Excuse my grammer!
Phyllis
On Mon, 2 Nov 1998, Phyllis Rubenfeld wrote:
> Hi Lisa and All.
> I absolutely agree with you-those who haven't experienced ableism as a
> "supremecy" thing either isn't disabled, in denial, and/or in hiding or a
> little of all.
> Smile,
> Phyllis
>
> On Mon, 2 Nov 1998, Thies, Lisa wrote:
>
> > I'm new to this discussion so forgive my confusion
> > but... I don't understand how "ableism" as I have experienced it is "ok."
> > Yes, it may provide a way to discuss the binary of able/disabled but I think
> > there is some "supremecy" inherent in some ableist mentality I've
> > encountered. I don't think it's purely an academic term. It is very active
> > and evident when you see the physical and attitudinal barriers that still
> > exist toward people with disabilities. I've just started to read "Claiming
> > Disability" and am seeing some of what I've surmised on my own put into
> > print.
> >
> > To introduce myself...my name is Lisa Thies and I
> > work at Cal State University, Fullerton in the Office of Disabled Student
> > Services. I have a master's degree in Student Personnel Work and a
> > bachelor's degree in Psychology. I am very intrigued by this field of
> > disability studies and am eager to learn more. My husband and I live in
> > Fullerton, CA with our dog and three cats. I am disabled myself
> > (osteogenesis imperfecta) and use a wheelchair. Due to that and my short
> > stature I've run into a lot of "ableists" out there (including my father).
> >
> > Just my two cents worth. If I'm too far off point,
> > please let me know. Lisa
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Anita Silvers
> > [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Monday, November 02, 1998 10:20 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: lexic. stuff
> >
> > Racism by no means implies a white view.
> > Blacks can be racist, Asians can
> > be racist, etc. The former president of
> > SFSU, himself a mainland born
> > Chinese, often commented on how racist the
> > Chinese can be. That
> > understanding was important in our workijg
> > to bring groups into
> > cooperation and collaboration on a
> > multiculture (not just a black/white)
> > campus
> >
> > On Mon, 2 Nov 1998, Simi Linton wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Here's why I think ableism is *ok* (not
> > good, but serviceable). Racist
> > > - doesnt just imply a white view, it
> > implies a white supremacist view,
> > > similarly sexism - a view of male as
> > supreme. SO - ableism to me
> > > doesn't reinforce the binary -
> > able/disable referring to people, but
> > > critiques the power of the idea that there
> > is such a binary, and that
> > > one side is better than the other. Now of
> > course only the people on
> > > these lists understand the nuances of any
> > of this so we're sending the
> > > ship out there with hope it sails on the
> > course we want it to
> > > (aaghhhhh, my metaphors are nauseating
> > even me this morning), so I am
> > > tentative in my endorsement, but think its
> > the only game in town.
> > > simi linton
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ---Ron Amundson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Johnson Cheu <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > <[log in to unmask]>;
> > > > [log in to unmask]
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > Date: Sunday, November 01, 1998 9:46 PM
> > > > Subject: lexic. stuff
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >Anita-- Respectfully, I disagree with
> > your notion that "ability"
> > > doesn't
> > > > >have a biological dimension.
> > > >
> > > > Lemme take a shot at this one. Not
> > because it will contribute to
> > > the lexic
> > > > choice, but just because it's there.
> > ;-)
> > > >
> > > > Anita said:
> > > > >[Ableism] isn't parallel with the other
> > notions. Race and sex are
> > > > >typically taken to be biological
> > dimensions. Racism and sexism are
> > > the
> > > > >repression of people with certain
> > configurations of (supposed)
> > > biological
> > > > >properties. Howeveer, "ability" is not
> > a biological dimension.
> > > Impairment
> > > > >is parallel to race and sex, but the
> > word "impairmentism" doesn't
> > > exist.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I don't think impairment is a parallel
> > to race and sex, either.
> > > Race and
> > > > sex can be seen as dimensions of
> > variation. Male vs. female,
> > > Caucasian vs.
> > > > Mongolian vs. etc., are variants on
> > those dimensions. There is no
> > > term that
> > > > names the dimension on which ability
> > (better "able-bodiedness") and
> > > > impairment are variants. That's why I
> > wrote earlier that 'ableism'
> > > is more
> > > > like Joan's 'white supremacy' or
> > 'misogyny' -- these labels indicate
> > > the
> > > > privileged variants on each dimension,
> > not just the names of the
> > > dimensions
> > > > themselves (race and sex).
> > > >
> > > > But I think Anita's point may be that
> > 'ability' is not a logical
> > > contrary to
> > > > 'disability'. One way to oppose
> > disablement is to point out that
> > > impaired
> > > > people do not necessarily lack ability.
> > When they do it usually
> > > results
> > > > from social contexts. This depends, of
> > course, on how the 'ability'
> > > in
> > > > question is defined. Johnson is right
> > that 'ability' is frequently
> > > defined
> > > > biologically, as the biological ability
> > to perform certain body
> > > movements or
> > > > perceptual discriminations. In that
> > sense, 'ability' is a biological
> > > > dimension. But I don't think we want to
> > endorse or encourage the
> > > biological
> > > > definitions of 'ability'. Such
> > non-biological 'abilities' as
> > > > self-determination are valued by
> > everyone. Under current social
> > > > arrangements, the non-biological ability
> > of self-determination is
> > > linked far
> > > > too closely to 'normal' biological
> > abilities. No one should be
> > > ashamed of
> > > > being an 'ableist' if it means that they
> > prefer self-determination to
> > > > oppression. The term 'ability'
> > stretches to fit both biological and
> > > > non-biological achievements, and that's
> > a problem. At least for
> > > compusive
> > > > semanticists like me.
> > > >
> > > > On the other hand, currency of use has a
> > lot of pragmatic value.
> > > The term
> > > > 'ableism' isn't in daily use on my
> > island. ("Stop blocking the curb
> > > cut,
> > > > you ableist pig!") But if it is
> > elsewhere, that's in its favor.
> > > >
> > > > Ron
> > > >
> > > > __
> > > > Ron Amundson
> > > > University of Hawaii at Hilo
> > > > Hilo, HI 96720-4091
> > > > [log in to unmask]
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > ==
> > > |~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|
> > > Simi Linton
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > 212 580 9280 (phone and fax)
> > > |~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|
> > >
> > >
> > _________________________________________________________
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> > >
> >
>
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