April 15, 2025 - 15:46
The Crip Camp film showed all ten of the principles of disability justice in various ways from Camp Jened to the Disability Rights Movement, and the crossover of support between the media, the Black Panther Party, and other liberation groups, for the disability rights activists and their needs. You really saw how these principles can pour into one another-community care contributing to sustainability. One scene greatly struck the principle of recognizing historical context for me. This scene was towards the end of the film after the signing of the ADA and accessible bathrooms were created and Judy Huemann expressed her exasperation and refusal to be "grateful" because if she's "always grateful" then she's never equal and this is a testament to the historical ableism she and others have face and how long it's taken to get something as simple as bathrooms that everyone can use. It shed a blinding light on weaponized gratitude, in which marginalized groups are expected to be happy for what they have, thus, shaming them for wanting more.
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Discussion response-Arianna Callender
Submitted by acallender on May 6, 2025 - 14:46 Permalink
I really appreciate how you highlighted the intersectionality shown in Crip Camp, especially the way various liberation movements came together to support disability rights. That sense of community care and mutual aid was so moving—it made the fight for justice feel like a shared struggle rather than an isolated one.
The moment with Judy Heumann that you mentioned stood out to me as well. Her refusal to express "gratitude" for basic accessibility was such a powerful rejection of the idea that disabled people should settle for less or feel indebted for basic rights. It really speaks to the principle of recognizing historical context, as you said, and exposes how deeply embedded ableism is in our institutions and culture. The idea of “weaponized gratitude” is a sharp and important concept—I hadn’t heard it phrased that way before, but it really captures how marginalized people are often silenced or guilted into accepting partial progress