I was referring to the fact that I was musing on what it means when non-disabled people refer to disabled people as "inspirational" and then you post in feminist that you are giving a talk and the idea of being inspirationally disabled seems the motivation for why you were asked....
That seemed kind of freaky but kind of cool - that I was just thinking about this today....
I totally see where you're coming from with respect to the "tokenization". It's annoying isn't it? When you're seen as the "hero with the disability" or the "woman of colour refugee" or whatever little box they want to put you in because it makes it easier for them to mentally process. I'm sure it can seem even condescending at times, when they think that who you are (a person with a disability) is something to "overcome". I would be so offended personally
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Now i don't want to necessarily be too critical of what a disability centre does to promote awareness (since i'm able-bodied, chances are i don't know the best ways), but when i see these students wheeling around, i don't see them appreciating the experience. Most of them are laughing a lot, joking, ramming the wheelchairs into things, it's just not respectful and it seems like a big joke to them. And of course, any second they can stand up and get off their wheelchair and walk around unlike those who have disabilities and can't. So i'm wondering where the awareness comes in?That IS frustrating, if all they did was to laugh about it and bonk into things (assuming that they weren't having difficulty steering!) I like the general idea, though, as it could make people aware what it's like to be three feet tall, find curbs annoying as all hell, and have to go halfway around many buildings just to get inside
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Yep. They are tools, and people talk about being "chained to the chair" and stuff like that.
Now I don't need a wheelchair except in special circumstances. But I know many people who would benefit from a wheelchair and don't use it because of the reactions of people around them. It really is sad that so many people view tools like that.
In my old high school, the people in a health class did that for two days. They weren't allowed to get up from it. A friend of mine was in that class, and she said it was really an eye-opener to her...
But I guess that with a group that isn't motivated to see that, most of them will not.
Oh my goodness thank you so much! This is exactly what I'm trying to say! Because it's not that I feel completely made into a supercrip here -- I AM really proud of my TKD and it IS true that my CP is part of what makes it difficult. And I'm all for the idea of being visible as a person with a physical disability who loves athletics, especially given the assumption that we're all weak and could never like exercise, etc
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*bangs head on desk, laughing uproariously all the while*
The woman who answered the phone said yes. The teacher was so starstruck that rather than requesting that Ms. Parks speak to her class, she blurted out, "Wow! What is she like", and the woman replied, "I'm just a regular person."
I like the idea of emphasizing that you're a person who happens to have a disability, and happens to be invested in a martial art.
I think all of us can relate to that on some level, so there's probably many ways in which she'll also identify. I empathize, for instance, because I get a very similar response from people who see me as a Fat Dancer, which presumes that dancing isn't something that fat people can do & I'm somehow different from those "other" fat people (who are presumably all the "lazy, unfit" negative stereotypes we use for fat folk, even though others in my tribe are also to varying degrees fat). Unintentionally, people being impressed that you stand out from a group implies that they don't really believe other members of the group can be equally capable - even if what they're trying to do is empathize with you in the first place, imagining how "hard" it would be to be in your place.
I bet you'll be an amazing speaker & open quite a few minds.
I empathize, for instance, because I get a very similar response from people who see me as a Fat Dancer, which presumes that dancing isn't something that fat people can do & I'm somehow different from those "other" fat people (who are presumably all the "lazy, unfit" negative stereotypes we use for fat folk, even though others in my tribe are also to varying degrees fat).
Since I've worked with disability services for the last four years, I think I understand (and agree with) why you feel this way. Perhaps you could use this time as an opportunity to address these concerns in your speech at the women's center.
Perhaps you could use this time as an opportunity to address these concerns in your speech at the women's center.
Yeah, I'd like to. I just need to figure out the best way to do that, knowing that not everyone in my audience will already be familiar with this idea.
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Err? This sounds kind of confusing and depressing... what?
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That seemed kind of freaky but kind of cool - that I was just thinking about this today....
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Now I don't need a wheelchair except in special circumstances. But I know many people who would benefit from a wheelchair and don't use it because of the reactions of people around them. It really is sad that so many people view tools like that.
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In my old high school, the people in a health class did that for two days. They weren't allowed to get up from it. A friend of mine was in that class, and she said it was really an eye-opener to her...
But I guess that with a group that isn't motivated to see that, most of them will not.
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*bangs head on desk, laughing uproariously all the while*
The woman who answered the phone said yes. The teacher was so starstruck that rather than requesting that Ms. Parks speak to her class, she blurted out, "Wow! What is she like", and the woman replied, "I'm just a regular person."
That's great!
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I think all of us can relate to that on some level, so there's probably many ways in which she'll also identify. I empathize, for instance, because I get a very similar response from people who see me as a Fat Dancer, which presumes that dancing isn't something that fat people can do & I'm somehow different from those "other" fat people (who are presumably all the "lazy, unfit" negative stereotypes we use for fat folk, even though others in my tribe are also to varying degrees fat). Unintentionally, people being impressed that you stand out from a group implies that they don't really believe other members of the group can be equally capable - even if what they're trying to do is empathize with you in the first place, imagining how "hard" it would be to be in your place.
I bet you'll be an amazing speaker & open quite a few minds.
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Yeah, that's very similar stuff.
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By the way, if you like documentaries, Murderball addresses this problem. It's an excellent film (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436613/).
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Yeah, I'd like to. I just need to figure out the best way to do that, knowing that not everyone in my audience will already be familiar with this idea.
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And Bonne Chance!
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