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Reflected self-image
Written by Sean on Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Jim was telling me about the day he spent using his wheelchair last weekend, and how he ended up looking at his reflection in one of the glass windows of a nearby shops.
He said:
I found myself going back and forth in front of it, admiring myself in my wheelchair. How strange is that?
I’d venture to say it’s not strange at all. I don’t go back and forth, but every time I wheel by a reflecting surface, I try and catch a glimpse of myself, to see what I look like. To see myself in a wheelchair. I know Sophie does the same, and I believe Claire does as well. I suspect most transabled folks do that.
BIID is a question of body image, isn’t it?. In order for us to feel somewhat better, being able to see ourselves as we perceive ourselves to be is important.
Don’t they treat phantom limb pain in amputees using mirrors? Trying to trick the brain into thinking that the limb is there, and as a result, eliminating phantom pain? I believe it actually works rather well for many people.
Using a wheelchair is a good way to alleviate part of the emotional turmoil. But being able to *see* ourselves is also part of the equation.
It’s not strange, it’s therapeutic.
[tags]Wheelchair, BIID, Therapeutic, Amputee, Reflection[/tags]This entry appears in Sean's Thoughts, Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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8 Comments
2 On 17 April, 2007, Claire said:
Yup, you’re right, I do. :o) I do it because I want to know what I look like in a wheelchair, in a real-life setting, in motion. I find I like how I look, even though the wheelchair is as unflattering as all hell to my love handles, and I have to hide my best feature, my well-developed legs!
3 On 17 April, 2007, Sean said:
Gordo: what’s “real”? I think that’s one thing we, as a group, tend to misunderstand. There’s not one single “wheeler look”. What we think looks “real” is often just a figment of our imagination, as if you were to line up 20 paraplegics with the same level of injury, you’d likely get 20 different “wheelchair looks” :)
Sean: I realize that… I should’ve phrased it differently. I really mean, “Do I look like a faker?” There’s always that anxiety in the back of my head about whether people can see throw the disguise, so to speak.
That fear also stems from my first real pretending trip, when I bumped into several actual paraplegics and I was starting to worry whether they can actually tell that I was pretending.
I do the exact same thing. I went weeling earlier today at the mall and I wore out my neck catching every reflection.
I like what I see, especially now that I have a new chair lol.
I always catch myself looking in windows at the mall, mirrors in department stores etc., but this window was at least 40 yards long and 24 feet high with some kind of film on the glass to make it like an enormous mirror! I was going back and forth,wheeling toward it, spinning, doing wheelies, picking up my legs to cross them in different poses and so on. I’ll be back there this Sunday for sure! I’m going to park in front of it and watch my transer techniques.
It is absolutely impertive that I see myself each time I pretend. Usually to see how convincing a job of appearing to be an RAK, but also to see myself reflected as I wish to be. It is a very satisying part of my pretending.
8 On 30 April, 2007, Sean said:
Hey Ronald,
I’ve been responding to your emails about becoming an author, three of those, in fact, but it looks like you’re not getting those. Have you checked your spam box?
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1 On 17 April, 2007, Gordo said:
Yeah, I can relate. I do it too, but mostly to make sure that I look “natural” or “real” while wheeling around. And maybe marvel at how “natural” or “real” I make it seem. :)