tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post9211901504002006599..comments2024-03-16T16:44:18.220-07:00Comments on Bad Cripple: Cripple Radar and Ableismwilliam Peacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00223601480542461802noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-75173282636818534452016-03-18T13:07:47.810-07:002016-03-18T13:07:47.810-07:00Is it ableist to believe that those with disabilit...Is it ableist to believe that those with disabilities should be treated the same as those without?<br /><br />Thus there should not be public support just for the disabled? That barriers to the disabled are their problem to overcome and not others who are not affected by these barriers?<br /><br />If a building has stairs you can't get up that is a problem for the disabled to overcome and not a problem for the owner of the building. The owner could install a ramp if they think the added business that might result is greater than the cost.<br /><br />Since lifts on buses add to their cost then the cost to those who need to use the lift should be higher. But the fares for the disabled are lower than regular which is unfair and discriminatory.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13020551758512174885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-56042027392377479862016-01-14T21:30:57.188-08:002016-01-14T21:30:57.188-08:00I think part of the ableism (spellcheck doesn'...I think part of the ableism (spellcheck doesn't agree it's a word) is the fact that "fitness" is the American ideal. Most American's have an extremely idealized body type in their heads that they will never measure up to; but, you know, at least they're further along than the "cripple". It's nasty, sub-conscious (most of the time), and ever present. I actually don't mind the little old ladies nearly as much as I understand that most of them are undergoing changes in their bodies for the first time whereas I have lived with these limitations all of my life. They are just noticing how far the "handicapped" spaces are from the entrance and I'm sure it must come as a shock. However, I cannot stand the interaction with people in my peer group or slightly older who falsely believe they are being "nice" by acknowledging that I exist. <br />S.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04445292358948856209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-10459710248949621992016-01-14T09:56:22.973-08:002016-01-14T09:56:22.973-08:00H. Smith:
"This is just an attempted explana...H. Smith:<br /><br />"This is just an attempted explanation, not an attack". I accept that. Please trust that I come with the same good will.<br /><br />Your response generated a lot of thoughts and questions which I won't be able to put down in a single post so I'll just start somewhere.<br /><br />The point of my original post was to demonstrate that what might very well have been ableism didn't originate with me. I was given instructions by someone with more authority and knowledge than myself. That special education teacher might have received their instructions from the parent for all I know. The parent might not have liked their child coming home with dangerous bite marks. They were a poor family can hardly afford the medical bills they have let alone another one.<br /><br />As an aide I can question certain practices, but generally I'm not in position to refuse instructions. If I do, I could lose my job. Then the child might get stuck with someone who doesn't even question things.<br /><br />People who are disabled often get put into two different groups. Either you're inspirational or a problem. I often feel similarly as support staff. Either I'm a "special" person to do this job, or I'm incompetent. I get this vibe even from reading disability blogs by parents or disabled people themselves. There tends not to be a middle ground for those of us who are trying to our best as the situation dictates.<br /><br />Thank you for giving me your perspective.<br /><br />BenAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17531879339052372249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-41882747585676213592016-01-14T01:08:02.400-08:002016-01-14T01:08:02.400-08:00Ben
This is just an attempted explanation, not an...Ben<br /><br />This is just an attempted explanation, not an attack. It can be hard to judge that from just words on a screen so I wanted to make it clear.<br /><br />You didnt describe a situation where you were simply stopping a child, any child, from hurting themself. You described a repetitive, draining, battle of wills with a non verbal, physically disabled girl (child?), which unsurprisingly left you feeling frustrated and with growing hostility because she wasnt "getting better". Better, in this context, meaning "more like an able bodied person who doesnt disturb us by biting her own hand".. <br /><br />And this - "we knew it was a sensory issue, but we couldn't let her hurt herself either."- is you (collective you) deciding that you can't let her do something, which in reality carries minor and manageable risk, that she felt strongly enough about to continue doing in spite of your interventions. Its ableism because assumptions and judgements were made by able boded people about a disabled person that resulted in her autonomy being taken away and her resistance being seen as a negative not a positive thing. <br /><br />But what if "getting better" for that girl meant growing stronger in and as herself and having more success with influencing her world and exerting autonomy over her body? What if her persistence in the face of the dedicated attempts to prevent her biting herself was seen as worthy of respect rather than as a challenge and frustration? What if the goal wasn't to stop her from biting herself but instead was to first find out if she was trying to communicate something beyond "leave me alone I want/need to do this" and if there was a response she wanted/needed, and then to act on that information and direction from her? Wouldnt that hugely reduce the frustration and hostility on both sides?