Experiencing stigma: The physically disabled perspective

[摘要] The field of physical disability is a relatively unexplored one. In particular, it isevident that little has been done to attempt an explanation of the reactions ofpeople with physical disabilities to the labels, and consequent stigmas that areapplied to them by the able-bodied. It is important to note that whilst people withphysical disabilities are generally not considered deviant, many of them experiencethe same societal reactions to their conditions as other 'deviants' do. Thisoccurrence is probably due to the fact that physically disabled people are seen bysociety as different, 'abnormal', or even 'deviant'.People with physical disabilities are isolated, stigmatised, segregated anddiscriminated against as a result of their disabilities. They are however, notintrinsically deviant because of their disabilities, but rather because of theundesirable differences that are imputed to them by society. The presence of aphysical disability thus renders the disabled individual 'deviant', partially becauseof the limitations it imposes upon the person's range of activities and behaviour,but mainly because of the reactions of the able-bodied to the disability. People withphysical disabilities are forced to remain socially and economically marginalised,not because of their disabilities, but because of discriminatory and exclusionaryattitudes and practices on the part of the non-disabled.People with obvious physical disabilities, such as those confined to wheelchairs,are disadvantaged during everyday societal interaction, unless they constantlyattempt to minimise their differences from the able-bodied. In this regard, many ofthe physically disabled suggested that non-disabled people believed them toinnately possess the following characteristics: helplessness, dependency, aninability to take on any responsibility, and a constant need for guidance andsupervision. The interviewees maintained that the aforementioned beliefs supplied'normals' with seemingly legitimate reasons for the stigmatisation of groups suchas them. They also noted that many 'normals' felt that they, as physically disabled individuals, deviated from the 'highly admirable state' of physical perfection. Thephysically disabled are often expected to cope with their limitations in ways notexpected of other 'normal' people. In this regard, they are conditioned to 'manage'and 'overcome' their disabilities, to be 'independent' and above all else to be'normal'. The limitations that result from physical disability, however, .often renderthese individuals dependent, and therefore deviant, as they are forced to break thenorms of adult independence and self-reliance.According to the physically disabled, their disabilities stem from the fact thatphysical and social environments are designed without any consideration of theneeds of particular individuals or groups, and not from their own functionallimitations. They therefore maintain that the problems that they encounter ininteraction with the able-bodied could be minimised if the latter group was bettereducated concerning the requirements and 'lifeworids' of people with physicaldisabilities. In this regard, it is evident that people with physical disabilities havebeen portrayed as 'flawed able-bodied people' throughout history. The physicallydisabled however, suggest that although they differ physiologically from their ablebodiedcounterparts, they are no different from any other 'normal' person.Finally, people with physical disabilities desire the same consideration, socialcourtesies and acknowledgement as any other 'normal' person, expects andreceives. The physically disabled state that the fact that their bodies do notfunction in the same manner as those of the non-disabled, does not exclude themfrom assuming any of the roles that they previously held in society, should theychoose to. As such, the physically disabled maintain that, given the opportunity,they would gladly take part in all the areas of 'normal' life, and particularly in theemployment area. Physically disabled people want to be treated by their nondisabledcounterparts as 'normal', they neither require, nor desire 'special'treatment because of their physical limitations.

[发布机构] University of the Free State