Art and Culture Involving Disability I don’t believe in “a disability culture” that portrays individuals with disabilities as a segregated group in society. We, the disabled, as with any other segment of people, can live in an able-bodied society and contribute to it through art, culture, and sport. Disability has been the lens through which many movies, books, paintings, and dance have been created! We have a rich history and our own sense of humor and language.
People | Cultural Studies | Film | Writing | Writing for Children | Comedy | Dance | Photography | Sport
PEOPLE-
Harriet McBryde Johnson - one of the most important voices in the disability community has had her voice silenced, but her words live on. Harriet was a profound influence on the right to live with a disability no matter how severe it might be. She was an effective combatant against the likes of Peter Singer, Jack Kervorkian, and the Florida Supreme Court. She will be missed.
EVENTS -
The Church of 80% Sincerity - Live Webcast
On June 14, 2008 at 6pm East Coast time The Kennedy Center in Washington DC is doing a live webcast of a one hour version David Roche’s widely acclaimed signature piece, The Church of 80% Sincerity as part of the VSA arts Start with the Arts Family Festival .
The url: http://www.kennedy-center.org
The Church of 80% Sincerity tracks the inspiring, poignant, wickedly funny and sometimes heart-breaking story of David’s journey from shame to self-acceptance. David’s powerful vignettes and keen observations invite the sweet (and sometimes raucous) laughter that flows from the recognition that we are all flawed and struggling beings. He provides an irresistible and unforgettable glimpse of his (and your) inner beauty and worth, offering profound encouragement in dealing with whatever life brings you
5th Annual Disability Pride Parade Pride Realized Is Destiny Empowered July 26, 2008, Downtown Chicago Online registration is open now. http://www.disabilityprideparade.org Click on “Register Now” You can also sponsor the parade online. If you plan to sponsor the parade, you must also register your group as a participant.
A Timeline of Disability Culture This website goes briefly through history viewing it through a lens of disability. It was created by Barbara J. McKee AKA Chairgrrl. It is an excellent first step to putting many assumptions we make about disability in a historical context.
Disabling Imagery website provides a wealth of information on how disability has been represented in moving image from the earliest days. The approach is from a disability equality and human rights perspective, which draws on the collective thinking of the Disabled People’s Movement.
First period: before World War 2 In this period disabilities are seen as freakish. One third of films made before 1919 featured disabled characters, mainly because of the visual appeal of difference in silent movies.
Second period: immediately post-World War 2 At this time, films about disability become more rehabilitative. Many have plots revolving around returning veterans, some of whom were disabled. This was part of a wider movement to make films about social issues, which did well at the box office.
Third period: from the 1950s to late 1960s The portrayal of disabled people in films degenerates at this time. Nearly all left-wing filmmakers and actors responsible for films with social comment that came out at the end of the War were blacklisted, and the Studios in Hollywood went into self-censorship mode. This meant going back to a range of movies influenced by the previous stereotypes. A rash of films about civilian disabled people overcoming their impairment were made.
Fourth Period - since the late 1960s. During this time period, there is a swing to a more enlightened, tolerant stance, linked in the USA to the returning Vietnam War veterans and, in Britain, to a left-wing liberalism in the film industry. Audiences for films featuring aspects of disability were large enough to encourage filmmakers to produce a stream of such films over the next forty years. They mainly feature civilian disabled characters who sometimes go beyond the earlier sterotypes, while reinforcing others. Visit the site to read and experience see considerably more information.
The Body in Social Theory: Visualizing Disability Art 553 focuses on representation of disability in modern and contemporary art history and popular culture. We will investigate the consequences of visual representation on the personal and social lives of disabled people, as well as on the development of public policy. Visual materials we will study include film, commercial advertising, charity depictions, medical images, freak shows, and fine art in a variety of media. Drawing from the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, we will compare and contrast various forms of and contexts for visualizing disability in art and society. Instructor: Ann Millett At UNC, Chapel Hill Art 55
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a most amazing feat. One might imagine that a film that is about a person with “locked in syndrome” would be depressing, but this film is joyous even in its darkest moments. When Dominique Bauby says a paralyzed life has value as long as he has his imagination and his memories you absolutely know that to be true. He compares his body to a diving bell - it traps him and holds him down, but his mind is a butterfly and can take him anywhere he wants to go. The performance by Mathieu Almaric as Bauby is so convincing that it is only because you see him revisiting his past that you know he is not disabled. His eye is riveting (one eye is patched). You watch his contorted mouth desperate to see it move. Only when Max Von Sydow as his aging father with early dementia tries and fails to communicate with his son is there overwhelming sorrow. The sorrow is not for Bauby, but for his father. This film confirms that it is in many cases those we encounter in life who have the greatest difficulty in accepting our disability. If we are surrounded by supportive family and friends a good life is still within reach even if we can’t actually physically reach for it ourself. The film has met with some controversy about its accuracy, but it doesn’t change the very profound impact it can have on you. Pre-Order the film from Amazon - available April 29th, Order film. I also highly recommend the book it is based on. Order Book. Review by Susan Fitzmaurice
“Nothing About Us Without Us“, a landmark book by James I. Charlton, is the defining document in the literature of disability culture. The culture always existed, but the acknowledgement of it did not.
Just Out! Breath and Shadow: A Journal of Disability Culture and Literature, Volume 5, Number 3, March 28, 2008 Breath & Shadow is a monthly journal of disability culture and literature. A project of AbilityMaine, Breath & Shadow is the only online literary journal with a focus on disability. It is also unique in being the sole cross-disability literature and culture magazine written and edited entirely by people with disabilities. Breath & Shadow Website.
