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Timothy K. Johnson
APUS / LITR330
Professor Yezbick
22 May 2021 -
While impairments are a naturally occurring phenomena, disabilities are a social construct that have been used to suppress and exploit those who are physically impaired and thus, society often misses out on all the benefits that a disabled person has to offer to their community.
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"Disability Studies views disability as a political construction and cultural identity, not simply as a medical condition. Disability is not only a set of physical or mental differences but the product of interactions between physical, cultural, and political environments shaping the perception and experience of different capacities," (USInDS).
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As early as 350 BCE, Aristotle called for laws to discard (kill) infants with disabilities. Aristotle is quoted as saying “As to the exposure of children, let there be a law that no deformed child shall live..." (Dunn). -
"Shakespeare called him a hunchback, but a new three-dimensional model of King Richard III's spiraling spine shows his true disability: adolescent idiopathic scoliosis" (Pappas). For all of the King's accomplishments, society seems to cling to their bias and only see him through the prism of his physical defect. -
In 1755 Samuel Heinicke established a school for the Deaf in Germany. Additionally, Charles Michel Abbedel'Epee established a school for the deaf in Paris, France. America did not get its first school for the Deaf until 1864. -
In general, in the 1800s, disabled people were relegated to begging, being hidden by family who could support them, or exploiting their impairments to make a living, e.g., carnival "freak show" performers. -
“Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do one thing well, you are needed by someone” – Martina Navratilova (Navratilova quoted in Traversing Diability by Nair)
A slight improvement from being put to death, the disabled are eventually allowed to occupy space as pariah in literature as freak shows that are defined by their impairments. Sadly, most Disabled persons are viewed as less-than and often relegated to villainous roles inside of texts. -
1917's Black Stork was a movie that was a fictionalized account about infanticide and tells the story of a woman who is plagued with the notion of her disabled child becoming a menace to society. It was controversial but pivotal as it raised awareness for those who are disabled/impaired. Oddly, the film points towards interracial relationships as a possible cause for disabilities in children. -
Some of the important Disability Theories texts are found in legal cases. Buck v. Bell, for example, allowed that disabled people meeting certain criteria could be sterilized against their will so as to protect society from those negative traits being passed on (Antonios and Raus). -
FDR, arguably one of the nation's finest presidents, was disabled due to polio. The press corps did their best to keep his disability white washed and played it down throughout his presidency. We can infer from this that his disability was cause for concern that he might have looked weak or that people would give him sympathy that he did not desire. While this does not directly relate to Disability Studies, it demonstrated that disabilities could overshadow even major accomplishments. -
"Roberts, who was the first Berkeley student to rely on a wheelchair when he arrived in 1962, is recognized as the father of the independent living movement for people with disabilities and special needs. He died in 1995" (Edelstein). His contribution to Disability empowerment cannot be overstated. Shamefully in America, during this time frame it was legal to discriminate against impaired people. -
With regards to education and disability, July Heumann was denied access to the 4th grade on the grounds that her wheelchair was a fire-hazard. What is interesting is that after fighting to get an education, she became a teacher and was once again denied access to the classroom. With remarkable courage for women and the disabled, she founded the Disabled in Action organization and was pivotal in gaining educational rights for all who were discriminated against. -
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was a small but concrete step towards disabled/impaired persons gaining the full rights and entitlements they were/are seeking. It approved grants for vocational services, supported employment and facilitated independent living. Sort of a precursor to the American's with Disabilities Act or ADA, this act focused on rights and protection of the disabled. -
Many persons within the Deaf community do not see themselves as disabled. Interestingly, there is an ongoing discussion within the Deaf community about disability vs impairment. An impairment is the thing that sets them apart, a disability is how the world frames their impairment. Children of a Lessor God shows that even in 1986, disability was used to create conflict. -
Here is quick video that will help to sift through disabilities vs impairments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT6x1xLDlk8 -
The first US disabilities studies program emerged in 1994, at Syracuse University. The first edition of the Disabilities Studies Reader (one of the first collections of academic papers related to disability studies) was published in 1997. -
The field of Disability studies grew rapidly over the next ten years. In 2005, the Modern Language Association established disability studies as a "division of study." -
Disability studies in the academic setting and elsewhere explores aspects of disabilities to include the meaning of the impairment, the consequences of the impairments and the interface of that disability with society and the context with which disability is viewed. -
Finally, in 2021 we are beginning to see that disability is nothing more than a social construct of an impairment. It is only through understanding and empathy that the gap between impairment and social acceptance will be reduced. Literature and other forms of media continue to play a pivotal role in guiding us down that trail. -
And finally, in 2021, we are blessed to have numerous heroes that have impairments. For example: The Oracle is a paraplegic, Daredevil is blind, Thor walks with a cane and of course, Echo is deaf, to name a few. In addition to overcoming disabilities, it is quite common to pair these stories with feminism and gender-queer empowerment. Finally, the playing field is more level now than ever. Perhaps one day soon people will be able to divorce from one's disabilities.
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