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As we approach the end of course 2004, I find myself pondering a question your help please. As a women with multiple disabilities among others a few invisible impairments, ( Learning disabilities) I’ m privileged to understand the temptation of wanting to play up or play down the disability card at will. Yet my (visible) physical disabilities do not allow me to hide these identities, should I at some point, want to do so. In the last few years I have been confronted with a few women who have confided they have hidden disabilities and that they use the identity of disability to obtain privileges and hide it when among non-disabled community. This for some reason seemed wrong and patronizing to me. I could be wrong or jealous as one of them accused me of being. From a feminist stand point, and Independent Living point we claim that we support choice for all, and from the feminist stand point I learned that power is the roots of violence against women. Violence against women begins in a very slow way with conceal messages from the abusers. As a survivor of institutional violence I accepted that as confirming my experience If in effect violence is about power then what are these individuals really doing to those of us who do not have the privilege of hiding what society devalues and considers unwanted? In a society that is becoming more and more about self-interest, stemming from the right wings, philosophy. I’m not suggesting that they are themselves creating act of physical violence, but they are supporting and maintaining the privilege of a traditional non tolerant society, where white non-disabled men are the norm and deserving of privileges. Where do those of us who can not, or may not want to hide our physical, mental difference belong? Are these privileged individuals, in very indirect way supporting eugenics ideologies? Or have I completely missed understood the rules for radical ? Maria ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.