WIMN’s Voices, the women’s media monitoring group blog, features a diverse online community of fifty women blogging on media coverage of women and a range of social, cultural and political issues every day. Mary Johnson is one of its bloggers. Mary has been keeping all of us in the disability community fully informed about the issues we care about and should be caring about since her creation of the Disability Rag in 1980. When online media’s influence flourished she transformed it into the Ragged Edge Online. Her influence may not always be recognized, but it is always felt. The Wall St. Journal called it “one of the most important publications coming out of the disability rights movement. Read the WIMN blog or the Ragged Edge Online.
Listmania! with a focus on Disability
Great Children’s Books on Disability - link
Firsthand Accounts and Memoirs of Disability - link
Teaching a course on feminism and disability - link
My disability advocacy shapers - link
Introduction to Disability Culture - link
Movies about Individuals dealing w/physical or mental challenges - link
Books about individuals dealing w/physical or mental disabilities - link
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman is an amazing look inside the mind of a child no one truly knows. Shawn is a 14 year with cerebral palsy and no ability to speak. The book is written in his voice. It discusses how much he soaks up of the world around him. His father is a writer and is investigating the murder of a disabled child by their parent. The book discusses the fears Shawn has around his father’s interest and the discussion his father has about his quality of life. The book’s ending is no ending at all - you don’t know what the father has decided to do. This book was written for middle schoolers, but it is a great, quick read for adults.
Rowan Atkinson is an English comedian, writer and actor famous for his British roles in the television series Mr.Bean. When one thinks of comedy, one usually think of words. But Atkinson learned early on in his life to use physical comedy because he had difficulty speaking clearly. Instead of being made fun of - he was the funny one. His strong talent in facial expressions has made him capable of doing visually based comedies with little or no dialogue, he has sometimes been called “the man with the rubber face”. If you have never had the pleasure, check out these U-tubes: Invisible Drum Kit and The Invisible Man and Elementary Courting for Men
The Sport of Wheelchair Dance - with one or both partners use a wheelchair user is very popular in Europe. There are many competitions and here are some extraordinary YouTube videos of some amazing women dancers. Duet of Wheelchairs, Samba/ Walz/ Rumba, Line Dance, Cha Cha.
The Axis Dance Company has created an exciting body of work developed by dancers with and without disabilities since 1987. They are pioneers of a powerful and inclusive dance form, “physically integrated dance”. AXIS has been a bridge between contemporary dance and physically integrated dance. AXIS has performed in theaters and dance spaces at its home base in the Bay Area, on tour throughout the U.S., as well as in Germany and Siberia. Described as a “visual and physical discovery, creating fascinating works of movement art, ” the Company has become internationally known for its high artistic and educational standards and innovative movement vocabulary. When I saw them during a visit to California in 2005, it was a spine tingling experience. I had never considered that I could dance in my scooter. I now see every parking lot as a performance space. AXIS’ extensive community education/outreach program, Dance Access and its youth component Dance Access/KIDS! offers classes and workshops for adults and youth of all abilities, school assemblies, presentations, lecture demonstrations, and residencies locally and abroad. Visit their website to learn more about them, booking a performance or a class. Performance Calendar.
How often have you seen a disabled woman photographed as beautiful? Christopher Voelker creates stunning visual images that include women with disabilities. “My pictures have been instrumental in my growth as a human being. Creating images comes from the core of my soul.” One of his most compelling works is a 4 image montage of a woman from early pregnancy to motherhood. In each shadowy black and white image her wheelchair is visible and yet both inconsequential and relevant. To say more would spoil it - see it for yourself on his website. Another breathtaking image is of a woman who lies naked on the bed with gold satin sheets and rose petals scattered everywhere. A wheelchair off in the corner is almost overlooked. Her ankles are crossed and she looks off into the distance. The man beside her seems to adore her and yet they seem disconnected. His photographs often grace the cover of New Mobility and Kids on Wheels magazine, including NM’s most recent issue. Visit his online studio.
2008 Hall of Fame Nominees: Paralympic Athletes Paralympians know no limitations when it comes to passion for their sport and the fortitude to excel at it. One of five nominees will be inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame - two nominees are women.
Sharon Hedrick is an Olympian and Paralympian whose 20-year career in wheelchair sport is considered, by most athletes, to be unparalleled. She is the only female athlete in history to have earned medals in three summer sports (swimming, track, and wheelchair basketball) at three different Paralympic Games.
Jean Driscoll is a two-time Olympic silver medalist in 1992 and 1996. She won 12 Paralympic medals including five gold medals throughout her four Paralympic Games appearances as wheelchair racer. She is the only athlete, male or female, to have won the Boston Marathon eight times. She also has several world records, including the 10,000m Track and 10k and Marathon Road Racing.
Oscar Pistorius and the Future Nature of Olympic, Paralympic and Other Sports, Gregor Wolbring, pp.139-160 | HTML | DOC | PDF | Oscar Pistorius is a Paralympic bionic leg runner and record holder in the 100, 200, and 400 meters who wants to compete in the Olympics. This paper provides an analysis of a) his case; b) the impact of his case on the Olympics, the Paralympics and other –lympics and the relationships between the –lympics; c) the impact on other international and national sports; d) the applicability of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Captures Osaka Cup Title at the 2008 Women’s Friendship Games/Osaka Cup, despite playing shorthanded throughout the tournament. Day one began with Team USA taking on the hosts from Japan. On day two, the U.S. played two games and finished with a 1-1 record. In the morning contest, the team conquered Team Canada, 47-36, but fell to Australia in the afternoon, 58-24. On the third day, Team USA upset Australia with a 52-40 victory. Team USA was well represented at the awards ceremony with three All-Tournament Team members, Gonzales (pictured), Murray and Wheeler, who was also named Tournament MVP.