<br /><br />The ableist mindset actually makes your life more difficult and unpleasant as well as ours. But its rarely questioned because ableism is brainwashed into us from birth and seen as both the norm and the only way it can be. We need that to change. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16595277303954088344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-10258636793456927652016-01-13T15:09:58.109-08:002016-01-13T15:09:58.109-08:00H. Smith:
How was it ableism? If another child t...H. Smith: <br /><br />How was it ableism? If another child tried hurting themselves I'd be responsible for stopping them too. If she bites her hand so hard it bleeds, it could become infected. We tried putting material on her hand that she could bite, but she was strong enough to bite through it. We knew it was a sensory issue, but we couldn't let her hurt herself either.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17531879339052372249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-32260809700771789612016-01-12T20:48:21.080-08:002016-01-12T20:48:21.080-08:00I was nodding so much at this post, I've had t...I was nodding so much at this post, I've had this "friendly relating to me as an imaginary non disabled person and then suddenly turning hostile when my disabilitys push through that illusion" so, so often with support people, and it took me so long to work out what was going on. Shame that realisation didnt come with the power to stop it happening. <br /><br />Ben Cerwinski.. do you not see that what you've described is ableism in your work role? If youre working with a non verbal person whos biting their own hand and resisting your attempts to stop them then you are actually assaulting their body by forcing them to stop. You're treating them as if you, the able bodied aide, knows better than them whats "good for them", and as if they need your able bodied protection from themself, which is stealing their autonomy. <br /><br />Maybe the girl was in physical pain and was using the sensory input of biting to manage it. Maybe biting was her non verbal way of screaming at all the ableist abuse she had to put up with, or her equivalent of pacing up and down, going for a run or having a cigarette and whisky. Maybe it comforted her, maybe it was a way of exerting control and affecting the ableists around her, there are as many maybes as you have reasons for the things you do and the point is you didnt know her reasons, or apparently consider she had any... You just exerted your caregiver power over her disabled body and assumed you were in the right. Which is ableism at its finest. Understanding this truth greatly lessens the caregiver frustration you mention..Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16595277303954088344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-71301782533879390482016-01-09T20:41:03.542-08:002016-01-09T20:41:03.542-08:00Places that claim to be wheelchair accessible but ...Places that claim to be wheelchair accessible but have one single step going up to the front door, with no other entrance. <br /><br />Stores that put crap blocking the aisles - I love the Kroger I go to but they keep putting crap in the bakery section so that I have to go halfway around the aisles to get to the Coffeebucks for a caffeine fix.<br /><br />Hotels and apartments that think that putting grab bars in a bathtub makes a room/apartment "accessible."<br /><br />Oh, the list.<br /><br />Today I went grocery shopping. As I was putting the bags in the back of my van, some lady came over and asked if I needed help, which was nice of her. I said no thanks, I was fine. She insisted. "Are you sure? I'm right here!" she said in a wheedling voice. I wanted to say, "FFS, lady, don't talk to me like you talk to a toddler who wants to go potty all by himself."<br /><br />Maybe I shoulda.Moosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10397412122635951126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1556371561007953336.post-48631269949932454472016-01-09T18:34:02.827-08:002016-01-09T18:34:02.827-08:00William
I'm aide in a Special Ed. room. I can ...William<br />I'm aide in a Special Ed. room. I can relate to that feeling of hostility building up in response to a disabled person not "getting better". I would point out that some of that pressure isn't self-imposed. I had girl who used a wheelchair and was non-verbal. She would oftea n bite her hand long and hard. I could sometimes put her hand back down, but she would immediately bite again and again. Other times she would strongly resist this intervention as well. It was draining trying to get her to stop, but if I did nothing she'd hurt herself. <br /><br />As a caregiver, walking away in order to calm down isn't always a viable option. When I'm not acting as a caregiver, but as a friend, I tend not to experience those types of situations.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17531879339052372249noreply@blogger.com