Dr. Kate Deibel A11y BitchSo tired of people (abled and disabled) not getting that "differently abled" came about and is still used by many due to structural, internalized ableism in our society. Yes, there are intersectional lines involved in its adoption, but instead of just accepting "differently abled" as OK, how about working to understand why it's problematic, recognize how it maintains ableism, and in the spirit of intersectionality, don't put disability concerns tertiary to other aspects of intersectionalism?
Stacy Miles Haponik@metageeky This is the first I've heard that it's problematic and it makes sense to me that it is, now that I'm thinking about it. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but "Differently abled" contrasts "normal" people vs "different" people, implying there is an expected normal.
@smh It's also not a terminology that arose from within the community (disability scholars and people with disabilities) but external to it. For example, you often hear parents of kids with disabilities refuse and balk at any suggestion that their precious child has a disability and refuse to accept disability as being a part of their identity. It's internalized ableism learned via society.
@metageeky tangent/minirant: my mom fought tooth & nail to keep my brother out of special education classes in elementary school. She also denies that I'm non-neurotypical (actual quote: "you're joking, right?"). Having a disabled child would make her 'look bad', I think she thinks.
I don't know if that's better or worse than the parents that embrace their child's disability as part of the parent's identity. Both suck.
I don't know if that's better or worse than the parents that embrace their child's disability as part of the parent's identity. Both suck.