Anita,
Do you think that Black Studies and Womens Studies, etc. include a
sufficient # of experiences "to represent the right theoretical approach."
Smile,
Phyllis Rubenfeld
On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Anita Silvers wrote:
> I think there is healthy disagreement about what constitutes a
> disability studies perpective. Mairian Corker and I would dsagree with
> Lennied and Simi, among other differences. So the last thing I want is to
> have any group claiming to represent the "right" theoretical approach.
> We test the correctness of any theoretical approach against our own
> experience, asking whether the theory conforms to and illuminates our
> experience. A theoretical approach that denies certain aspects of
> experience excludes those whose experience doesn't conform. I have yet to
> see a disability studies theory that is sufficiently elastic not to
> exclude some PWDs, but I have seen disability studies scholars attempting
> to impress (not present ) their theory on others. It reminds me of the
> othe SDS, of which I was a member for a short time. I don't know whether
> itwas climbing the stairs to Tom and Casey's apartment, or once there
> sitting through interminable discussions of purifying theory, that was
> more dispiriting.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, 1 Oct
> 1998, Phyllis Rubenfeld wrote:
>
> > Hi Anita,
> > I hope that you'll have the opportunity to view the polio film ASAP;
> > would like to hear your thinking. My opinion of the film has
> > litttle to do with my personal experiences-I don't think that this
> > is the issue-it doesn't have a Disability Studies
> > perspective-I don't think it matters whether our individual
> > experiences are represented-it does however matter whether the
> > health/impairment/disability experiences are presented within a
> > Disability Studies construct. Although we've had different experiences
> > we experienced many of the same ableist/medical model offenses-we
> > really share more than not. Don't you agree?
> > Take Care,
> > Phyllis
> >
> > On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Anita Silvers wrote:
> >
> > > The idea of something like an antidefamation league sounds interesting.
> > > Taking this tack would address the problem I raised antidefamation leagues
> > > oppose demeaning or false portrayals of the group, but steer very, very
> > > clear of pronouncements on any representation that is a matter of dispute
> > > or interpretation withing the community.
> > >
> > > Re: the polio film, what I
> > > know so far is that one post-polio person thinks it
> > > doesn't reflect
> > > our experience, one pp person does, I haven't seen it, and there are
> > > thousands and thousands more pp persons out there, all with their own
> > > lives and experiences, and all worthy of having their experiences and
> > > theories respected. It is likely the three of
> > > us had somewhat different experiences (I know that Phyllis and I had very
> > > different
> > > experiences of the same rehab hospital - in different years). It is even
> > > more likely that the three of us have somewhat different theoretical
> > > approaches to disability (as is to be encouraged - otherwise, how would
> > > one refine and otherwise improve theory).
> > >
> > > So one would want to impose quite strict groundrules on the proposed
> > > committee, I would imagine. I imagine the committee could address such
> > > claims as one I saw recently: "Before 1950, no child born with spina
> > > bifida lived." That is a false claim that renders all the 7 to 13 year
> > > olds with spina bifida I met in the rehab hospital in 1950 invisible. I
> > > suppode the committee also could advise about accurate representation of
> > > how Renaissance Venetians mobilized when their feet were too sore to walk.
> > > As for ER, I gave up worrying about accurate representation on that show
> > > when one of the physicians told a nurse to get an NG tube for a patient
> > > who needed mechanical assistance to breath. No, this wasn't a plot about
> > > medical malpractice.
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Lennard Davis wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi All,
> > > > I'm looking forward to the letter from the director of the documentary, as
> > > > well as to the documentary itself. But I think the main point is not that
> > > > there were people who were experts about polio, or even people with polio
> > > > and post-polio who were consulted, but that directors, producers, and
> > > > writers should feel that they need to talk with folks who are familiar with
> > > > the overarching issues about disability. I agree with Phyllis that the
> > > > disability studies perspective is one that needs to be acknowledged as
> > > > legitimate. I'm not counseling that there be thought police or required
> > > > oversight by a monolithic group of censors, but that there be something
> > > > more than the current attitude which is that a writer like the one on ER
> > > > could talk to, through an interpreter, a few Deaf people and feel as if he
> > > > or she did his work. In other words, we need to help the media think out
> > > > loud about the things they are producing; we need to give them resources.
> > > > The current situation is one in which disability issues appear in the
> > > > media incredibly frequently, specifically in studio movies, and there is no
> > > > sense at all of accountability. The same stereotypes are promulgated
> > > > repeatedly. I just watched "Dangerous Beauty" on video, and one of the
> > > > Venetian aristocrats, played by Fred Ward, is shown using a wheelchair (in
> > > > Renaissance Venice?!!). He is doing so because he has sores on his feet,
> > > > and he is the only one of all the men in the movie who has a "paternal"
> > > > relationship to Veronica Franca, the courtesan and poet whom the movie is
> > > > about. All the other men have sexual relations with her. Instead, she
> > > > washes his feet. OK. That's only one example. I'm sure you all have more.
> > > > So what is the next step? I think that, through an already existing
> > > > organization like the Society for Disability Studies, a committee should be
> > > > formed to look into (sounds pretty bureaucratic already) the possibility of
> > > > setting up a standing body that would publicize its own existence to, at
> > > > least, the major studios and television production companies. Some high
> > > > profile publicity should be distributed to the major print and visual
> > > > media. There might even be some investigation into what protections are
> > > > afforded by the ADA for defamatory or demeaning images of PWD (I'm only
> > > > guessing here).
> > > >
> > > > It's always easier to speculate on paper than to take action, but why
> > > > should organizations that represent other identity groups have
> > > > anti-defamation committees and PWD not?
> > > >
> > > > Best,
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Lennard
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
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