I had a conversation with a woman of color that has left me annoyed not with her specifically, but with the whole way our society conceives of prejudice and marginalized group status. It went something like this:
I asked, "When a person of color comes into a room and sees me, do they see me as a member of the majority culture?"
"Yes."
"I'm not recognized as a member of a marginalized group?"
"No."
On my walk home, I made a sort of mental list. Before I share it, I want to emphasize the fact that I don't believe in comparing types of oppression, saying one is "worse than the other, nor do I think I understand what it means to be a member of a racial minority. This was just a quick mental exercise.
People of color are thought to be inferior.
Add child-like and dependent and you have the attitude disabled people face daily.
When a person of color gets a job, promotion, or into a great school, it is viewed as aresult of affirmative action.
Same with Disabled people.
People of color are discriminated against in housing.
Um, us too.
People of color, especially men, are viewed suspiciously as if they are about to commit a crime.
Disabled people, on the other hand, are often thought to be contagious and therefore given a wide birth. Not the same, but...
Poor women of color are judged for having children with the posed question being, "How can you have another kid if you can't take care of the ones you have?"
Disabled women are asked, "How can you havr a kid? You can't take care of it."
People of color were taken from their homes and enslaved.
Disabled people were just institutionalized and forcibly sterilized. Don't even get me started on sheltered workshops.
Because disability is perceived as a result of a difference linked to an inability, it is not given the "status" of marginalized group membership such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. Lack of this recognition of marginalized group status places disabled people in a unique position for we are not seen as members of mmajority group culture by members of the majority and we are not seen as members of a minority by other minorities.
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Disability is the responsibility of the Disabled
I have been enraptured by the phrase "disability is the responsibility of the disabled" ever since I discovered it in Unblinkable Difference . In so many ways, it elucidates a nebulous concept I have struggled to articulate. In so many ways, it encapsulates the frustration that fills me routinely.
A Deaf woman goes for a job interview. At some point, she will be asked, "What accommodations will you need to perform this job?" and it will be expected that she provide a detailed list with whatever explanation is necessary to help what is likely an ignorant person understand deafness and all its implications. Should she be hired, she will need to explain repeatedly these exact same things. She will probably have to identify a vendor from whom a TTY can be purchased and then install it herself. Because she is Deaf, she must enlighten the ignorant just to have a job.
A man who uses a wheelchair wants to attend a meetup for people who speak French. An unfamiliar cafe necessitates a phone call to see if there are ramps and a suitable bathroom. He will do a dry run to make sure the person who answered his questions actually knew what "accessible" meant. If there are architectural barriers, he is faced with the choice of asking for the gathering to change venues or not attending. Because he is a paraplegic, this man is responsible for making certain he can attend a public event.
A blind woman wants to get a new cell phone. First she needs to identify a model that is usable tactilely. Next she needs to determine the compatible screenreader and decide if it's functionality suits her needs. Finally, she must not only pay for her phone, which is probably a more expensive model because of her needs, but then pay for the screenreader which is typically an additional $300. Finally, she must seek out an accessible format for the phone's manual and cope with customer service professionals unfamiliar with how a blind person operates a cell phone. Because she is blind, she is responsible to do all necessary research, cope with a phone not designed with her needs in mind, and pay significantly more money than the average person for the privilege. (Apple's I-Phone is the exception to this rule.)
After months of hurting all over and feeling lousy, a man is finally diagnosed with Fibro Myalgia. With no known cure, he and his doctor work to treat the symptoms, but he is still unable to work. Having paid into the Social Security system for fifteen years, he feels no qualms about applying for disability benefits. It takes months for his case to be reviewed and then he is told he does not have a disability and is therefore not eligible for benefits. He must then use his limited energy to find an attorney, get additional medical documentation, write letters, make phone calls, attend hearings, submit to medical exams by government-employed doctors, and juggle surviving with no income. Hopefully he can find the strength and stamina for this test of endurance. At some point, he will maybe receive the benefits he is due, but there will be no compensation for the time and energy he has invested. Because he has Fibro Myalgia, he must fight the system to get what he is entitled.
