Listening to the other presenters, many of whom mentioned ableism, but most especially to the names being read – for more than an hour – during the Disability Day of Mourning, something I’ve known for years snapped into focus and demanded to be written: Ableism is Violence.
The problem is Abled Chauvinism. Like men vis á vis women, the severely abled are deeply, violently, wholly convinced, indoctrinated, certain of their superiority over us in all things, at all times and in all places. It goes beyond privilege and leaves microaggression in the dust. Early feminists said things like, “I may be a woman, but that doesn’t make me disabled.” Well, these wheels upon which I sit make me disabled. That doesn’t mean that anyone is superior to me in any meaningful way. I would concede that many people are my superior in, for example, athletics. Athletics, though, is not a meaningful area of pursuit for me. But most severely abled people would come off far behind Marcel Hug, for example, so even that is not an area of unequivocal abled superiority.
A lot of people think of ableism, if they think of it at all, as a softer, gentler form of discrimination. Some believe that it is in some ways beneficial to disabled people. I’ve even been told that it is not really like racism or sexism because, “no one would actually harm a disabled person.” No, just murder us and then sympathize with our murderers. Ableism is violence. It is real violence done to real people. It harms and it kills.
As I write this, I can hear them saying, “yes, but it comes from a place of love.” I explain about the leavings of a male bovine. They say, “yes, but it’s really for the best, they were suffering.” I cry bullshit. “Yes, but their lives were a burden.” BULLSHIT! All of these attempts at rationalization are the violence of ableism trying to hide its ugliness inside the trappings of compassion. Their ‘compassion’ is poorly disguised contempt. It is ableism. Ableism is violence.
There is jingoism, chauvinism in the severely abled’s attitudes towards us. I remember an interview I saw with Ed Roberts. Ed recalls being told by everyone around him that he couldn’t have a life, an education, a family or a career and how he tried to kill himself. Then he got some control back and it all changed. He decided to live and he got all of those things and created structures to help others get them as well. Yet, he recounts being met with frank disbelief when talking about having a rich, full life. There is pervasive, pernicious, ableist belief that life with disability is unremitting suffering, sadness and pain. This belief that our lives are horrific and any sane person should rather die, this is the core of the BDTD (better dead than disabled) movement. The very fact that there are large, multi-million dollar organizations promoting this filth, this violence is an affront. It is hate. It is ableism. It is violence. It needs to stop.
ABLEISM IS VIOLENCE.
I have experienced Michigan Department of Health and Human Services discriminating against disabled homeowners whom are on Social Security Disability, such as myself, in housing assistance. They are willing to pay $400-$600 a month in rent subsidy to house able-bodied unwed mothers who have never paid into the system, but will not cover $250 a month for property taxes for us disabled SS recipients to stay in our own homes. This is grossly unfair. I think a class-action lawsuit against the State of Michigan would be appropriate to combat this injustice. You cannot even get an apartment in a housing project for $250 a month.
I agree that being disabled does not mean my life is nothing. My greatest disadvantage is financial. One cannot live comfortably on $840/mo. That particular disadvantage is shared with many able bodied people, its called poverty.
I read where people want to get rid of poverty. Reality it will never go away, it will just shift at most. There will always be those without. If we address certain issues of poverty than the lack of money is not such a great issue. Homelessness, and Hunger are two very great signs of poverty that need addressed. So is clothing. We have certain needs: shelter (includes utilities), clothing and food/water. Everything else is a want, a nicety that comes after.
I would say anyone with an animal (or 2) should be able to get help in the line of food and shelters that allow them. Public housing allows 1 pet, but that is not healthy for the animal since it needs a playmate that a human may not be. The second animal is a companion to the first if the human is away.
Addressing bullying in public housing. I’m talking adult on adult; which of course, gives the kids the idea its ok. Who is the target in public housing; anyone thought of as less. I was the target at one point because I took on the head bully. I turned her to me to leave others alone. I may have physical limits I did not have before but my mind works and so does my smart mouth. I simply confounded the bully. She just could take it. Her words. We had frequent public incidents. She even tried to sign me up for a bunch of magazines I wouldn’t read. She didn’t think I’d be able to prove anything. I proved it. She was about $10 off from having a felony. She ended up with criminal mischief. If I had known she had done it to another resident at the same time we could have filed together… Anyway she was told she could not be around me for quite a long time.
I was told in Jr High that I was not college material. I have 2 associates, a bachelors and a masters. I’d have gone for the phd if I hadn’t became sick.