Judith,
If impairment is linked to the description of the body and its
functioning and is not negative or positive what would the purpose of
the term be? To indicate this group of people is different; this group
does not fit the norm; has a variability of body and functioning....
What would then be used by people who self identify as defective?
As the medical system is using the term impairment to classify us as
defective its much more logical to use a different term to highlight
that one does not see themselves as defective (especially as many of us
see themselves impaired in the sense of defective). Having a term that
can not be construed as defect like variability one allows a medical
(impairment) and social (variability) model of body and functioning self
identification and by using these consistent one allows for the use of
the term disability to be used just for the area of disablement caused
by external forces.
Cheers
Gregor
Dr. Gregor Wolbring
Assistant Professor
University of Calgary
webpage: http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org/
Ableism and Ability Ethics and Governance blog: http://ableism.wordpress.com
biweekly column The Choice is Yours: http://www.innovationwatch.com/commentary_choiceisyours.htm
Nano Bio Info Cogno Synbio Blog:http://wolbring.wordpress.com/
What Sorts of People blog: http://whatsortsofpeople.wordpress.com/
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