Hi Maria,
As someone with a hidden or semi-hidden disability (chronic illness) and who
did a PhD exploring several peoples lives with impairments that are often
hidden and not considered disabling as against several people who had more
traditional and obvious disabilities, I concluded that often the person with
the hidden disability - while not always receiving patronising etc responses
- would more often be expected to do everything as normal without any
assistance or acknlowedgment of difference in so many areas of their life.
This leads to many stressful situations especially in personal
relationships. This non-acknowledgment and lack of understanding throughout
someones life is very stressful and sometimes overwhelming and since jo
public to understand these things requires explanations that often leads
people into assuming you are self-pitying, explaining aint that helpful
either. The usual expectation is that people and the authorities treat you
normally when in fact you cannot deal with normality because no matter how
you change the physical environment it will not make any different to many
people with hidden disabilities - acceptance that disability is not about
normalising but more about accepting difference would help people with
hidden disabilities. But the general culuture around disability in everyday
life is that disabled people want to reach a normality through changes in
the physcial environment rather than acknowledging that acceptance of
difference as an aspect of 'normal' life; it is this that would help more
people with a variety of complex disabilities. I have been very open about
my hidden disability because it is part of my life, but when having to
explain things to make my life easier causes more stress then it helps, then
if i do not declare this part of my identity sometimes I don't feel bad
since as an individual I cannot live my life by social theory or politics
all the time; one can only manage it some of the time until such a day comes
when we all understand each other without fighting or asking for it.
All the best
Glenn
Dr Glenn Smith,
Research Fellow,
London.
-----Original Message-----
From: Maria
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 28/12/04 13:05
Subject: Invisible disabilities and the disability card
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
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