Category: Disability Politics

Articles / Coronavirus / Disability Politics

COVID-19 – is online more accessible?

Is the lockdown really more accessible for disabled people, or is it just differently accessible? I’ve read a lot of disabled people talking about how with the lockdown there are no access barriers, but I’ve also been thinking for a...

Articles / Coronavirus / Disability Politics

COVID-19, disabled people, and the right to LIVE (independently)

COVID-19, disabled people, and the right to LIVE (independently) Coronavirus is ripping through care homes. It is killing thousands of people who are trapped in these institutions, often with no choice or control as to who provides their ‘care’, no...

Disability Politics / Disabled in Hospital

Wellcome Collection: How hospital care fails disabled bodies

Image is titled "The Medical Model of Disability". On the left there is a circle with a person inside, titled "the individual". Inside the circle are lots of arrows pointed away from the person saying "barriers". Outside the circle, on the right, it says "social barriers" with arrows going down to three more bubbles. The first says "environment inaccessible, buildings, services, language, communication", the second says "attitudes, prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination" and the third says "organisations, inflexible, procedures paths" pairments and chronic illness often pose real difficulties but they are not the main problems". Below that, it says "traditional view" in a bubble, with arrows pointing down to three more bubbles. The first of those says "disability is caused by physical, medical, sensory impairment", "the individual is impaired and is the problem" and "focus of the medical profession cure & alleviate the effects of impairment"

Articles / Disability Politics

Disability Politics: the social model

The social model of disability teaches us that our activist focus should be on changing society, not our bodies – but how does that work in practice?

Image is titled "The Medical Model of Disability". On the left there is a circle with a person inside, titled "the individual". Inside the circle are lots of arrows pointed at the person saying "problem". Outside the circle, on the right, it says "impairments and chronic illness often pose real difficulties but they are not the main problems". Below that, it says "traditional view" in a bubble, with arrows pointing down to three more bubbles. The first of those says "disability is caused by physical, medical, sensory impairment", "the individual is impaired and is the problem" and "focus of the medical profession cure & alleviate the effects of impairment"

Articles / Disability Politics

Disability Politics: the medical model

The medical model of disability tells me I’m fundamentally broken and in need of fixing – but is this true?

Image shows a cartoon that explains the difference between the medical and social models of disability. Specifically, it shows a person in a wheelchair at the bottom of the steps. On the right is a caption saying “they should build a ramp” and on the left is a caption saying that the “impairment is the problem”)

Articles / Disability Politics

Disability Politics: introduction

An introduction to a series in which I will explore some of the main debates in disability politics.

Disability Politics

The Guardian: We are told we are a burden. Legalising assisted suicide would further devalue our lives