I agree that disempowerment is variously experienced, that relates to the whole notion that "disability" is not a fixed entity or status at all, it is more of a discursive phenomenon which is negotiated and relates to ideas of field and habitus. Certainly a negative reaction to the environment of disability that one interacts with is to perceive that status as inevitable, bodily centred and whatever happens to one as a consequence of personal impairment according to a personal tragedy model of disability. This is in reality a learned and a perceived status, whereas the solidarity that can be gained through recognising that environment (I talk of cultural mileu here more than in terms a physical environment) as oppressive and resisting it is a positive act, a taking off, of the blinkers as it were. One certainly does not have to feel disempowered to be disempowered, indeed the mechanism is somewhat more effective if one can be convinced to be an agent in ones own disempowerment.
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:DISABILITY-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Asiya Islam
> Sent: 08 July 2011 10:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Positive disability images?
>
>
> Hi Larry,
>
> Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I wouldn't say it's down to 'semantics' on
> this one because 'disempowerment' is more than a word, it is an experience and I don't
> think every disabled person necessarily feels 'disempowered'. I do agree with you when
> you say 'resisting disabling stereotypes is positive', that is exactly what I had in mind
> when I said 'positive disability images'. I also agree that it's difficult not to be
> stereotyped in one way or the other through an image, the only way I think stereotyping
> can be resisted is by presenting a diverse range of images.
>
> Asiya
>
>
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