Disability Movement

In Nancy Mairs’ article for The New York Times, “Disability”, published in 1987, she expresses her distaste with the media's representation of handicapped people. Mairs, who struggled with multiple sclerosis herself, clearly and sharply conveys this disgust by stating, “I’m not, for instance, Ms. MS, a walking, talking embodiment of a chronic incurable degenerative disease.” (Mairs 13), and that she is actually, “the advertisers’ dream: Ms. Great American Consumer. And yet the advertisers, who determine nowadays who will get represented publicly and who will not, deny the existence of me and my kind absolutely”(Mairs 14). Mairs is greatly upset that disabled people are defined by their disabilities and, therefore, are underrepresented in public media. This might lead to one asking themselves, but why are they? And the answer, according to Mairs, is quite simple, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life”(Mairs 14). Mairs concludes by pointing out how this effacement could have dangerous consequences for both disabled people and, as she called everyone else, TAPs (Temporarily Abled Persons) alike. Treating disabilities as an abnormal characteristic (as opposed to viewing them “as a normal characteristic, one that complicates but does not ruin human existence” (Mairs 15)) can cause one of these repercussions, as it makes the

In this essay, I will be talking about the injustices faced by disabled or impaired people. Martin Luther King always supported equal justice for all, and some people aren’t getting it. There are more than 1 billion people who are considered disabled, and many don’t get the treatment that they need or deserve. I think it is unjust that most movements to support disabled people’s rights didn’t begin until the 1950s and 60s, and the first laws regulating treatment of disabled people in the UK weren’t passed until 1995. There are many problems facing disabled people, such as inadequate facilities, lack of acceptance in their communities, and lack of access to general needs.

People with disabilities were also forced to enter institutions and asylums. Society hid people with disabilities from a mean, fearful, and biased world. This continued until the Civil War and World War I when our veterans returned in a disabled state expecting the US government to provide some sort of help or rehabilitation in exchange for their service in the nation. Although President Roosevelt was the first president with a disability to take office was a great advocate for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, the nation was still operated under the assumption that being disabled was and abnormal condition and needed to be medically cured. In the 1940's and 1950's, World War II veterans started placing pressure on the government for rehabilitation for their disabilities. The veterans made it more visible to a country filled with thankful citizens who were concerned about the well-being of the men who sacrificed their lives for their country. By the 1960's, the civil rights movement began to take place and disabled citizens saw this as an opportunity to join forces along with the minority groups to demand equal treatment, equal access, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities. The Disability Rights Movement just like the others faced negative attitudes and stereotypes. In the 1970's, disability rights activists lobbied congress and marched on Washington to include civil rights language for people with disabilities into the 1972 Rehabilitation

Americans with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the United States. Approximately fifty million people in the United States live with physical or mental handicaps. This minority group is unique in that it is made up of people from all socioeconomic classes, genders and races. Mental and physical impairments do not discriminate. As with other minorities, Americans with disabilities face unique challenges and discriminatory behaviors. For centuries, disabled people had to battle irrational fears and stereotypes due to the lack of medical understanding. The first demand for equal treatment for disabled people came in the 1960s. The struggle for disability rights has followed a similar pattern to many other civil rights movements – first negative stereotypes must be challenged, followed rallying for political and institutional change and lobbying for the self-determination of a minority community. As a result the examples of the African American civil rights and women’s rights movements encouraged the disability rights movement, and after decades of campaigning and lobbying, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990.

Recently, on the day of the talent show, I was asked to dance with a disabled student to a previous hit titled “Gangnam Style” by Psy. As we were practicing the dance, he started to tease me repeatedly and I wanted to say something, but I stopped myself because I knew it would not be acceptable. Although I knew he was socially challenged, I took offense to his comments and felt that he was acting inappropriately. David Birnbaum, writer of the essay, “The Catbird Seat”, which was published in the New York Times “Lives” section, argues that as a disabled person he is allowed to take advantage of his rights and has special privileges when the Americans with Disabilities Act is not fulfilled. Birnbaum’s essay discusses how he felt after becoming a quadriplegic and how the special treatment he receives equals up to what he has faced from being handicapped. Also, Birnbaum concluded his essay by describing the division between America’s social hierarchies. The writer intended to catch the minds of a more prestigious audience, particularly a group of scholars who have excess time to read the newspaper. Through personal experiences and an unapologetic tone, Birnbaum conveys his overall argument that the special privileges of the disabled community equal up to the pain and suffering they encounter on a daily basis.

