Disability: a Critical Analysis

In our society, presently, persons’ with disabilities as a whole are often stigmatized as broken or useless (Michalko, 2002). This is no different for women with disabilities, as strong cultural assumptions for this population have been formed. These assumptions are formed due to attitudes and beliefs, especially focusing on body image, religion and language (Charlton, 1998). In general, women in our society are already oppressed, for example women make less money in the workforce then do men (Katz, 1996). Therefore, looking at what cultural assumptions, stereotypes and commonly held attitude exist about women with disabilities and demonstrating the role of social systems and institutions in supporting these beliefs will be the focus of this essay. One of the ways that disability has unique implications for this group is body image. Body image is emphasized in our society and certainly plays a role in how women with disabilities are perceived (Charlton, 1998). People with disabilities are often set apart and identified by their bodies and there appearances, as disabilities are often physically noticeable (Charlton, 1998). In Western culture these physical difference are considered deformation, whereas in other cultures this is perceived differently, for example in Africa a facial scar is seen as a badge of honour (Devlieger, 1995). Therefore culture plays a role in the forming of attitudes and beliefs in regards to persons’ with disabilities. Beauty, in our culture, is defined by how society produces and markets image. In commercials, for example, the bodies which are selling the products are beautiful ones (Charlton, 1998). The implications of the present image of a disabled body include it’s ugliness and abnormality, which leads to the powerful myth that persons’ with disabilities are asexual (Charlton, 1998). This myth is powerful because it reinforces the paternalism that consigns people with disabilities to a permanent status as children (Charlton,

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