Progress

Ugly Laws The history of disability regulation in North America

By Dan Thompson, RRP, RVP, CLCP

ecently I viewed a great film that was a world where an extra toe on a newborn One of the general philosophies of the R released in 2006 called The Music would automatically result in the death ADA is to remove barriers by putting Within. It is based on the incredible true- of that baby, or where anyone different the onus on employers to make their life story of Mr. Richard Pimentel, a strong could be sterilized, or they could be businesses accessible, and thus, create advocate for the passage of the Americans taken to the Fringes, an enigmatic land an equal playing field for all. with Disabilities Act (ADA); however, where unfortunate mutants were exiled. Unfortunately, there are certain parts it was Mr. Justin Dart, President Bush, Themes within The Chrysalids include the of the United States that have economic Attorney General Thornburgh and Senator inevitability of change, man’s inhumanity challenges not seen since the Great Hatch that made the ADA a reality. to his fellow man, ignorance and bigotry. Depression. Some employers protest that Those same themes are included in Mary complying with the ADA puts further At one point in the film, they make Shelley’s Frankenstein. As a young boy, economic hardship on them; however, reference to Ugly Laws. Apparently, from Frankenstein became obsessed with what it makes good economic sense for the late 1860s until the 1970s, several gives humans their life spark. In college, employers to make their businesses American cities had “ugly laws,” making he created his own “perfect” human from accessible as a means of tapping into it illegal for persons with “unsightly or scavenged body parts; however, once a larger workforce and as a means of disfiguring” disabilities to appear in it lived, the creature was so hideous, extracting disposable income from public. Some of those laws were called Frankenstein ran from it. people with disabilities. “unsightly beggar ordinance” and it appeared that the goal of those laws was The prejudices depicted in those novels True acceptance cannot be legislated; to preserve the quality of life for their were a reality enforced by law only 37 however, hopefully we can be more communities and was similar in spirit to years ago! The recantation of those laws accepting of people who are different, Homeowners Associations’ Regulations is forever tied to the Americans with and in turn, will be more accepting and Bylaws. The first appearance of these Disabilities Act (ADA); however, that was of our own differences. ordinances was in 1867 in San Francisco. only passed 21 years ago, in 1990. The The ordinance seems to have been ADA granted certain rights for people welcomed from the 1800s in western and with disabilities: “Individuals with particularly midwestern cities with strong disabilities are a discrete and insular and networked cultures of reform. For minority who have been faced with example, the Chicago Municipal Code, restrictions and limitations, subjected to a About the Section #36034 included an ordinance history of purposeful unequal treatment, Author that stipulated: “No person who is and regulated to a position of political When Dan diseased, maimed, mutilated or in any powerlessness in our society, based on acquired way deformed so as to be an unsightly, characteristics that are beyond the control disgusting or improper is to be allowed of such individuals and resulting from C4-C5-C6 in or on the public ways or other public stereotypical assumptions not truly quadriplegia from an automobile places in this city, or shall therein or indicative of the individual ability of accident in 1980 it changed his life thereon expose himself to public view, such individuals to participate in, and forever. Regardless, Dan set about under penalty of not less than one contribute to, society.” dedicating his life to improving dollar nor more than fifty dollars for the quality of life of others with We should be eternally grateful for Mr. each offense.” disabilities. He became an RRP, an Pimentel, Mr. Dart, President Bush, Many states’ and cities’ Ugly Laws were not Attorney General Thornburgh, Senator RVP, and a CLCP. Over the last 12 repealed until the 1970s, and Chicago was Hatch and others who ensured the rights years, Dan has worked on hundreds the last to repeal its Ugly Law in 1974. of those whose voices can’t always be of cases that required Life Care heard. But at the same time, we must Plans, Vocational Reports, Case When I grew up in London, Ontario, recognize that no matter what the Management Services, Rehabilitation the English curriculum included John disability, each person should attempt to Plans and Housing. Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. It was a post- “earn” the respect and acceptance of others apocalyptic science-fiction novel depicting by respecting and accepting others.

15 Spring 2011