Linton, Simi, “Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity” (Pg. 8-34, “Reassigning Meaning”) New York University Press. 1998.
This source discusses analysis the affects of certain words and phrases used to describe the disabled and their conditions, with a particular emphasis on harmful or dangerous stereotypes. The author desires to inform the public of harmful ableist rhetoric and vocabulary in popular culture, in the same way we consider sexist or racist language. “The present examination of disability has no need for the medical language of symptoms and diagnostic categories.” (Pg. 8) Even terms such as “disabled” and “disability”, the most used terms for their respective subjects, can and do have harmful stereotypes associated with them, due to the origin of the terms being medical in nature. “The decision to assign medical meanings to disability has had many and varied consequences for disabled people. […] the medicalization of disability casts human variation as deviance from the norm, as pathological condition, as deficit, and, significantly, as an individual burden and personal tragedy.” (Pg. 11) Those who live with disability’s and those in disability studies (namely, Simi Linton), desire to redefine harmful descriptive words, like “cripple”, with more positive definitions, as many people with disabilities wish to not (or don’t) feel inhibited by their diagnoses. The desire of this group of people is to “take control” of the language surrounding disability and conform it to their purposes to help with communication and better representation of the disabled peoples, and in many cases, they have, “over the past twenty years [before 1998] disabled people have gained greater control over these definitional issues. The disabled or the handicapped was replaced in the mid-70s by people with disabilities” (Pg. 13). Clear and to the point, this resource is helpful for starting a conversation on rhetoric and what the disabled and nondisabled may consider harmful language around the subject of disability
Personal note: this article seems to have a Marxist bent (especially when it comes to the subject of “redefining terms” and “control” over language, rather than being “subject” to it. An interesting thought that I did not want to include in the main abstract but that I wanted to make aware.).
Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity – Reassigning Meaning is a thought-provoking exploration of how individuals redefine themselves through the lens of disability. This enlightening work challenges preconceptions and empowers those who identify as disabled. To delve into this insightful topic further, one might consider seeking guidance from and buy motivation letter https://exclusive-paper.net/buy-a-motivation-letter-for-college considering this topic to unlock their personal journey of self-discovery and empowerment.