My Body Doesn't Oppress Me, Society Does

Patty Berne and Stacey Milbern present a social model of disability, explaining how universal design, adaptive devices, and meeting people’s access needs can limit the social, economic, and physical barriers that render physical impairments disabling in an ableist society. Milbern notes that focusing on individual impairments “lets society off the hook” for the structural oppression that renders some bodies and lives more valuable than others. Berne says “we are seen as disposable,” noting that the oppression that society ascribes to the individual body and disability is in fact a violent social construction.

[terpsichorebarnett]

My particular disability impedes me a lot regardless of whether I'm oppressed. But this social model of disability still speaks to me because I always feel the hardest part of being disabled is how other people react. In particular how friends disappear, how acquaintances exclude, and how environments are a barrier.

[Zachik]

That was such a powerful re-orientation.... "disability is what society creates as barriers because of the impairment."

[fatfemme]

Love this! Thank you Patty and Stacey for your work and voice. <3

[marachime]

XD I love Stacey's expression when Patty complemented her haha. This was great - thank you for sharing :)

[DifferentDrum]

Women have awesome voices. I am happy that I was introduced to your work. The impairment vs. disability discussion is paramount. What is disabling in the environment ?

[phoenixthornton]

As a disabled person I think society has a long way to come until we are properly included into society I’m from a town in the uk and not a lot of buildings are accessible this is against the equality act but no one seems to care I can’t access a specific night club and banks and other buildings it’s time to make a change people and be more Inclusive of minority groups

[elixirartworld]

Sad this is beautiful both my parents have had strokes now my dad has cancer pray for us all

[jbdbibbaerman]

I find this pretty good. I feel that the focus on people needing to work in a capitalist society may add to the discrimination against certain kinds of disabled people. Don't get me wrong, there's certainly just bias in society, but the pressure of needing to work or be viewed as disposable by capitalism and capitalists doesn't help.

[elizabethbennet]

when she said "there will always be bodies with disabilities but the social body, we can change" is interesting. Another practical argument, another one that I would make, is that it is actually VERY possible, and in fact easier- to engineer ways of eliminating actual impairments or disability in the future with technology...because it is much, MUCH harder to eradicate prejudice and oppression in the social body, the latter requires more work!!!!

[tristanarnaizcobiella]

It’s really impressive how people with disabilities face the world I really admire it

[chrystals.]

I'm still disabled and will have problems with and without oppression, so I find this Social Model of Disability thing to be pretty offensive.

[bassdvant]

I'm sorry, I don't see society as being oppressive out of hate more than just not thinking about people with disabilities. I don't think there's a lot of people out there that want to kill people with disabilities.