HI, my immediate reaction to the comment that intergration between disabled
people and non disabled people is not easy is that it depends on if you
regard disability as a salient identity or not. That is, I have other
identities that are equal if not stronger than my disability , certainly as
a teenager I identified more strongly wit my music's sub culture than with
my disability. This may of course depend on the type and level of disability
and I am well aware it is relatively easy to conceal my visual impairment,
however all of my friends knew about it. Although I have developed a strong
disabled identity since, it has not cancelled out any of my other
identities regards Sarah.
----- Original Message -----
From: "homan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 9:49 PM
Subject: Re: Obstacles to identity formation
> Dear Marijn,
>
> My experience as a non academic activist, advocate and the father of a 33
yr
> old disabled daughter is that integration is not a natural process. The
> natural process, like cups of tea getting cold, water running downhill, is
> for people to group by common interest, natural proximity or whatever. The
> perimeter of these groups develops a certain 'surface tension' which makes
> it difficult for new entrants to join. This also has a lot to do with
> established pecking orders within the group, and the fear that a new
entrant
> may challenge this and cause discomfort in the group's comfort zone. A
> golfer visiting someone elses golf club - in spite of the common
interest -
> can be very lonely.
>
> For integration to take place and be real requires energy to be applied,
> continuously, like in heating water and pumping water up hill. Small
groups
> are a start, they are less obvious and less threatening. My rule of thumb
is
> that any group larger than will fit comfortably in a family sedan, is
> institutial.
>
> rgds John
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marijn Meijles <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 11:38 PM
> Subject: Obstacles to identity formation
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I was browsing through the online archive at the University of Leeds
when
> I
> > stumbled across an article by Tom Shakespeare called 'Disability,
identity
> and
> > difference' (chapter 6 of 'Exploring the divide'). He gives two main
> reasons
> > why it is hard to develop 'a positive and strong disabled identity'
(page
> 10).
> > The first one is quite true, disabled people are indeed socialised to
> think of
> > themselves as inferior.
> > However, I don't think the second one is true. Being isolated from other
> > disabled people may prevent support from role models, but do you really
> need
> > them? Most disabled children who do live with other disabled people only
> live
> > with people of their own age. They all suffer from the first issue and
> > therefore may turn their attention towards each other instead of to the
> > non-understanding 'outside'. Furthermore, when they /do/ go outside,
they
> will
> > go as a group which really hampers integration. They will be seen as a
> group
> > and act like it, making integration much harder. Not to mention all
kinds
> of
> > practical problems, like curbs.
> >
> > Growing up with non-disabled role models may be harder in the beginning,
> but
> > pays off later.
> >
> > Or am I missing something?
> >
> > --
> > [log in to unmask]
> > ---
> > If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
> >
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