Society views ability as the norm and dis/ability through a deficit lens. Goodley and Runswick-Cole explain in the article Becoming Dishuman: Thinking About the Human Through Dis/Ability, “the prefix dis indicates negation, lack or deprivation: to deprive something of its power. We feel this when we disagree. To negate is to nullify, invalidate, render null and void, make invalid, neutralise, cancel out, undo, reverse, revoke, rescind, abrogate, overrule, overturn, avoid and retract. To dis is to trouble.” That is, we place value on one’s ability and if you don’t fit in this category you are seen as less than.
We are challenged to view dis/ability, not as the binary, abled vs. disabled, good vs. bad, but as a range of differing abilities and opportunities to contribute in unique ways to our society. We have to recognize that regardless of ability, everyone’s experience is different due to the many components that make up one’s identity. When thinking of dis/ability, we have been socialized to think that their experiences are all the same. We are focused on finding a cure or how to restore one back to the normal state of being. In the article Stolen Bodies, Reclaimed Bodies: Disability and Queerness, Clare explains, “Disability activists fiercely declare that it’s not our bodies that need curing. Rather, it is ableism—disability oppression, as reflected in high unemployment rates, lack of access, gawking, substandard education, being forced to live in nursing homes and back rooms, being seen as childlike and asexual—that needs changing.” (2001).
We need to disrupt the narrative that disabled bodies as wrong and “move to a time when thinking about the human will always involve thinking about disability” (Goodley & Runswick-Cole, 2016), that is to think of all the opportunities and possibilities that that person has to offer rather than at what they cannot do.
References:
Clare, E. (2001). Stolen bodies, reclaimed bodies: Disability and queerness. Public Culture, 13(3), 359-365.
Goodley, D & Runswick-Cole, K. (2016) Becoming dishuman: thinking about the human through dis/ability, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 37:1, 1-15, DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2014.930021.
Katie, I really enjoyed reading your response.
The society commonly views disability as something outside the norm because people are exposed to the idea that being “able” is the norm. But instead, as you have stated, we can view dis/ability as varied abilities. It disrupts the binary (abled vs disabled) which is causing the belief that the term “disability” is something less than the norm or odd. I also agree that it is important to focus on what each person can do rather than what they cannot. I believe this is one way to give chance to others to offer their own experience and potentiality.
You have suggested that we need to disrupt the narrative that disabled bodies are wrong. Other than introducing the term differing abilities, would there be any ways we can disrupt the narrative?
Hi Minseo, thanks for your comment. I think that you’ve posed a tough question. How can we disrupt the narrative that dis/abled bodies are less than? I think it really comes down to ‘normalizing’ the idea that all bodies are not made the same and celebrating that. I think the more that different abilities are shown in the media, in books, etc where they are not just highlighting their dis/ability, but contributing in their own way, the less stigma there will be surrounding them. I’m adding a link to a video that I found that really challenges the idea of the “perfect body”. http://www.rightthisminute.com/video/designers-create-mannequins-based-bodies-people-disabilities
Do you have any ideas in how to disrupt this narrative?
Hello Katie,
I think you did an amazing job at discussing disability! You had a lot of background resources. What is your personal opinion in regards to the way people think that being disabled is not a “norm” in our society? Do you agree that all disabled people should be criticized because they do not live up to mainstream society’s norms or do you disagree? I completely agree when you say that the we need to disrupt “narrative that disabled bodies as wrong”. Excellent job in writing your reading response.
Hi Louisa, thanks for your comment! I’ve been socialized to think that the abled body and mind are the preferred, like most others. I think that it’s really unfortunate that our society values one over the other. I don’t think that differing abilities should be criticized because they don’t live up to this ideal and that’s why we need to continually work to disrupt and trouble that narrative. In what ways could we help to normalize/celebrate all abilities?
Hi Katie! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this. I really agree with all the points you have made and I think they are clear and well stated. I especially like the line you quoted where they state that it’s not disabilities that need a cure, but ableism. I think there is likely a lot of differently abled people who have probably come to view their disability as a part of who they are, and not something that they just resent and wish they could go back to ‘normal.’ I like that you pointed out that even the term ‘disability’ creates a normative narrative. Your reading response gives the reader a lot to think about! Overall really enjoyed reading this.
Hi Katie! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this particular topic. I really like that you touched on the fact that even the term ‘disability’ creates the idea that you are not at the preferred state of being if you are differently abled. I also like that you talk about how we as a society are focused around finding a cure so that everyone can be ‘normal’, even though there is likely many differently abled people who view their disability as a part of who they are and wouldn’t necessarily change that. I think you did a great job at questioning this normative narrative and I think you touched on a lot of important points! Overall really enjoyed reading.