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| Confucius in a Wheelchair (Public Domain) |
The
aftermath of Stephen Hawking’s death has
brought this issue, with its accompanying
debates, to the forefront. When actress
Gal Gadot wrote this tweet, a flurry of
comments ensued: Rest in peace Dr. Hawking. Now you’re free of any physical constraints…
Many felt
that Gadot’s tweet “was ableist, or
discriminatory toward people with disabilities.” For them, it implied that Hawking was
better off dead than disabled.
This type of
“able normative supremacy” thinking has
its dangerous side. Throughout history,
disabled people have been met with so-called “mercy
killings.”
All humans have
limitations on their abilities. Any human
can become disabled at any time. It therefore
behooves us to celebrate abilities rather than
mourn disabilities.
Wheelchairs,
for example, can be seen as facilitating
rather than restricting. Do we see cars as
restricting? Not at all. Teens often long for the day when
a driver’s license grants them greater
mobility.
Hawking’s
brilliant mind allowed him to be freer of physical
constraints than most able-bodied folks. He traveled
the universe and experienced things that most
others don’t. Hawking credited ALS for helping
him to realize how precious our “brief
history” on earth really is.
Resources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/celebrity/gal-gadot%e2%80%99s-seemingly-innocent-tribute-to-stephen-hawking-offended-some-people/ar-BBKhcO7?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=BHEA000
Copyright March 16, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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