I am also not crazy about the use of "demeaning" in your first sentence. I shall think about other better words.
Also "differently-abled" is terrible. Not the way you've used it there, just in general. Ever since I heard the word Aces (or rather read it) used to describe asexuality I have thought this is what the differently-handicapable-whatever community needs. A smart snappy upbeat nickname, instead of clunky awkward hyphenated monstrosities that are at once derogatory and too PC (Ooh, hey derogatory? derogatory euphemism?).
How about belittling? I feel like that's more the vibe you want, but it is still awkward in the sentence. PATRONIZING! How about patronizing!
This stream of consciousness brought to you by Anna Really Really Needs to Start Her Goddamn Homework.
I have all kinds of thinky thoughts on the language of disability. I have big problems with overly PC, emphasize-the-positive terms like disAbility and the like. Crip and gimp have been reclaimed, but really only work in on-group discussion, a la queer in the LGBTQ community.
Aaaand I should just write an essay about this. On my theoretical blog.
Barbara Gordon springs to mind right away. I mean there's not only the discussion of why she was taken out of her wheelchair, but what the loss of Oracle means. And you might just have Gail Simone at the convention. (Also Wendy a.k.a Firewall who has completely disappeared, so we don't even know if she's still in her wheelchair
( ... )
Marvel's Destiny is blind, Daredevil is blind. Those might be too obvious. Like Professor X uses a wheelchair obvious. There's Proteus, as far as obvious goes, too.
Barbara Gordon's been covered, Tony Stark's been covered...
What about Mr. Freeze? (Not the Schwarznegger version...) And anything involving the symbiotes (Venom, Carnage, etc.) is an interesting route. And maybe the Lizard. That's what I have for the moment.
I've always wondered how actual blind people felt about characters like Destiny and Daredevil. After all they both can still "see" things in their own ways. But there's just no good way to ask that question.
I hate Proteus, but he is a rather good example too.
95% sure Gail will be at the con again this year, since she was so enthusiastic last year. And rumor has it that she was disappointed that the comics and diversity panel focused almost exclusively on race and lgbt, so I'm pretty confident I can get her on board. I've started calling this My Secret Plan to Become Best Friends with Gail Simone.
As those who I've chatted with can attest, Tony Stark is my current favorite example. Before Extremis, the suit did have an essential life support function. Yet he's not thought of as disabled. Except when it's taken away or malfunctions and he might die. There's a great scene in X-Force (intentionally ridic version) where they're fighting the Avengers, and Orphan (senses so acute they're debilitating when not suppressed by a suit) is fighting Tony in a militant nudist colony. They end up having an epic battle by throwing blades of grass and poking each other. It's rad.
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Also "differently-abled" is terrible. Not the way you've used it there, just in general. Ever since I heard the word Aces (or rather read it) used to describe asexuality I have thought this is what the differently-handicapable-whatever community needs. A smart snappy upbeat nickname, instead of clunky awkward hyphenated monstrosities that are at once derogatory and too PC (Ooh, hey derogatory? derogatory euphemism?).
How about belittling? I feel like that's more the vibe you want, but it is still awkward in the sentence. PATRONIZING! How about patronizing!
This stream of consciousness brought to you by Anna Really Really Needs to Start Her Goddamn Homework.
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I have all kinds of thinky thoughts on the language of disability. I have big problems with overly PC, emphasize-the-positive terms like disAbility and the like. Crip and gimp have been reclaimed, but really only work in on-group discussion, a la queer in the LGBTQ community.
Aaaand I should just write an essay about this. On my theoretical blog.
Reply
Also "dismissive" could work, but I think not as well as "patronizing." I just can't stop the flow of words. I'm like a poet or some shit.
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Barbara Gordon's been covered, Tony Stark's been covered...
What about Mr. Freeze? (Not the Schwarznegger version...) And anything involving the symbiotes (Venom, Carnage, etc.) is an interesting route. And maybe the Lizard. That's what I have for the moment.
Reply
I hate Proteus, but he is a rather good example too.
Reply
As those who I've chatted with can attest, Tony Stark is my current favorite example. Before Extremis, the suit did have an essential life support function. Yet he's not thought of as disabled. Except when it's taken away or malfunctions and he might die. There's a great scene in X-Force (intentionally ridic version) where they're fighting the Avengers, and Orphan (senses so acute they're debilitating when not suppressed by a suit) is fighting Tony in a militant nudist colony. They end up having an epic battle by throwing blades of grass and poking each other. It's rad.
Reply
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