Quote of the Day

[sasha_feather]

“Another myth that is firmly upheld is that disabled people are dependent and non-disabled people are independent. No one is actually independent. This is a myth perpetuated by disablism and driven by capitalism - we are all actually interdependent. Chances are, disabled or not, you don’t grow all of your food. Chances are, you didn’t build the car, bike, wheelchair, subway, shoes, or bus that transports you. Chances are you didn’t construct your home. Chances are you didn’t sew your clothing (or make the fabric and thread used to sew it). The difference between the needs that many disabled people have and the needs of people who are not labelled as disabled is that non-disabled people have had their dependencies normalized. The world has been built to accommodate certain needs and call the people who need those things independent, while other needs are considered exceptional. Each of us relies on others every day. We all rely on one another for support, resources, and to meet our needs. We are all interdependent. This interdependence is not weakness; rather, it is a part of our humanity.”
— AJ Withers Disability Politics and Theory p109 (via some_stars via dandyfied on Tumblr)

Comments

[eggcrack]

The quote, the part about interdependence, is amazing. It's more than little haunting that something that is perfectly natural is treated like something that shouldn't be.

[sasha_feather]

In America anyway, there is this whole "rugged individualism" that is really damaging in a lot of ways.

[fullygoldy]

Wow! Great quote. I think about interdependency alot, but not in this context. I love having my horizons expanded. Thank you.

[sasha_feather]

<3

[sophinisba]

That's awesome, thank you for sharing!

[sasha_feather]

You're welcome!

[thingswithwings]

Yes! That is such an excellent quote; thank you for sharing. I always think of this argument when people grumble about having to install ramps or elevators . . . like, why do you think we installed stairs in the first place? Why don't we just make everyone scale the walls of their office buildings?

[sasha_feather]

Let's make it a tree house world! With rope ladders, and slides!

[jesse_the_k]

Indeed, and the driven by capitalism part is important as well. I watched Downton Abbey just now and noticed that one of the marks of high-status landowners was how they paid servants to perform routine tasks for them.

Here and now, if I pay someone to put my coat on, or tie my hair up, or whisk all the things that might upset me out of view, I'd be perceived as a disabled person who was highly dependent on others for my well-being.

Yet in the episode just finished, all those things are done by servants while the ruling-class folks hold a gracious smile, happily accepting the hands of others.

[sasha_feather]

That's a really interesting point!