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As I mentioned in class, I have recently read Nancy Mairs' essay "Waist-high in the World" for my CSem class and it really blew me away. Not only does she write about the medical and physical consequences of having a disability, but she also talks a lot about the SOCIAL consequences of having a disability...

I guess coming into the few classes that we discussed feminist disability issues and politics, I was prepared for to come out of class feeling...rather horrible to be perfectly honest. When I clicked on the link that Lydia posted, I, like Anne and many others...was shocked when I saw this two year old girl who had eight limbs. Yes, I am very embarassed to admit that, but it's the truth...and I can't stop thinking about WHY I had this reaction. A part of me wants to agree with what a lot of people in class seem to say: why should people have to fit this mold of this so-called normalcy? Why should people have to feel the pressure (from "the gaze" or other) to change themsleves via cosmetic surgery or reconstructive surgery? I don't have an answer to that...and I'm not exactly sure if there ever will be an answer or solution. Much of the feminist disability issue is about categorizing and de-humanizing. It's about NOT using the category "disability"...but I feel like it's inevitable, and if for some reason it didn't exist, then I feel like there would be an issue of not recognizing disabilities enough. It seems like I have brought the whole thing about "othering" into this. Gah!