Michael wrote:
>Oh but do. That's the whole question. Now that I think of it, there's a
>half-way house on my block for people with mental and emotional
>disabilities, so almost every time I go out I walk by a dozen people who
>are disabled. But I never think of them as disabled so they didn't come
>to mind without a half hour's reflection. Is this a bad thing, not
>thinking of them as disabled? And is there a social solidarity between
>the physically and mentally disabled that mirrors their statistical unity?
>
Since I use a social model of disablement (disabled is what society does to one, it is not the impairment, it is society's reaction to the impairment) and come from the disability pride POV I would answer you quite differently probably than what you expect.
Historically all social movements have used disability as a "bad" thing to be. In fact they in no way wanted to be associated with impairment of any kind. Now there is a disability pride movement - show the legs, don't wear sunglasses over the eyes, etc. STARE BACK.
It is ableistic IMHO to think that seeing someone as "disabled" is a negative, an insult, or a "bad" thing.
There is much more unity coming around between mentally and physically disabled persons as with cross disability awareness.
marta -- Marta Russell Los Angeles, CA http://www.disweb.org