The Disability Rights Movement

In the book “The disability rights movement” I learned the history and process people with disabilities have been going through in order to obtain an equality of rights in the United States. The book was written by Doris Zames Fleisher and her sister Frieda Zames as a way of raising awareness of the reality of people with disabilities. Frieda Zames an activist in favor of the American disabilities act, wrote this book to tell the story of civil rights movement and to make people aware of the struggles that people with disabilities go through at the same time raising the word for equality. The book demonstrates how grievances regarding medical issues can be addressed in a democratic society by giving examples such as the life of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As a significant figure in this movement, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president with disabilities, who contracted polio eleven years before he became president. He was a significant figure in the movement because he served as an example of the capabilities a person with a disabilities can have. He was also an advocate of

In the United States today, there are over fifty-one million disabled adults and children. Throughout our nation’s history, we have not allowed the best treatment and care for these numerous citizens. But, in the recent past, the government has passed laws, made exceptions, and thoroughly tried to provide accommodations to these people with special needs. While this is true, America, as a whole, still views this group as strange or different. Even though this is exceptionally normal, it is not correct. The United States needs to be opened up to the truth about their fellow American citizens. The people of America ought to understand that these disabilities affect not only those who are disabled, but that it affects the family and friends

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.

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.

Disability justice is both a movement and an intersectional framework of analysis that moves the focus away from rights and independence and, instead, centers justice, intersectionality, interdependence, and accountability, all in effort to address the variety of needs of the most marginalized within a society. In other words, as was explained by Mia Mingus in her piece, “Changing the Framework: Disability Justice” (2011), instead of placing an emphasis on obtaining rights and independence as was done so during the disability rights movement in the 20th century, disability justice fights, instead, to bring about justice to the lives of those continuously and disproportionately oppressed and abused by individuals and institutions by virtue od being disabled. However, in order to do so, disability justice recognizes and stresses the importance of accountability and interdependence, as

In 1973 the section 504 rehabilitation act banned discrimination on people with disabilities. “For the first time, the exclusion and segregation of people with disabilities was viewed as discrimination” (Mayerson). People thought that people with disabilities that were unemployed and uneducated was “inevitable” (Mayerson). People fighting for the disabled proved that this was wrong and needed to be changed. The Americans with Disabilities act changed nothing for the employment for them, and by 2018 people with disabilities were still getting wages 40 percent below a “healthy person’s” (Picker). But, despite some unchanged discrimination the fixing of the equality between the disabled and nondisabled, right now, is that the Americans

With nearly 20% of Americans having a disability, the voice of the disability community is growing stronger and louder. The disability community has worked long and hard to ensure that people with disabilities are included in conventional American life and not sent away to institutions such as mental hospitals and nursing homes. While the disability community has made large strides towards equality, there is still much to come until people with disabilities are truly integrated in mainstream life. For example, Scott Randolf, a Vietnam veteran who lost his sight and legs from duty, complains that he is not getting the help he needs. His wheelchair is unable to fit through several doors; if he falls on the floor, he is not able to get up until the ambulance and

The overarching topic of the book is focused on creating a new future about the concept of disability and disabled bodies. The overarching argument of the book is the idea that “disability is often seen as a future that no one wants. Furthermore, Kafer writes this book to bring a new definition of disability focusing on the political experiences of this concept. Throughout the chapters of the book, Kafer incorporates a variety of social issues that are analyzed using different theoretical principles. Some of these theoretical principles include crip theory, queer theory, and disability studies. In many chapters of the book, Kafer cites herself when she talks about her experiences as a disabled person.

Moreover, the organization strategically uses civil disobedience as a tool to gain international attention in order to resist harmful laws and advocate legislative changes in policies that negatively affect the disabled community. It engages in mobilization, grassroots education, training, legal advocacy, and in psychological strengthening of the people with disabilities. It educates them that their disability doesn’t make them underprivileged or undeserving of any facility and service that is available to other citizens, and they deserve equal

The disability rights movement was credited to all the people who have worked for years organizing and attending protests, licking envelopes, sending out alerts, drafting legislation, speaking, testifying, negotiating, lobbying, filing lawsuits, getting arrested – they believed in doing whatever they could for a cause . In 1973, there was a shift in the disability, public policy (Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act). Section 504 was amended to a civil rights statute that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Title II), which extends this prohibition against discrimination to the full range of state and local government services, programs, and activities (including public schools) regardless of whether they receive any Federal financial assistance . The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (Amendments Act), effective January 1, 2009, amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) that affects the meaning of “disability” in Section 504. Although, Congress introduced the American with Disability Act (ADA) in 1988; however it was not until July 26, 1990, when it began. In 2008, ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) was

The Disability Social History Project website is a great side were you can find information and articles pertaining to disabilities in one place. The information is well organized and easy to find. It has 11 buttons on the left-hand side with the different sections. It has information about the history of disabilities in different time periods and different disabilities. The exhibits section has different articles that talk about freak shows in the United States in 1840 through 1940, disability campaigns in the United States during the 30’s through 60’s, and the Nazis’ extermination policies for people with disabilities during the 20’s through 50’s. The people's section of this website is a great inspiration since it has stories of people

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.

“Nothing About Us, Without Us” is important for Disability Rights movement because it is focused on actual liberation from systemic worldwide oppression for all people with different disabilities. Jim Charlton, author of the book, looked at similarities and differences in disability right issues in numerous countries and develops a theory of disability oppression that cuts across geographical boundaries. Author outlines few dimensions of disability oppressions. One of them is the political and economic dimension that addresses how people with disabilities are

Women in today’s society are faced with various obstacles. When a disability is included, the struggles that are dealt become more enormous. Although, there are many resources available, women with disabilities face higher poverty rates compounded with different forms of discrimination as well. Living with a disability changes the life of a person. These people are looked down upon because they are perceived to be different. Being different from “normal” people becomes an obstacle that is very difficult for people with a disability to handle. This begins as small forms of abuse and will eventually turn into larger forms. The struggles as a women without a disability are difficult already, but when other factors are added, such as a disability

Over the years, perceptions towards disability have been significantly changing as result of the long pathway the disable community has taken fighting for Civil Rights, inclusion and against discrimination. Unfortunately, this last one has not been totally accomplished yet. Barriers to social integration still exist in the society. Perhaps the greatest barrier is not the disability itself; is the attitude of people.