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 "Kenny's Gay and Disabled Support Group" http://media.photobucket.com/image/gay%20and%20disabled/DisabledKenny1/KennyGDSG-1.jpg

So today's class was so interesting to me. I love learning about different cultures, but rarely have I learned about "Crip" culture. I love that, by the way (as much as an outsider to that community can). I also find it so interesting how many shrouds of taboos and stigmas we have to get around to talk about this stuff. Can I say that I love the term "Crip"? I especially enjoyed the video clips mostly because they did what any art form should do--they made us uncomfortable. I was thinking and questioning myself, staring, looking away, enjoying myself and somehow feeling guilty.  

Did I feel guilty because I in someway pity these people? Do I find myself in some way superior? Am I just as flawed but we define "normal" in a way that I somehow feel that I am "disability-free?"

Which brings me to my next question. I'm also wondering, like Anne's second question, where are G&S and Disability studies linked? I get that there are definite thematic links, and I'm sure plenty of anecdotal connections (queer people with disabilities, etc). However, I just don't see why this unit is any different from picking a random life-topic and finding its connection to G&S. G&S are an integral part of human behavior and therefore can be tied to anything. This unit is so interesting, don't get me wrong, but I'd be interested to know more of the connections.

That being said, I'd like to touch on what some have already spoken about: gay as a disability??? I find this topic so interesting. Basically, it can be argued that God (or whoever,) put Adam and Eve (or two random people,) on this earth. They procreated. Those offspring procreated. Their offspring procreated. So on and so forth. "Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve" they say, to prove that God intended for us to be straight. It's an interesting arguement. Penises and vaginas fit (for the most part) and intercourse is the only (known) way of procreation. SO is any deviation from that in fact a variation from the "norm"? Could we go so far as to call is a disability? How about intersex people? Mostly, we're born with one set of junk, corresponding to our XX or XY chromosomes. Some aren't. Disabled? Who knows?

Anne said that perhaps the the Disabled Community or Crip Community would be offended by gender being called a disablity. How about the queer community?! Am I disabled because I identify as queer? If I really think about it, it definitely acts as a handicap. There are many things that I could be barred from doing or being because of my identity. So then how far do we take this? Is race a disability? Height?

I have a gay friend who comes from an orthodox Jewish family. Obviously he has had many struggles in finding and defending his identity to himself and his community. After much thought and fighting, his very religious father came to the conclusion that he would except his son. To him, it is clear; his son has a disability. There is obviously something wrong with his wiring, and any other queer person for that matter, and it cannot be helped. So he supports his son, and the queer community, but encourages them to associate with each other so as to not offend or upset the "normal" bunch. My friend's just happy his family didn't disown him...

What can we make of this?