The history of the Americans with Disabilities Act began long before it was originally introduced to Congress in 1988. (Mayerson, 1992). There isn’t one person responsible for the ADA but rather thousands of Americans who have fought for the rights of people with disabilities and constantly worked to make their lives easier. People with disabilities for a long time were thought of as outsiders in society and were shunned by the majority. It wasn’t until the 1900’s when organizations by and for people with disabilities exploded in popularity and began to get attention and make real positives changes for people struggling with disabilities (Meldon). A profound and historic period for disability public policy occurred under

Disability, by definition is “a physical or mental condition that limits a person 's movements, senses, or activities;” it is an impairment that restricts an individual 's ability to participate in "normal" routines in their everyday society. The term disability frightens able-bodied individuals because it challenges their own beliefs regarding normality and more importantly, their own vulnerability. As the years have progressed, however, disability has become an umbrella term that is used to categorize individuals who don’t abide to society’s norms; it is used to marginalize individuals as the weaker self. As a result, those who are disabled are thrown into institutions—ostracized from all of society. Susan Nussbaum’s novel “Good Kings, Bad Kings” focuses on an institution through the perspective of patients and workers, each with their own story to tell. While the novel implores and explores various themes throughout the character’s dialogue as prevalent throughout the novel, one striking theme that Nussbaum explores is the theme of the institution as a dumping grounds for children with disabilities. Both “A Pupil and a Patient” by Brad Byrom and “Disability and the Justification of Inequality in American History” by Douglas C. Baynton address the issue of disability injustice in institutional settings. All of these readings are similar in that they approach disability as an impairment made by society, and not necessarily the individual.

There have been widespread societal changes in the way in which individuals with intellectual disabilities are treated since the court made its decision in the 1920s. These changes lead to those with disabilities being able to participate in more areas of normal life. This movement to remove barriers for people with disabilities is called normalization (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2015).

At the same time, many parents of disabled children began to fight against discrimination in the schools. This led to the establishment of local groups that fought for the rights of people with disabilities (1). Before long, individuals with disabilities challenged the idea that they must spend the rest of their life in an institution. Instead, many disabled individuals began to explore the idea of living independently (1). To advance their cause, disability advocates adopted many of the successful strategies of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s, including peaceful protests and sit-ins (2). An important first step towards the eventual passage of the ADA was in the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which banned federal funded entities from discrimination against the disabled. The next major step was the issuance of Section 504 regulations that helped provide for the enforcement of anti-discrimination policies (History of ADA). The eventual passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 was the result of the hard work of many dedicated American citizens over a long period of time. President George H. W. Bush compared the enactment of the ADA to another monumental event: the fall of the Berlin Wall. He said, “And now I sign legislation which takes a

In the past, having a disability was seen as a physical imperfection. People with disabilities were treated as moral and social subordinates. We were trained that if a person had a disability they were not able to perform a task with the same ability as a normal person. They have been denied jobs for which they are highly qualified because they have been considered incompetent, or because employers were not comfortable with their presence in the workplace. Occasionally people with certain disabilities have been committed to institutions and facilities because people believed they were incapable of making decisions or caring for themselves or because people did not want to interact with them (Blanck, 2004).

All they want is to take part of society as a normal individual. The disability-movement has fought for the disabilities rights throughout the years and has achieved goals such as accommodation of architectural infrastructures to serve better people who are physical impairments. The public policies have been great accomplishments because it has helped people with disabilities to be part of society. The disability-movement points out the healthcare finance policies have taken freedom away from the disability community, “ Health-care financing policies force disabled people into Institutions and nursing homes rather than funding independent living. Income-maintenance and public health-insurance policies include “disincentives” that penalize disabled individuals for trying to work productively.”(p.4). The government has done a great job on protecting disabled individuals’ rights. However, the health-care system has isolated this group even more by restricting the level of productivity that they have within the system, as a result this medical model marginalizes this group of people and this program available for this community does not fully address their issues.

There are numerous individuals that believe disability makes a person helpless and incapable of obtaining a life full of accomplishments. Catherine Kudlick proved that this is not the case; anyone with a disability has the opportunity to achieve their life goals. It is clear in her interviews and writings that people without disabilities need to be educated on how disability can be an advantage. She learned how to change her perspective and in doing so, she dedicated her career to change other’s perspective on disability and the way it is viewed by society, in general. Catherine Kudlick has learned over time and through her experiences that disability is not to be ashamed of and with her acceptance she has made her career on educating individuals about disability.

Prior to the 19th century, disabilities and differences were viewed with fear and superstition. Considered "curses from the gods," many children and adults were abused and ignored based on their disabilities. Without concerned parents, understanding from society, and the civil rights movement, it is unknown how education and individuals with disabilities would intermingle.

I found the article to be very informative; however, on pages 54 - 56 there were some points that I found good be problematic. The fact only one in three Americans with a disability are satisfied with their lives compared to eight out of ten Americans who do not have a disability could be viewed as problematic. This is a big gap and more research has to be done to understand why.

152). Individuals with disabilities can make their injustices known to the general public by identifying the program of change, increasing the identity of their standing in the needs of their changes, and the standing of necessary changes in public policy on their deserved rights as citizens (Tilly & Wood, 2013). When the social movement of disability rights is established in a “political setting, modeling, communication, and collaboration facilitate the adoption and other connected settings” (Tilly & Wood, 2013, p. 153-154). The far-reaching impact of making social movements in the disability rights of individuals who are affected with in America is more pronounced within the political scene and when it becomes more of a national process of disability acceptance within the laws of America. Individuals are affected by disabilities can only be strengthened by knowing that collaboration between other individuals with disabilities, and the changes they need to succeed in life can be justified to the social movement