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UNIT 7 POST

For this unit, we learned about Fritsch’s ideas of the ISA (International Symbol of Access). We additionally learned about Kafer’s explanation of trigger warnings and safe spaces. In both sections, I feel like I have learned new ways of thinking about accessibility and how some things such as traumatic experiences can set someone off at any time.

Firstly, Fritsch article was again based around ISA and how ISA can show that certain places and certain areas are made just for those with disabilities. However, in the article, it was made to seem like these ISA symbols are symbols that are for those with disabilities, but almost that they are not disabled enough- or that they are not really taken into consideration. This really showed whenever we did the protocol assignment around campus. Seeing ISA symbols around campus being placed in places that are inconvenient to disabled communities, just showed me that the disabled community is not being taken serious- especially on UK’s campus.

Next was the discussion on Kafer’s trigger warnings and safe spaces. A trigger warning is when there is something alerting the reader to what they are about to read would cause distress to them; this can also appear in shows or movies. I believe that it is a good way to warn people about what is about to happen, however it has developed some flaws over the past couple of years. According to Kafer, trigger warnings were supposed to be something that warns those so that they may not want to be reminded about what happened, even something really small. But, it is starting to get a trendy thing to say on social media. “Triggered”. I think that people using trigger warnings out of context sometimes can demote the actual meaning of what it is supposed to do.

K. Fritsch. 2013. “The Neoliberal Circulation of Affects: Happiness, Accessibility, and the Capacitation of Disability as Wheelchair.” Health, Culture and Society 5 (1): 135-149.

Alison Kafer. 2016. “Un/Safe Disclosures: Scenes of Disability and Trauma.” In The Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies 10 (1): 1-20.  

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UNIT 6

For this unit, we were discussing sexuality and everything that comes with knowing sexuality and disabilities. For those with disabilities, it is sometimes thought that they don’t experience anything that relates to sexuality and relationships. So this unit really laid down how in fact, disability does not mean that you cannot be sexual. It was very interesting to learn some of the ideas that came with learning this unit.

To being with, just like everything that deals with disabilities and society, I feel like society definitely created limitations to what degree disabled people are allowed to be sexual. Society does not want more disabled people within the world, therefore, aren’t allowing for disabled people to reproduce. This is what I consider to be bull. It just goes to show that the concept of eugenics is still being played into society. I understand that society does not want more disabled people being born, but I do feel like it is not at all right for society to put limitations on disabled people and not allow them to have children of their own. In addition to that, I believe that if society is worried about what challenges might arise in the child’s life, then society should do everything possible to help those who are born with disabilities, not exclude them. The article by Siebers, “A sexual culture for disabled people” further discusses society and its take on sexuality within the disabled community. The author generally emphasized how important it is to know what the community experiences. The author further explained how just because people have disabilities does not mean that it is not uncommon or wrong for them to experience sexuality. People like Nyle DiMarco, and others who have disabilities feel that they should not be limited to what society places on them. I feel like it is fair and important to realize that the disabled community are “allowed” to be sexual.

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UNIT 4 POST

           In this unit 4, one of the main focuses that I got from this reading is disability in schools and the whole school-to-prison pipeline concept. In Erevelle’s reading, school to prison pipeline theory was defined as “multidimensional process that funnels large numbers of minority students from the classroom into the adult prison system.”  Throughout this post, I plan to mainly point out why and how this concept is important, but often goes unnoticed.

           I grew up in the part of Louisville where it is poor in environment, education, and has lack of funding for certain things. These things include the school system. Ever since I can remember, the school system in Louisville has always been poor. They didn’t really push us to want to have a future or created this environment for us to not have chances to succeed. I didn’t realize it then, but I see now that Louisville’s school system is considered to be a school to pipeline system.

           These schools have mainly minority students, so there are not a lot of resources available for students to get good education, so in turn a prison like environment is established. There are uniforms that have to be worn, security systems as you walk in the door, and constant random checks being made. All of these characteristics and more are described to be something of a real prison. Additionally, to those issues in school, there is currently a teacher strike in Louisville. With no teachers, there’s no education. The students in these schools are being deprived of an education. In regards to how this system is not working, there are also ways that the article, “Race, Disability and the School to Prison Pipeline” showed why many minority schools use this system. They listed reasons like teaching kids strict behavior early on prevents future problems in life, etc. However, I think this all is going in the wrong direction and is making more harm than help. I believe that if the government, or whoever is in charge of these “school to prison” schools sat down and actually took time to look at how this is not helping, then I believe that there can be a change made.

·       Nirmala Erevelles, “Crippin’ Jim Crow: Disability, Dis-Location, and the School to Prison Pipeline.” In Disability Incarcerated.

