Divisions among the "Disabled"; Footnote to Marta Russell

Marta Russell ap888 at lafn.org
Wed Jun 17 12:34:00 PDT 1998


Carrol Cox wrote:
>
> I select just a few points from Marta's very fine summary of the case.
>
> > Disability, for purposes of explaining oppression, is a social
> > construct.
>
> I agree-- with only a query about how the term "social construct" may be
> used. I think Marta and I would understand it in the same way, but it is
> *also* used by those who mean "existing only in discourse." There are real
> social relations energizing this process.

My sentence was not clear. I did not mean to imply that "social construct" exists only in discourse, but that there is a definite resistence within our socio/economic system to include disabled people in its political, economic and social life which marginalizes us...dangerously I might add.

Much of our economic marginalization is connected to our perceived lack of productivity, when people don't produce in a capitalist way(to generate profits) they are de-valued. Where I tend to differ from most of the disability rights thinking however, is that I do not load so much value on the issue of work. Since work is a means of moving beyond dehumanization and marginalization, some push the idea that the majority of disabled people can work. I do not and have serious reservations about the overall consequences that this line of thinking can generate. I don't claim anything silly like ALL disabled people can work(though some do), certainly there are those who cannot work and they should not be devalued for this, rather they should be decently provided for.

This is rather crudely written here, I explain it better in the book.

Marta Russell



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