Models of disability
This article posted by Sam on sunday (trigger warning: anti-crip) link to article got me thinking about the medical and social models of disability. While the medical model has obvious flaws, to me it feels like the social model can have flaws for some people too. I'm speaking as someone who has MS, so my disability isn't something I was born with, but something that happened in later life. It also isn't something well-defined, but something continually changing and unpredictable. So, I don't think of my disability as being just the way I am, but as something that goes wrong with me.
Although society can change some things in ways that would help me to cope (as one example having a shelf to put things down next to the till so I don't have to manage holding things at the same time as digging my wallet out of my bag) society can never do this to an extent that would eradicate the problems I face (as one example feeling random inexplicable pain). I kind of need some elements of the medical model too. I do have an illness. I do want ways to change me and stop my body (and sometimes mind) letting me down.
I'm interested in what you guys think of the models of disability.
Although society can change some things in ways that would help me to cope (as one example having a shelf to put things down next to the till so I don't have to manage holding things at the same time as digging my wallet out of my bag) society can never do this to an extent that would eradicate the problems I face (as one example feeling random inexplicable pain). I kind of need some elements of the medical model too. I do have an illness. I do want ways to change me and stop my body (and sometimes mind) letting me down.
I'm interested in what you guys think of the models of disability.