·       Race, Disability and the School-to-Prison Pipeline

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UNIT 3 ENTRY

This unit brought in Alison Kafer’s book “Feminist Queer Crip” and brought in new ideas and concepts to learn as well. Reading chapters from Kafer’s book, I believe that I summarized what she was saying and the overall theme of it all. First, I believe that Kafer wanted to explain her thoughts of disability and crip theory in today’s society and how it might go in the future. Kafer basically seen the future for disabled individuals as going nowhere because of how society treats these individuals. I honestly agree with a couple of points made in the book. One of them being how society is not entirely fit for those who are disabled. As stated in previous posts, I hadn't realized how hard it was to try to “fit in” into society. So I can only imagine how many more people don’t really know how to help the disabled community. This includes not using the disabled stall or not stopping in the middle of the road or even not using the proper terms for the disabled community. This may include terms such as crippled or handicapped which was touched on by Kafer too. I believe that if these negative terms don’t get corrected, then it will only do more damage in the future.

I believe that society has a powerful way teaching what is supposed to be considered as “normal”. This goes way back to whenever scientists and researchers were trying to make eugenics a thing. Watching that documentary, I couldn’t believe how much people were doing so that there wouldn’t be any reproduction of children who were or might become disabled. From then all the way until now, I feel that the disabled community as a whole still gets looked over. No matter how much society tries to control what is being done and thought to be correct, only limits us more and hinders our growth as a society.

Sources: eugenics documentary; “feminist queer crip” by Alison Kafer

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GWS 300 Entry 2 Post

To begin, each unit I have went through thus far has kept my thought process racing and having myself think of different concepts that I have never would of thought about beforehand. In this unit, I have learned more about invisible disability more in depth and also learning a little about freak shows- to name a few. I found these two topics to be the more interesting ones because of how they made me think differently.

Invisible disability to me is described as a disability that is there, but is not physically visible. Many people across the world has invisible disabilities and are often stigmatized against for not really being a “disabled individual”. In class, we watched and read examples of what invisible disability is and how it can affect those who do have them. In the Evans reading, “Un/covering: Making Disability Identity Legible”, she discussed how those who have an invisible disability often suffer from being stigmatized and are judged. I really believe that she covered a lot on what it means to have an invisible disability. I especially liked when she included Molly’s story on how she feels like she is not disabled enough due to the fact that her disability is not physical or can be seen. This is the case for others who do have it. Including the YouTube video we watched in class about the young woman getting chastised in her comments about how she isn’t a real disabled person. I thought that this was all wrong and ignorant to say because they don’t really know what the real deal was with her. I’m pretty sure that these individuals who have an invisible disability really might feel like that they aren’t disabled enough.

Although invisible disabilities are often not looked as a being a real thing, there is another thing that people might be blind to seeing as being a disability. That thing being those who are involved in a freak show. I was one of those people, and was so blind to the fact that those people who were seen as “freaks” really did have a disability. They just decided or were forced into being in these shows. Their disabilities were highlighted and shown to the public for profit. All in all, that was not right. In Garland’s article, it was explained how freak shows were used as a cultural ritual that dramatized the social and physical hierarchy. And I definitely agree. Looking at freak shows now, I felt them to be something that should not have happened. Whenever we were learning about it, American Horror Story: Freak Show, came to mind. That season of AHS, highlighted freak shows, but in a way that viewers forgot that those individuals actually had some sort of disability. It was actually so eye opening to read about this topic because I see everything completely different now.

Looking forward to what to expect in the upcoming units, I am always keeping my mind open and learning to view concepts differently.

Sources: Evans and Garland Articles

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GWS 300 Entry 1

For this first unit, I would summarize this first unit as the general introduction to the class and giving us general ideas on what disabilities is and the correct terms to use towards disabled individuals. I believe that in this unit, I learned many new concepts that I have not have known before. It changed my perspective quickly. From what I got from this unit is how disabled individuals are just regular people in a sense. Most of the times, they do not want to be singled out or applauded for doing the most basic tasks that abled bodied people do. Far as this unit connecting to a current event, I honestly feel like we see it all the time in the media. Seeing posts like a disabled kid getting taken to prom, seeing disabled people driving, or hearing about a disabled person completing a daily task; the list goes on and on. Most of the time, there are people who constantly over applaud these individuals and that might not be something that has to be done. 

      However, whenever I was reading the articles assigned or watching videos, it seems as though they want to be treated just as abled bodied people. In the news, there was a man who has Autism that was elected into public office recently. Citizens and co workers of John Hiatt, were very open to the idea of him being elected and said that it was very "encouraging" for someone with a disability to be in office. For example, 

“I really commend him for being in that position,” Cathy Dionne, executive director of the Autism Society of Maine, said. 

Her quote really shows how much people with disabilities are constantly lifted into this pedestal of being something other than who they are- human. Also reading this article, made me think of Schalk's article on super crips. I feel like Hiatt would be considered a "super crip" because of how he has a disability and is someone who is in office. Even though some may consider him to fall into this description, I feel like it is wrong to categorize him as someone who can't do anything simply because he has a disability.

In society, I believe that it is very important for us to realize how much people with disabilities are simply just like abled bodied people. In all honesty, I feel like they even have to show more of themselves to society to prove that they are just like abled bodies. 

Sources:

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/01/25/voters-autism-2-offices/25936/

Reevaluating the Supercrip; Sami Schalk