A Little Person is waiting at a bus stop and is approached by a fellow traveler. Striking up a conversation, the stranger begins to ask questions about being a "midget." Areas of inquiry range from the mundane of driving a car to the intimacies of dating. From experience, the Little Person knows being rude to this stranger will cause the person to hold all Little People responsible. While these questions might be answered in the pages of a book or by surfing the web, the stranger has decided to interrogate this individual. Because she is a Little Person, she must educate the ignorant.
I and the woman who pens Unblinkable Difference contend that our society was constructed around the idea that the person who possesses certain physical conditions is responsible for all things related to it. As a whole, society takes no responsibility for educating oneself, identifying the accessibility of a meeting location, incorporating universal design into products, or providing effective support to battle the system. It is not enough that we must manage our conditions and do whatever is necessary to function with it. Because we are disabled, we are required to educating employers, making phone calls, doing research, paying extra for what we need, fighting the system, and coping with ignorant people.
Is this fair? Is this what other marginalized groups contend with? Is this the way things should be? Next week I'll tackle that part of the issue.
A Deaf woman goes for a job interview. At some point, she will be asked, "What accommodations will you need to perform this job?" and it will be expected that she provide a detailed list with whatever explanation is necessary to help what is likely an ignorant person understand deafness and all its implications. Should she be hired, she will need to explain repeatedly these exact same things. She will probably have to identify a vendor from whom a TTY can be purchased and then install it herself. Because she is Deaf, she must enlighten the ignorant just to have a job.
A man who uses a wheelchair wants to attend a meetup for people who speak French. An unfamiliar cafe necessitates a phone call to see if there are ramps and a suitable bathroom. He will do a dry run to make sure the person who answered his questions actually knew what "accessible" meant. If there are architectural barriers, he is faced with the choice of asking for the gathering to change venues or not attending. Because he is a paraplegic, this man is responsible for making certain he can attend a public event.
A blind woman wants to get a new cell phone. First she needs to identify a model that is usable tactilely. Next she needs to determine the compatible screenreader and decide if it's functionality suits her needs. Finally, she must not only pay for her phone, which is probably a more expensive model because of her needs, but then pay for the screenreader which is typically an additional $300. Finally, she must seek out an accessible format for the phone's manual and cope with customer service professionals unfamiliar with how a blind person operates a cell phone. Because she is blind, she is responsible to do all necessary research, cope with a phone not designed with her needs in mind, and pay significantly more money than the average person for the privilege. (Apple's I-Phone is the exception to this rule.)
After months of hurting all over and feeling lousy, a man is finally diagnosed with Fibro Myalgia. With no known cure, he and his doctor work to treat the symptoms, but he is still unable to work. Having paid into the Social Security system for fifteen years, he feels no qualms about applying for disability benefits. It takes months for his case to be reviewed and then he is told he does not have a disability and is therefore not eligible for benefits. He must then use his limited energy to find an attorney, get additional medical documentation, write letters, make phone calls, attend hearings, submit to medical exams by government-employed doctors, and juggle surviving with no income. Hopefully he can find the strength and stamina for this test of endurance. At some point, he will maybe receive the benefits he is due, but there will be no compensation for the time and energy he has invested. Because he has Fibro Myalgia, he must fight the system to get what he is entitled.
A Little Person is waiting at a bus stop and is approached by a fellow traveler. Striking up a conversation, the stranger begins to ask questions about being a "midget." Areas of inquiry range from the mundane of driving a car to the intimacies of dating. From experience, the Little Person knows being rude to this stranger will cause the person to hold all Little People responsible. While these questions might be answered in the pages of a book or by surfing the web, the stranger has decided to interrogate this individual. Because she is a Little Person, she must educate the ignorant.
I and the woman who pens Unblinkable Difference contend that our society was constructed around the idea that the person who possesses certain physical conditions is responsible for all things related to it. As a whole, society takes no responsibility for educating oneself, identifying the accessibility of a meeting location, incorporating universal design into products, or providing effective support to battle the system. It is not enough that we must manage our conditions and do whatever is necessary to function with it. Because we are disabled, we are required to educating employers, making phone calls, doing research, paying extra for what we need, fighting the system, and coping with ignorant people.
Is this fair? Is this what other marginalized groups contend with? Is this the way things should be? Next week I'll tackle that part of the issue.
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