Comments for Disability and Representation

Comment on Smoochie Paraplegic Cat: When Disability Tropes Take on a Life of Their Own by Sparrow Rose Jones

Sparrow Rose Jones — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:46:48 +0000

LoveMeow strikes again. They are now sharing the “inspirational” story of Mercury, the Kitten with No Arms.

And, again, Mercury is absolutely adorable! I would so hug and play with that little kitten!

But the accompanying text looks almost as if they lifted and recycled whole cloth everything they said about Smoochie.

http://lovemeow.com/2014/02/mercury-the-kitten-no-front-legs-loves-life/

Comment on On Normalcy and Identity Politics by Atomic Geography

Atomic Geography — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 20:56:39 +0000

Well put – thanks.

I do have a refinement perhaps to suggest. Statistical normalcy calculated with scientific methods certainly is a fairly recent development. But a broader sense of normalcy of course is present in most groups. The Great Chain of Being for example codified a particular elaboration of normalcy that had a “natural” place for each class of thing and living being.

This drive for hierarchy is a feature of a significant part of human interaction. It can enable us to get things done, but of course at the costs you describe so well.

I wish I had an answer. I think the drive for solidarity is as strong as that for hierarchy. At least I hope it is. Maybe just reminding ourselves of this is a first step.

Comment on On Normalcy and Identity Politics by Amy

Amy — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:10:43 +0000

This is really insightful Rachel. Very helpful too, and something I’ve been personally struggling to put in words. Although I (or you, or the person down the street) can often be labeled or identified in certain groups – the labels/identities don’t work well for me. Each group is so varied and each person is an individual with many, many different layers, that nobody fits an any designated box well. I think celebrating diversity, rather than trying to label/identify might be the way to go. Celebrating the wonderful variety of skin tones, the variety of ethnicities and cultures, the variety religions, the variety of how we see and process the world each in our own way. The world is a pretty fascinating place when you appreciate the differences, instead of trying to force an “ideal” onto everything. I like it!

Comment on Why This Disabled Woman No Longer Identifies as a Feminist by Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 01:22:20 +0000

And for the love of God, feminist never talk about the poor men that are not always doing well… just a point.. I know it’s off topic.. but why can’t we all just be human and have compassion for each other ?

Comment on On Insults in Dialogue by Catia

Catia — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 13:36:24 +0000

Thank you Rachel, I agree with what you have written. As the mother of a child with intellectual disability, insults like “stupid”, “idiot”, “moron” and, of course, “retard” are very clearly ableist to me. In fact, my 6 year old (who does not have intellectual disability) started using the word “stupid” for anything that she didn’t like or agree with it and I promptly corrected her and explained why I didn’t like it. Even if she didn’t use it in a literal sense, she used it in a negative sense whiles also knowing the literal meaning of the word – the combined effect of those things is still a “put down” of intellectual ability even if the usage was not directed at intellectual ability. It really grates with me how, especially in social media, the “default” way to disagree with someone without actually addressing the validity of what they are saying is to insult them though a put down of their intellect. To devalue people based on their intellectual ability is ableist. Another “pet peeve” is people who intellectualise that the use of words of that nature and argue that in a particularly context or objectively speaking, such words are not insulting. – that just seems wrong. If you do not have an intellectual disability, you do not get to have a say as to whether those words are insulting, because they were not directed at you and insults are not meant to be objective so judging by an “objective” standard is irrelevant. And if people with intellectual disability find words like that insulting or demeaning then that should be enough for anyone to accept that is the case. Awesome blog by the way!

Comment on What Do You Mean By “Civilized”? by Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg

Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 01:39:42 +0000

Thank you, Mary!

Comment on On Normalcy and Identity Politics by Individualism Disorder | Autism & Oughtisms

Individualism Disorder | Autism & Oughtisms — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:37:27 +0000

[…] “On Normalcy and Identity Politics” by Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg, at “Disability and Representation.” […]

Comment on How to Talk to Normal People: A Guide for the Rest of Us by Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg

Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 21:53:12 +0000

Deborah, I’d be honored. Please provide full attribution and a link back to the blog. Thanks!

Comment on How to Talk to Normal People: A Guide for the Rest of Us by Deborah Little

Deborah Little — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 20:29:14 +0000

I teach disability studies and would love to use this piece in a course I am teaching the fall. Is that ok?

Comment on What Do You Mean By “Civilized”? by Mary Dawson

Mary Dawson — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 17:11:09 +0000

This isn’t really a comment, just something I found that I wanted to pass along because I thought you might find it interesting. I couldn’t figure out how to simply e-mail you. Since you are so passionate about issues of homelessness and disability, I thought this article and the comments after it might be of interest to you. http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2014/03/12/buffett-place