Language and Interdependency

Thinking about this talk with Judith Butler and Sunaura Taylor has me thinking about the importance of language and how we talk about people. I think it is important to connect the language we use about something with the feelings we associate with that thing. When we refer to someone with words like "disabled" or "crazy" we are thinking about them as less then whether we are aware of it or not. Society has groomed us all to look at words like crazy or disabled and associate them with people who "can't".

Sunaura shows us and talks about how people CAN do things they just do not do things all the same. She made a great distinction between "impairment" and "disability". Where impairment is how someone is able (or not able) to use parts of their body. Sunaura talked about her body being an impairment because her arms/legs don't work as society says they should. Disability is defined by society, it is telling the world that this person is unable to complete a task or is not able to function "normally". The term has this negative cogitation that comes with it. It is important to see people for who they are. 

Using person first language is a great first step, when you see someone and define them by their "othering" characteristic you are "othering" them in your mind and helping perpetuate societal inequities. Using this type of language also reinforces someones value as a human. Sunaura and Judith spoke to being between (male or female - death or health) and having humanity questioned.  When we no longer label individuals in othering ways we may be more apt to actually see other people as human.

                                                     

I think it is important to bring up access, Sunaura discussed how when moving to San Fransisco she had much more access to the public world because it was designed to be more accessible. She spoke of curb cut outs and more accessible public buildings. She also spoke about the positive correlation between physical access and social access.  She spoke to having more public physical access exposes society to more people with different needs - exposure can lead to acceptance. 

Another important point is about interdependence. Our world will only work if we continue to grow and see each-other as valuable assets. When new ideas and ideologies are no longer shunned but welcomed and incorporated and valued we will then see a society that is truly reflective of the potential of the individuals that create it. This video is simple but shows how one decision or action is not made independently but it is connected in ways that are invisible to us. I think it is important to see and acknowledge how much we depend on other people and destigmatize the need to ask for help.