Disability Theory

1. Disability Theory By Tobin Siebers

2. Quiz 1. Disability is: a. minority. b. majority. 2. I am: a. able-bodied. b. disabled. c. temporarily able-bodied. d. temporarily disabled.

3. Quiz I have acquaintances with disabilities: a. Yes. b. No. c. Never. My home is ready for people with disabilities: a. Yes. b. No.

4. Answers: Disability is a majority. No one is really “able-bodied”. Someday, you will be disabled. Actually, we are all right now, disabled. You probably do have disabled acquaintances. The world is, by default, able-bodied exclusive.

5. Ideology of Ability Selection + Exclusion + Exnomination = Limited

6. Embodiment • all knowledge is situated and based on - perspective (social location) - embodiment

7. Disability (identities narratives+ experiences) = Disability Theory they represent locations and forms of embodiment from which critiquing society and the dominant ideology is possible

8. Theory of Complex Embodiment Intersectional Identity Disability is a form of human variation it includes variability among individuals, and within an individual’s life cycle (aging, chronic pain,...death) - while social representations affect the body experience, the body adopts (and determines) its social experience as well.

9. Intersectional Identity and Disney Princesses

10. Narcissism - collective accusation that isolates one member of a community as completely different from everyone else -political isolating process where they cannot escape their individual cell - non-ending process of individualization where individual solutions can be provided

11. Examples in Literature - Oedipus: blind - Achilles: weak ankle - Hunchback of Notre Dame: kyphosis - Richard III: kyphosis

12. Realism of the Body - our realistic model of the body falls short of what is really there - part of a “rhetoric” not to describe “how” a body works but how it “ought” to

13. Realism of the Body Representation of the disabled people: is achievable only by challenging the dominant conception about them as victims, diseased, needy, or narcissistic

14. Disabilities are social constructs “In a society of wheelchair users, there would be no stairs.”

15. Social Constructionists I - capability to have political identity depends on its ability to emancipate from its individual psychological/physical identity (the suffering body)

16. Social Constructionists II Siebers: - a physical body can be repressive of political identity if thought confined to an individual, but it can be enabling if considered socially as an ideological form not beyond the individual and not less than the individual

17. Social Constructionists III Ableism: to question the prejudices of ability ideology - Access to society will enlarge access to political consciousness and sphere

18. Masquerading Disability vs. Passing I Masquerading disability: Acting out your stigma to justify why you behave in a certain way Passing: To pretend to be part of the hegemony, like an able-bodied person, a form of psychological denial

19. Masquerading Disability vs. Passing II Ability: - Unmarked - Invisible - Normal Disability: - An effort to ability - More invisible - More invisible as an exception -assumes normality (part of passing)

20. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 1. As an expression for political ends

21. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 2. As a communication form (a performance of disability/stigma to inform others of their presence – with same disability or an able-bodied)

22. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 3. As a transgression to the existing system of oppression

23. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 4. As prosthesis to change and challenge false expectations/social prejudices set by dominant or to make life easier for disabled.

24. Oscar Pistorius (End at 2:15/4:20)

25. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 5. An exaggerated narrative structure of disability (human-interest story), to reinforce the normative discourse of able-bodies: “pathology of superiority”

26. Political Implications of Disability Masquerading 6. As a “disability drag” Informing human-interest stories: Disadvantage excellent performance of an able-bodied actor reinforces able-bodiedness ideology, temporary, alienated Advantage: people embrace disabled people as something not less than human

27. TED Talk: Maysoon Zayid (Start 5:45/End at 7:15)

28. Disability Experience on Trial I Lyotard différend: a situation in which victims are denied the means to demonstrate that they have been wronged Tennessee vs. Lane vs. 2004 legislation

29. Disability Experience on Trial II Society refuses to see a subject’s disability as a result of experience with the able-bodied world The courthouse was designed by default to deny the disabled Disabled people are seen as non-people

30. Sexual Rights for Disabled People 1. Disabled sexuality disrupts the notion of a sex life. 2. Sex = reproducing able-bodiedness. 3. Disabled people are seen as less than human, without sexual needs. 4. Disabled people face suspicion that their sex life is not contributing to society.

31. The Right to be a Sexual Being 1. Typical gender roles are difficult to fit in for disabled. 2. Group homes or long-term care facilities further asexualize disabled people. 3. Disabled bodies change/challenge the erotics of the body and typical sex roles.

32. Disability Challenges Gender 1. Shame is seen from the able-bodied spectator perspective. 2. Disability is a “pivot point” of sex and gender. 3. Disabled people are often not allowed sexual agency because they have no social value.

33. First, we need “the Right to Have Rights” 1. Human bodies are frail. 2. The right to have rights is frail. 3. Disabled people are disabled by society. Disabled people today: - Forced confinement - Right to a fair trial - Cannot sue - “You don’t count” education - Blocked from voting - Limited travel ability - Denied the right to a sex life - Seen as a tragedy * Limited in tech options

34. Application How to Train Your Dragon (start at 1:45)

35. Application How to Train Your Dragon

36. Finale: “The Right to Have Rights” Thank you!