>Do people with certain types of impairment predominate in the
>Disabled People's Movement? eg. people with physical impairments?
>
Definately and unfortunately.
There are a couple of sub-movements (or parallel movements) tho-- the
self-adovocacy movement (for people with learning difficulties), and the
mental health consumer/survivor movement.
>In consequence, is a 'positive disabled identity' something that is
>largely open to people with physical impairments? Are those say with
>intellectual impairments more likely to experience a 'negative
>disabled identity'?
That hasn't been my experience. I think it's exposure to some sort of
disability rights advocacy movement, some sort of disability culture, that
makes the difference. Or other people with disabilities, and a 'positive
disabled identity'.
>Are there currently any difficulties in achieving solidarity (eg. a
>sense of community, shared perceptions and goals) between disabled
>people with different types of impairment?
Yup. A real problem, IMHO.
Last year, a group of us from Melbourne, Australia, worked on a
participatory action research project looking at disability pride. As one
way of collecting stories/ideas from people, we set up a discussion board
at Delphi:
http://www.delphi.com/disAbilityPride
Hasn't been used much-- but it's there.
When Katie finishes the research report, I'll post it on the discussion
board webpage-- so people can discuss the issues raised in it. I expected
to have it up by December, but Katie got herself both over-committed and
pregnant. When she finishes growing her baby, and arranges the support
services she'll need to care for him/her-- then, the report should be
finished and posted for discussion.
- Ria, with links to all parts of the disability movement-- the mainstream
movement, the self-advocacy movement, and the Mad movement
--
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* Ria Strong * Melbourne, Australia *
* [log in to unmask] * ICQ #5689114 *
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