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Disability As Culture School Administration, Multicultural Education, & Inclusion Disability as Culture Jericha Hopson Introduction There is extensive research in relation to (Barnes & Mercer, 2001). The call for this racial identity. A healthy racial identity formation is reinforced by outrageous and Regardless of which perspective one has been shown to have positive effects blatantly discriminatory “Ugly Laws” in takes, the definitions and meanings of on physical health, such as lower levels of the United States, which have placed so- disability are wide and varied; it is best stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation (Ai, cial restrictions on those whose physical defined by and with people with disabil- Aisenberg, Weiss, & Salazar, 2014). appearance might offend “normal” people ities. Disability can also be defined from This article attempts to articulate the (Gerber, 1996). a cultural framework (Gilson & Depoy, importance of disability identity, culture, According to the Americans With 2000). The cultural view of disability and acceptance while advocating for the Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a presents the issue of disability from the inclusion of disability culture in the con- disability is a person perspective of group identity distinct versation about diversity. By extending from other groups who do not share the who, with or without reasonable modifi- the same concepts of cultural competency disability identity (Mackelprang & Sals- cations to rules, policies or practices, the that have been used for racec and ethnic- giver, 1996). Pride is taken in the “unique removal of architectural, communication, ity, cultural differences can be applied to talents and attributes of each individual,” or transportation barriers, or the provision disability culture. of auxiliary aids and services, meets the grounding the person with a “positive In the minority group model of disabil- essential eligibility requirements for the disability identity” (Brown, 1995). ity, people with disabilities may be viewed receipt of services of the participation in Fear of judgment, denial, embarrass- as a socially stigmatized minority group programs or activities provided by a public ment, and ignorance is one of the reasons entity. (Section 12111) subjected to stereotypes, prejudice, and persons with disabilities do not disclose, institutional barriers similar to those of discuss, or seek understanding of their Disability culture promotes a sense of an ethnic minority (Eddey & Robey, 2005). disabilities. These barriers stem from common identity and interests that unites The inclusion of those with disability as a a negative disability identity and the disabled people and helps to create and cultural group will open doors that have destructive stigmatization of disability sustain meanings, identities, and the con- previously been shut to a population that as a problem held by the larger society. sciousness that takes a political movement has come up against many closed doors. A well-developed identity allows individ- forward (Barns & Mercer, 2001). Steven E. Cultural groups are afforded respect and uals to have a better understanding of Brown (2003), cofounder of the Institute on position in society, which allows for a co- their strengths, weaknesses, and unique Disability Culture, described the culture of hesive community to develop. attributes (Marcia, 1966). disability as follows: When individuals are able to accept People with disabilities have forged a their disabilities, they have higher levels of Disability Culture group identity. We share a common his- self-esteem, better coping skills, higher goals, Awareness of the disabled population tory of oppression and a common bond of resilience. We generate art, music, and more motivation (Arnold-Oatley, 2005). has increased over the last few years, and literature, and other expressions of our has prompted a call for the formation lives and our culture, infused from our ex- of a disability culture, with the goal of perience of disability. Most importantly, Jericha Hopson is the Student Disabilities Services challenging the individualization and we are proud of ourselves as people with Coordinator for Tarleton State University, medicalization of disability, the essentialist disabilities. We claim our disabilities a member of the Texas A&M System, and determinist definitions of disability, with pride as part of our identity. Stephenville, Texas. the idolization of “normalcy,” and negative We are who we are: we are people with © 2019 by Caddo Gap Press stereotyping and exclusion of the disabled disabilities. (pp. 80–81) MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 22 School Administration, Multicultural Education, & Inclusion A disability culture movement can identity, where there are often others who extend disability stereotypes held by the foster disability pride, the discovery of share one’s race in close proximity and/or general public (Barnes & Mercer, 2001). shared experiences and rituals, and the direct family, for persons with disabilities Personal affirmation of disability establishment of values, goals, and iden- to interact with other people with disabil- promotes a feeling of social inclusion, to be tity. When a strong image is presented, ities, they typically face the challenge of recognized and treated like everyone else it motivates people to want to belong, seeking them out, placing the responsibil- within a group or society (Dunn & Burcaw, to be part of something that is powerful ity on the individual to find such persons 2013). Finding meaning and affirmation (Johnson, 2015). Cultural competence goes (Forber-Pratt & Zape, 2017). This can be entails searching for significance and beyond understanding the values, beliefs, particularly difficult for those not located positive attributes that can accompany and needs associated with age, gender, in a homogeneous society. disability, which can lead to personal ac- or racial, ethnic, or religious background Putnam (2005) has offered a few ceptance (Dunn & Burcaw, 2013). (Eddey & Robey, 2001). aspects as being pertinent to political Disability culture extends across every disability identity and disability activism: Social Justice other cultural boundary and can be found self-worth, pride, and awareness of dis- in every corner of the world and through- crimination. Putman also mentioned other Many people with disabilities, like oth- out history. Disability culture is one of the aspects, but these three seem to be the most er minorities, desire to achieve acceptance only cultures and protected populations applicable here. A sense of self-worth allows and inclusion in society (Li & Moore, 1998). that can be joined involuntarily, suddenly, people with disabilities to see themselves as For this to be accomplished, there needs to and unexpectedly. Anyone can have an possessing the same worth as nondisabled be a fundamental change in how society accident and suddenly no longer fit into individuals. Pride emboldens people with treats and perceives disability as a whole. the nondisabled world. disabilities not to deny or mask but to People with disabilities themselves have a Previously, the disabled world was “claim” (Hahn, 1997). vital role to play in changing the cultural seen as abstract and ambiguous. The tra- Finally, discrimination necessitates representation of disability. ditional psychological models of disability awareness and recognition of the fact that Courage is needed to recognize that focused on disability as a deficit to be fixed people with disabilities are frequently the there are challenges to being disabled but (Schulz, 2009), but there has been a call for recipients of biased, prejudiced, and unfair also positive things in which pride can be a move to a social model of disability that treatment on a daily basis (Chan, Livneh, taken. This recognition can change the way underscores the role of society in defining Pruett, Wang, & Zheng, 2009). nondisabled people make judgments about and perpetuating disability (APA, 2012). the lives of people with disabilities and truly challenge current representations of The social model of disability suggests Disability Acceptance that the stigma experienced by those with people with disabilities, taking charge of a disability renders them a socially mar- Acceptance of disability does not focus the way in which disability is defined and ginalized group (Olkin & Pledger, 2003). on the “preference of one’s own state over perceived (Morris, 1991). others” but the “conditions facilitating Lummis (1992) has suggested that acceptance of one’s disability as non-deval- “equality of opportunity makes sense in a Disability Identity uating” (Wright, 1960, p. 108). Acceptance society organized as a competitive game, in Disability is commonly perceived as is a process in which an individual can which there are winners and losers. What a misfortune that can lead to underesti- “seek satisfaction in activities that befit is equal is not the people, but the rules of mation of existing abilities and a global his/her own characteristics as a person the game” (p. 43). Who created these rules devaluation of the person (Dembo, Leviton, rather than those of an idolized normal and how can we change them? Is this not & Wright, 1975). In psychology, the term standard” (Wright, 1960, p. 134). a concept that can be applied to multi- identity is often used to refer to the self, Individual acceptance of disability ple unjust situations? Recognition that expressions of individuality, and the groups may spark the move toward social ac- disability is socially
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