Summary: The Social Construction Of Disability
Disabled people must fight their environment just to live day to day. They are often dehumanized and judged. Instead of being viewed a human with rights, thoughts, and feelings they are viewed as a mistake or tragedy. Disabilities cannot define who someone is, and disabled people should not be victims of segregation, discrimination, and degradation. This picture of Olympian and double amputee Blake Leeper was taken in August of 2015 by Christina Mauro, who followed him for a day as he was training. According to an article written by Mauro, Blake Leeper has a new partnership with Nike. Leeper thinks this partnership can redefine America’s idea of disability. To what extent does the portrait of Blake Leeper at the gym represent American values?
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Wendell would probably think this is a sign of bravery. “The Social Construction of Disability” by Susan Wendell talks about how “the distinction between the biological reality of a disability and the social construction of a disability cannot be made sharply, because the biological and the social are interactive in creating disability” (35). The author talks about how society and culture turn an impairment into a disability. On page 36 Susan Wendell says, “I see disability as socially constructed in ways ranging from social conditions that straightforwardly create illnesses, injuries, and poor physical functioning, to subtle cultural factors that determine standards of normality and exclude those who do not meet them from full participation in their societies”. Disability is when someone is limited by their physical condition because their environment is not suitable for their needs. Disability is also when the “pace of life” is only focused on the young, strong, and healthy person therefore people with physical impairments start to fall behind (37). Culture can also cause disability through stereotypes and stigmas. Some people do not see others with a different physical condition than their own as full citizens or as equal to themselves. A culture or society also has the chance to deconstruct disability by adapting to people with ailments which would allow these people to be more independent and live fuller lives by working and not missing opportunities just because they have an impairment (56). This essay has a lot in common with Garland-Thompson’s essay because they both were written to make nondisabled people aware of things they can do to help people with disabilities, either by changing the stigma that disability is a huge hindrance or that disabled people are different. People with an impairment are equal to everyone else and
Wendell would probably think this is a sign of bravery. “The Social Construction of Disability” by Susan Wendell talks about how “the distinction between the biological reality of a disability and the social construction of a disability cannot be made sharply, because the biological and the social are interactive in creating disability” (35). The author talks about how society and culture turn an impairment into a disability. On page 36 Susan Wendell says, “I see disability as socially constructed in ways ranging from social conditions that straightforwardly create illnesses, injuries, and poor physical functioning, to subtle cultural factors that determine standards of normality and exclude those who do not meet them from full participation in their societies”. Disability is when someone is limited by their physical condition because their environment is not suitable for their needs. Disability is also when the “pace of life” is only focused on the young, strong, and healthy person therefore people with physical impairments start to fall behind (37). Culture can also cause disability through stereotypes and stigmas. Some people do not see others with a different physical condition than their own as full citizens or as equal to themselves. A culture or society also has the chance to deconstruct disability by adapting to people with ailments which would allow these people to be more independent and live fuller lives by working and not missing opportunities just because they have an impairment (56). This essay has a lot in common with Garland-Thompson’s essay because they both were written to make nondisabled people aware of things they can do to help people with disabilities, either by changing the stigma that disability is a huge hindrance or that disabled people are different. People with an impairment are equal to everyone else and