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Understanding Intersectionality in Disability

The document discusses a guest speaker's talk on intersectionality and disability studies. It covers topics like how ableism is often overlooked, challenges faced in higher education, universal design, indigenous views of disability, critiques of views that see some lives as more valuable, and concepts like the social model of disability.

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Songqin Wei
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12 views3 pages

Understanding Intersectionality in Disability

The document discusses a guest speaker's talk on intersectionality and disability studies. It covers topics like how ableism is often overlooked, challenges faced in higher education, universal design, indigenous views of disability, critiques of views that see some lives as more valuable, and concepts like the social model of disability.

Uploaded by

Songqin Wei
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Intersectionality class 2

Guest speaker – Irene


Disabled and indigenous studies

Anyone can become disabled at any time


Intersectionality – analytical tool to engage equity deserve groups
If only focus on one aspect, obscure other aspects

EDI – ablism is often dropped and goes unrecognized


“Inspiration porn” – able bodies feel better about life – put pressure on the disabled to allow
the abled to performance
Invisible to the most – e.g., exam accommodation (sitting in exam too long or writing is slower
than others) – fear how to be fair for others not to disadvantage
Pressured by the dominant culture

Advocate in the medical world – surgery did not help with the walking
Wheelchair – encounter certain challenges
3 barriers to higher education
1.“You don’t need education, the government will look after you”
[Link] a girl – patriarchy family – boys are smarter than girls
[Link] generation student – not have anyone helping you

Universal design / inclusive design


“other” “othering” serves a purpose for the dominant culture to make them feel secure

Indigenous worldview
Disability – colonial concept
Indigenous words almost no words to describe disability
Give support where the support is needed

System problem
If not raise the children according to the western standard, cannot get the funding and support.
Government is not willing to take responsibility

Analyse how the system work

Peter Singer (Animal right activist)– make people with disability below others – view certain
lives have more value than other
How the government funds things, affect lived experience for people live in the system
Criticize

Social justice (transform in a large scale) – human rights – operate within a framework, people
in dominant people cannot recognize that and will not make radical changes
False generosity
Create space – instead of advocating within the Canadian legal system, but in a different system
(indigenous)

Medical model (doctors try to cure you, make your bodies abled, so much on curing)
Social model (disability is socially constructed) – how you are disabled by the environment
rather than by your body
Go head to head so much

Pain can be a disability

Other aspects are able but there is one aspect (e.g., walking)
Prove the validity of the experience – challenges

Disability memoir – be proactive not passive

Job hunting – visible disability – not to hide the disability because employer may be surprised
Disclose when you have too. Need accommodations if you have to disclose

Disability engages some white privilege/ white surpery

Books:
The Rejected Body-Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability
By Susan Wendell

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto

Definition of disability
Intersectional perspective on disability

Conceptualized

Double reinforcement – compounded oppression/multilayer oppression

False generosity – ? performative guilt - Over apologies

Vulnerability – stories/counter stories to learn

Advocate, build allyship, does not have to be someone who is in power

Common questions

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'Inspiration porn' is critiqued as a narrative that enables able-bodied individuals to feel better about their lives by celebrating the disabled for their perseverance rather than addressing systemic barriers . This perpetuates pressure on disabled individuals to conform to able-bodied expectations without addressing the need for systemic change, thus maintaining the status quo of inequity .

'False generosity' refers to performative acts of support that serve to ease the guilt of the privileged rather than effecting meaningful change . It can manifest as tokenism or superficial advocacy, such as offering assistance or compliments without challenging systemic issues. This allows the dominant group to feel altruistic while preserving the status quo, failing to drive the radical changes needed for genuine equity .

Universal design contributes to accessibility and inclusion by creating environments and products that accommodate the widest range of users, regardless of ability . It shifts focus from adapting spaces for disability to designing them inclusively from the outset, thus reducing the need for specialized accommodations and fostering equitable access across abilities .

Intersectionality serves as an analytical tool by addressing multiple aspects of identity such as race, gender, and disability that compound to create unique forms of disadvantage . It offers a way to recognize and engage with equity-deserving groups by acknowledging these overlapping identities. However, the limitation is that focusing on only one aspect could obscure other important identities, leading to incomplete analysis .

Disabled individuals encounter barriers such as societal beliefs that education is unnecessary for them, gender bias within families that prioritize boys' education, and lack of familial support for first-generation students . These barriers reflect broader societal attitudes that undervalue the potential contributions of disabled individuals and perpetuate stereotypes that reinforce dependency and exclusion from educational and professional opportunities .

Advocacy in the medical world involves challenging the dominant focus on curing disabilities and advocating for recognition of lived experiences . It can drive policy changes by shifting paradigms towards viewing disability through a social model lens, promoting accessibility, and recognizing diverse needs. Successful advocacy can influence policies to better reflect disabled individuals' rights and experiences, moving towards inclusive healthcare systems .

Integrating the social model of disability into workplace policies involves creating inclusive environments by removing barriers that disable employees, such as rethinking physical spaces, work schedules, and communication methods to accommodate diverse needs . Challenges include resistance to change, potential cost of modifications, and ingrained biases that favor traditional working conditions . Successful integration requires commitment to a culture of inclusivity and continuous dialogue with disabled employees to tailor solutions .

The medical model treats disability as a problem located within the individual, focusing on curing or managing the impairment to make the body 'abled' . In contrast, the social model views disability as socially constructed, emphasizing how social and environmental barriers disable individuals . While the medical model can lead to efforts to 'fix' the individual, often ignoring societal barriers, the social model advocates for adjusting environmental factors to improve accessibility and inclusion, which better aligns with social justice goals .

The indigenous worldview often lacks specific words for 'disability,' viewing it instead as part of a natural human spectrum without the stigmatization found in Western cultures . Western perceptions, rooted in colonial concepts, typically pathologize disability, demanding conformity to normative standards. This disconnect can create challenges in seeking support, funding, and recognition when indigenous practices are not aligned with Western structures .

'Othering' serves to reinforce the dominant culture's sense of security by marginalizing those who are different, thereby strengthening in-group identity . It leads to exclusion and discrimination against marginalized groups, who are portrayed as outsiders. This perpetuates systemic inequality and can impede social and cultural integration, reinforcing the privileged status of the dominant group .

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