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Home / Thoughts / Sean's Thoughts / Blogging Against Disablism Day, misunderstandings and reverse discrimination.

Blogging Against Disablism Day, misunderstandings and reverse discrimination.

Written by Sean on Monday, May 1, 2006

So I heard about a wee great undertaking, a day to blog against disablism. Disablism, in some circles, is similar to ablism. Sexism, ageism, racism, yada yada yada, loads of ‘isms’ around. The thing is, it’s important to talk about these. I wanted to talk about good Christian values, and good Christian people who curse people with disabilities with more "just punishment from God". Or perhaps how people with disabilities are "guilty" of disablism themselves, in particular those who are "trying to pass" as non-disabled. There was something there I wanted to explore. I’ll talk about disablism in the disability community, but in a different way than I originally thought.

Because when I ventured forth and offered a link to transabled.org, saying that I would partake in the event, I received the following email as a response:

Thanks for your e-mail. I have had to have a think about this as it raised an issue I had not anticipated.

Sexism, racism, disabilism, etc exist because there is an argument for them as well as against them. As I understand it, transabled people have a strong desire to have disabling experiences i.e. they *want* to be treated differently.

There are other disabled people who want to be treated differently too, but there are very many who don’t and that is what Blogging Against Disabilism day is about.

It is always interesting to hear opposing viewpoints and if this were a Blogging *About* Disabilism Day then they would be welcome. However, BADD is, and has been advertised as Blogging *Against* Disabilism. It is an opportunity to for those of us who want to end differential treatment between disabled and non-disabled people to make a statement.

However, I feel that it would be inappropriate to invite contributions from those who are (presumably) in favour of maintaining a distinction.

Thank you and sorry for any disappointment.

Right…

An attempt at education

First, it’s obvious that there is a thorough lack of understanding about what transabled folks are about. But I guess lack of understanding comes from little interaction and low education. So, let’s enlighten the "uninitiated", if they actually wish to be enlightened.

No, a desire to be treated differently is not the reason I am transabled.

I want the impairment, not the disability (and I’m assuming that the concept of impairment vs. disability is clear in the mind of the (more or less) active disability right activist. In case it’s not, you can fast-forward to the end of this blog where I draw a quick outline of it and come back where you left off). I’m not in this for attention (albeit at some point I thought it may have been part of it all). A recent post on a board I frequent said it very eloquently:

obscure said:

I am pretty damn certain that my desires don’t stem from feeling a sense of neglect or wanting to be taken care of more. In fact, I would be just as happy with myself paralyzed and in a chair sitting at home than I would be in front of ten thousand people who all wanted to give me attention. Because for me it really isn’t about anyone else or their reactions towards me.

I’d never really thought about it in those terms, but it hit my like a ton of bricks, it fit like a (fitting) glove, it fit me like the wheelchair I use fits me: *just right*.

It’s not about how others treat us, but about how we feel about ourselves. It’s about self-image and self-perception.

It is not our fault that society treats us differently because we use wheelchairs. We’re not asking for that, it just happens, just like medications have side effects. Just as people with disabilities that don’t want to be treated differently end up being treated so. Or rather, society treats us just the same as they do those other "genuine" wheelchair users (genuine in the sense of recognised medical/physical needs).

It’s the "genuine" wheelchair users that treat us differently.

In fact, I’m so strongly opposed to differential treatment and discrimination from society imposed on the disability community that I’ve gotten my ass arrested at several disability rights protests (can you say A.D.A.P.T., anyone?).

So yeah, I do want to end differential treatment between disabled and non-disabled people. I’ve wanted that for a long time now, and I’ve fought the fight just as long. And I dare say at some point along the lines I’ve had successes. Don’t you tell me that because I don’t have the impairment but perceive myself as being a paraplegic, that I can’t share similar values than you have.

Reverse discrimination?

It’s a bit like those white folks that marched with Dr. King. The got accused of being negro lovers (no offense intended to African Americans here). But, but, but… But you have non-crips blogging against disablism, and you even link to them, so it can’t be that level of reverse discrimination, can it? Or can’t it?

