Freak Show Research Paper

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

People who experience a disability are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups within our society. This essay will explain what disability is and what it means to have a disability. Disability can often be seen as a form of social deviance, and so, because of this, the disability community can be othered and excluded within mainstream society. This essay will give examples of how othering occurs and how othering could be avoided, when working as a social worker with people with disabilities. Social workers have an extremely important role in the lives of people with a disability. Social workers are often a person with a disability’s voice and advocate and they need to set an example for

In her essay “On Being a Cripple”, Nancy Mairs presents her audience with an honest inside view of her life and perspective as a cripple, a word she openly uses to define herself. She brings her world to us by discussing a wide variety of things including language, family, and humor, and how these all relate to her life. Through various stories and insights, she allows her readers to gain an understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. She examines the public’s view of the disabled, as well as the views they have of themselves, and compares them to her own. She makes it clear that she is not to be defined solely by her disability. In discussing honestly her views, as well as

Nancy Mair was a self-claimed “radical feminist cripple,” who has accomplishments in writing and degrees. Her remarkable personality “Disability” that was published by the New York Times in 1987. Throughout the story “Disability,” Nany Mair show us a view of her daily life as a disabled person and how the sociality perceives on disabilities. She was a forty-three years old woman, and she spends most of her time in a wheelchair, this is the reason that makes her stand out in the crowd. Her purpose is to show that everyone with disabilities is just like everybody else and they should be welcomed and accepted in daily life, she points out disability can change a person life, but it never kills. In page

In the book, The Short Bus, Jonathan Mooney’s thesis is that there is more to people than their disabilities, it is not restricting nor is it shameful but infact it is beautiful in its own way. With a plan to travel the United States, Mooney decides to travel in a Short bus with intentions of collecting experiences from people who have overcome--or not overcome--being labeled disabled or abnormal. In this Mooney reinvents this concept that normal people suck; that a simple small message of “you’re not normal” could have a destructive and deteriorating effect. With an idea of what disabilities are, Mooney’s trip gives light to disabilities even he was not prepared to face, that he feared.

In her essay, “On Being a Cripple”, Nancy Mairs, an essayist with multiple sclerosis, writes about her experiences with her disease. She wants her audience of able-bodied people to stop pitying towards disabled people and instead show acceptance. Mairs achieves her purpose by presenting herself as similar and relatable to her able-bodied audience with many anecdotes and a blunt tone. This discussion of her condition removes the discomfort about disabilities felt by her audience and allows for them to accept disabled people. While Maris’s primary audience is an able-bodied person who supports disabled people, other readers, like someone with her condition, may be drawn towards this essay as well. Unlike an able-bodied person, a disabled person

This essay highlights and discusses models of disability reflected in two separate articles (Appendices A and B). I will identify the models of disability they represent. Both have been recently featured in the Guardian newspaper and are stories on disabled people.

Many groups of people experience disenfranchisement. This paper will seek to review people experiencing disenfranchisement related to ableism in its various forms. The oppression of the disabled and the social injustices they bear will be considered, as well as the myths and stereotypes associated to the disabled. The author will seek to gain knowledge and understanding of this group of people and their functioning within our society.

Individuals with disability have had a long history of maltreatment in America. From being thought of as possessed individuals in need of exorcism, targeted for heinous experiments, unknowingly sterilized, being labeled imbecile, feeble minded, and retarded, to being shipped off to state schools or mental asylums, those with disabilities were given no consideration as a valuable and able to contribute member of society. In a speech to congress, Frank Bowe, a highly educated deaf-man highlighted this claim by stating, “we are not even second-class citizens, we are third-class citizens” (Bowe, F. 1977--need citation), and Jim Cherry (2001) furthered the ideal in his words, that prior to “1970 we [disabled citizens] had no right to education, to employment, to transportation, to housing, or to voting. There were no civil rights laws for us, no federal advocacy grants. Few people looked beyond our medical needs” (Cherry, J.L, 2001 http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/0701/0701cov.htm). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 attempted to fundamentally change how disabled people were reguarded.

Those with disabilities have to accept their lives as being deprived of some joyful instances that may never happen. Individuals with handicaps may not be able to be active with their (or other’s) children, dream jobs may not be within grasp, memories may not be accessible while other’s take them for granted and shun those who desire that which they’ve already acquired (“People With Disabilities”). Provided, life is hard with a disability but additionally, those with handicaps must suffer isolation which is unfavorable in multiple ways. With isolation the person has no help, no support, no companionship, and feel ultimately rejected shutting them down in a social manner (“People With Disabilities”).

The physically and mentally impaired were shunned by society. Employers didn't want to hire them because they weren't as “useful” as other workers, making it difficult for them to fins jobs. The lack of jobs meant that they couldn't usually afford decent housing or medical treatments for themselves, of any existed. Numerous building and other infrastructure were inaccessible by disabled people. This events lead disabled people into self-destructive thinking that they were inadequate and helpless

Nonetheless, this is the reality of the disabled in U.S. history, just as discomfort and marginalization exist today. The 20th century contains many examples of how the disabled were abused, from the harsh restrictions for immigrants to the outright murders of disabled babies. Much of the blame for this must be laid at the door of eugenics, an unconscionable “science” seeking to promote human perfection. It is the essence or ultimate expression of the society's plain dislike of the disabled, and the ideologies behind it only further the universal bias against this population. Progress has been made and there is greater awareness today, but it remains arguable that the culture's emphasis on beauty and physical skill only perpetuates the eugenics rationale. Ultimately, the idea of eugenics itself translates to an ongoing and unconscionable marginalization of the disabled, and because the concept reduces disabled human beings to only their

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.

When it comes to disability, society is often oblivious to the struggle many people face. Despite the progression and modernisation disabled people's private lives have undergone in the aftermath of political and medical progress, there has been no evolution of their public image (Riley, 2005). This is undoubtedly been a result of the misrepresentation of disability in the media, regardless of the fact as many as one in every five people in the world is disabled (Riley, 2005). There are few examples of disability being represented in various forms of media, using television as an example far too many productions promote stereotypes and myths that society contentedly accept, perhaps ad a result of lack of education. It is a television

Despite the response to disability varying greatly between times, places and cultures (Barnes, 2012), there is no doubt that disability has an immeasurable impact on people’s lives. Disability affects an individual’s identity and their ability to work, socialise and be involved in society. In this essay I will discuss how approaches to disability have changed over time, specifically how approaches to disability have developed in recent centuries. I will start by discussing the medical model before moving on to its direct challenge in the social model. Finally I will discuss responses to the social model, in particular the biopsychosocial model.