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The experience of disability is one of the few times (other than a change in income/class) that can tangibly strip privilege from someone. Loss of function causes folks to grapple w systemic, intrapersonal, and internalized ableism. 1/6
The experience of disability is one of the few times (other than a change in income/class) that can tangibly strip privilege from someone. Loss of function causes folks to grapple w systemic, intrapersonal, and internalized ableism. 1/6
In this way, the experience of loss of function can be traumatic if you have always had the privileges of being able bodied. The thing is, this experience is political because everyone will experience loss of function *at some point*. Society hasn't adjusted to account for this.
Systemic ableism is instead, reinforced and rewarded. Maybe it's true that the experience of some people born with disabilities who face ableism are less shocked by the hardship and isolation of systemic, intrapersonal, and internalized ableism, but it's not necessarily easier.
It doesn't necessarily get easier to be black while existing in a system that is inherently anti-black and classist, just because one is black their whole life. Losing the privilege of ability is not necessarily harder than not having that privilege from the jump
Also, ability is fluid, and "function" changes constantly throughout life. So there is no one constant way to adjust or maintain functioning. We can only truly adjust to the changes as they come and the degree of systemic and intrapersonal ableism these changes bring with it
We need to move away from relying on individual narratives of 'overcoming disability' and understand the battle to eradicate systemic ableism as an inherently political one. If we don't the "disability community" will continue to be divided based on each individual experience.