The thing is, people with disabilities are humans, and as such able to be just as guilty of these behaviours as anyone else. I remember talking to a Center for Independent Living employee about their experience at a NCIL conference. This person does not have a disability. This person was there because they a) worked at a CIL and believed in the IL philosophy, and b) wanted to help out doing PA work. They later told me that was the first, and last time they would attend the conference, because they had been treated like non-entities, like they didn’t exist.

So, ok, if someone is using the services of a PA, you don’t necessarily want to involve the PA in the discussion, just like you wouldn’t talk *to* a Sign Language interpreter. But that doesn’t excuse you from a total lack of civil niceties, you know, simple stuff, like… Ohhh, just to pick one: "hello, how are you?".

I am privileged in some ways (mayhap you’ll say many). One experience I had a decade ago really marked me and shocked me. I had been living full time as a wheeler for about a year or so, hanging around the local CIL. Then, I had to travel out of town, and helped a friend move. This friend had (he died since) a disability, who knew about me being transabled. He asked me to help him move, and to do it with my AB body. I didn’t, couldn’t, begrudge him that. One of the people there was a paraplegic gal. She didn’t know me as a wheeler. And the vibe I got were that she didn’t want a thing to do with "that AB". Putting a wall up. Perhaps it’s a defense mechanism. That might explain it, I don’t think it excuses it.

Disability rights activists often complain about the treatment they get in society, yeah. But is it perhaps possible that part of the reaction they get is a direct result of their own attitude? The word ‘attitude’ reminds me of an acquaintance of mine who wears a t-shirt that says "Your attitude just might be my biggest barrier". This person has a disability. This person wears that shirt as a message to the disability rights people he sometimes hangs around with. Not very many people get it.

So, disablism and (reverse) discrimination are *not* the sole province of a non-disabled society.

I do believe in the need for work towards a more inclusive society. And I also firmly believe that "charité bien ordonée commence par soi-même", if you want the world to be a better place, you got to clean up your own house first.

Back to this refusal

I wasn’t surprised at the refusal. In fact, I fully expected it. Like Don Quixote, I keep going at the windmill. I likely won’t ever get any more result, but I can’t help it.

Would a plain refusal have hurt less? Would no response at all been better? I don’t know. Or rather, yes, I am glad that there was at least a note saying "no", because knowing is better than limbo. But that response, verging on the patronising, well, that felt like it was just trying to let me down easily. Sugar coating it, I guess. But sugar coating a bitter pill doesn’t make it sweeter, does it?

Surely it’s something those of you who’ve lived with a disability have faced. "No, you can’t get in this store, but I understand it’s hard, my grand-mother uses a wheelchair" I dunno, bad example, I’m sure you can think of one yourself.

Yeah, well, I should draw this to a close. Last thought:

Transabled folks are fighting a two front battle. Rejected by society, and rejected by the disability community. Ha! How fun (can you hear the sarcasm dripping off the keyboard here?).

Impairment vs. Disability

Ok, briefly, in case some of you aren’t familiar with the conceptual difference that a social model of disability brings us. A disability, in and of itself isn’t a problem. It’s not having to use a wheelchair that is a problem, it’s the flight of steps, the narrow doorways. It’s not being unable to see that’s the problem, it’s not being able to get your bank statement in alternative formats that’s the problem. It’s not being unable to hear that’s the problem, it’s facing a world where next to no one Signs that is the problem.

Using a wheelchair, being blind, being Deaf, those are impairments (ok ok ok, I hear my Deaf friends argue the toss, bear with me, let’s say ‘deaf’ instead of ‘Deaf’, will that work?). Being unable to get through the door, not getting your bank statement, not being able to get an interpreter at the hospital, those are disabling events.

Do you see the difference?

I want the impairment, I want/need to be a paraplegic. I’m not after the disability that is attached to that. But I’ll take it. Because I’d rather be a paraplegic and disabled by society than be a so-called AB, living in emotional pain all the time…

A continuation of this blog can be read here. A response from the original blog owner, and an apology accepted.