretend it’s over or else it will continue to spread and mutate, and the death toll will continue to rise all in the name of capitalist “normalcy.” But it doesn’t have to be this way. While the government and media continue to play it down and fail us, we still have a responsibility to take care of each other. Apathy about covid only benefits the ruling class. We must resist that shit!
It's important to recognize that choosing not to wear a mask in indoor public spaces poses a significant risk, particularly to disabled individuals. This reality extends to punk and alternative spaces alike. We must prioritize disability justice and covid precautions as integral components of our community. Punk culture has always been a platform for liberating marginalized voices, and it is past due to extend that spirit to encompass health and safety.
The punk scene has long been a politics of radical expression and defiance against societal norms, and it is crucial that we apply this same spirit to our collective well-being. It’s not solely about the music. It’s about fostering a community that actively protects and values each member. We need to reimagine punk as a movement that champions collective care and health, where the voices of disabled individuals are not only acknowledged but celebrated.
We must understand that covid can be transmitted by asymptomatic individuals, meaning anyone could unknowingly spread this virus, potentially resulting in long-term health issues or even death. Those who choose not to wear masks indoors in public venues and spaces often downplay the significance of masking for the well-being of the community to avoid inconvenience or societal judgment. But each day they are faced with this decision and the consequences their choices bring to those around them.
I have worked tirelessly to advocate for disability justice, only to encounter resistance. I believe this backlash stems from an underlying guilt in those I set boundaries with regarding testing for covid or masking. They feel their morality is threatened when called in, especially when they feel there are others who are even less concerned for the disabled. They adopt a victim mentality to evade the uncomfortable truths and create their own narratives.
The cognitive dissonance and denial is used as a shield because people would rather avoid confronting the harsh truths of reality. They shy away from revisiting the painful experiences from the onset of the pandemic, which may include the loss of loved ones, alienation, or economic hardship. However, how can we heal from our trauma if we refuse to confront it head-on? We must prioritize the protection of the most vulnerable and reject the notion that disabled individuals should be sacrificed at the altar of capitalism. This mentality echoes harmful colonialist and eugenics practices, especially since Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities are impacted the hardest by covid. If we care about racial justice, we should also be taking actions to mitigate covid spread. Historically, disease has been weaponized as a tool of colonialism and genocide. To support disabled people, we must kill the colonizer inside us.
I am committed to disability justice, even if it strains relationships, limits opportunities, or alienates me from the scene. Why? Because disabled lives matter. It's as simple as that. Also, even if one is not currently disabled, anyone has the potential to becoming so due to an accident or illness. This includes long covid, as the risk of developing it increases with each covid infection. Disability knows no boundaries. We are all susceptible. We share a collective duty to protect those who are most at risk. It's always a good time to begin wearing masks again and taking precautions to reduce the risk of covid.
As we move forward, let’s reimagine the punk scene with a renewed commitment to inclusivity, transforming our shows into spaces where safety and creativity coexist, and where everyone feels encouraged to participate. The ethos of punk, which embodies rebellion against oppression, should extend to the disabled community and prioritize health and well-being. Because caring about others is at the heart of what it means to be punk. True freedom cannot exist until everyone, including those with disabilities, is liberated. In the end, the spirit of punk lives on not just in rebellion but in compassion and solidarity for all.
Daisy Salinas is a Xicana feminist zinester, punk, activist, & rabble rouser living in Yanaguana aka San Antonio, Texas. With the mission to uplift the voices and talents of artists of color, Daisy is the founder of the decolonial Xicana feminist zine Muchacha Fanzine and the feminist punk collective Xingonas in the Pit. Through her art and the work of fellow people of color, Daisy aims to advance struggles for liberation on a global level. You can follow her work on instagram @muchachafanzine and @xingonasinthepit. You can also visit her website at www.muchachafanzine.com and become a monthly subscriber at www.patreon.com/muchachafanzine.
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