5
Section one: The fundamentals
A)
Exercise 1: Notebook Prompt
Many of you are likely familiar with the concept of “ability inequity,” which the authors of this article define as “an unjust or unfair (a) ‘distribution of access to and protection from abilities generated through human interventions’ or (b) ‘judgment of abilities intrinsic to biological structures such as the human body’.”
However, they go on to identify the following “ability concepts” that are less familiar:
1) ability security (one is able to live a decent life with whatever set of abilities one has)
2) ability identity security (to be able to be at ease with ones abilities)
How prevalent are these forms of security among disabled people you know? Or, if you identify as a disabled person, would you say your social surroundings and community foster and support these kinds of security? Furthermore, while the focus of the article is on Kinesiology programs, it is also important to reflect on how academia in general accommodates for disability. If you feel comfortable answering this question, what has been your experience of postsecondary education to date?
-OR-
The authors also observe that “Ableism not only intersects with other forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, ageism, and classism, but abilities are often used to justify such negative ‘isms’.”
What do you think this means? Provide an example.
|
In my opinion, ability security and ability identity security are very similar, however, one is being able to live a good life no matter what your abilities are, while the other is the belief that you are confident about your abilities, no matter what they are. I don’t specifically know anyone who may suffer from these, although observing those within society with disabilities, I’ve seen many disabled people struggling to fight for basic rights, such as being provided with the tools to create equality for them within society. This leads me to believe that they do struggle with feeling secure when it comes to their identity, due to them having to prove they belong in spaces that aren’t inclusive for everyone. |
Exercise 2: Implicit Bias Test
Did anything surprise you about the results of the test? Please share if you’re comfortable OR comment on the usefulness of these kinds of tests more generally.
| After completing the disability test I had realized the difficulties diabled people are faced with, although I knew what words and pictures were considered abled, disabled or bad and good it was extremely difficult for me constantly be switching from the ‘E’ and ‘I’ key at a fast pace with out messing up. I think this is a good representation of how we should think before we speak because if we don’t intentionally mean to say or do something hurtful, it is still possible that we are doing it, which is why we need to be considerate.
|
B) Keywords
Exercise 3:
Add the keyword you contributed to padlet and briefly (50 words max) explain its importance to you.
|
Ability security is a concept which ensures that people feel safe no matter their ability, physical, emotional or even mental. This ensures that they do not feel excluded in anything they do and instead feel as if they have the support from those around them.
|
B) On Disability
Exercise 4: Complete the Activities
Exercise 5: Notebook Prompt
What do Fitzgerald and Long identify as barriers to inclusion and how might these apply to sport in particular?
In Fitzgerald and Long’s article, they discuss barriers to inclusion when comparing sports and disabled individuals. These included the fact that many of them are ignored in many aspects, making it difficult for them to participate in sports. They are often ignored physically, for instance, facilities and equipment are not accessible to them as they were made with able-bodied bodies in mind and not disabled bodies. They are also affected emotionally and mentally, as when they do participate, they are often treated as if they are less than able-bodied individuals, which discourages them from participating again.
C) Inclusion, Integration, Separation
Exercise 6: Complete the Activities
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
Choose ONE of the three questions Fitzgerald and Long argue disability sport needs to address and record your thoughts in your Notebook.
- Should sport be grouped by ability or disability?
- Is sport for participation or competition?
- Should sport competitions be integrated?
| I believe that sports are for both participation and competition, I don’t believe that it should be either or. Sports as participation allow individuals to find a community and get more involved while also staying healthy. It is a space in which many people can feel included and keep people like them without feeling the pressure to be the best or being ‘good enough’. However, I believe the competitive part is also important, as that’s what allows many individuals to release tension and stress they face throughout their daily lives in a healthier manner. The competitive nature is also what encourages many individuals to join the sport because it allows them to believe there are others out there who take the sport as seriously as they do.
|
Part Two: Making Connections
A) Gender, Sport and Disability
Exercise 8: Complete the Activity
The paradox that sportswomen habitually face (as the authors observe, this isn’t confined to disabled sportswomen) involves the expectation they will be successful in a ‘masculine’ environment while complying with femininity norms in order to be recognized as a woman.
True or false?
Take a moment to reflect on this paradox below (optional).
B) Masculinity, Disability, and Murderball
Exercise 9: Notebook/Padlet Prompt
Watch the film, Murderball and respond to the question in the padlet below (you will have an opportunity to return to the film at the end of this module).
The authors of “Cripping Sport and Physical Activity: An Intersectional Approach to Gender and Disability” observe that the “gendered performance of the wheelchair rugby players can…be interpreted as a form of resistance to marginalized masculinity” (332) but also point out that it may reinforce “ableist norms of masculinity.” After viewing the film, which argument do you agree with?
a) Murderball celebrates a kind of resistance to marginalized masculinity
| I choose (D), Murderball, both, celebrates a kind of resistance to marginalized masculinity, and it reinforces ablist norms of masculinity because when portraying the rugby players in the film, they ensured they were viewed as competitive and tough, which fights against the idea that those in wheelchairs or other disabled individuals are weak or not masculine enough. Although using these stereotypical traits to represent one’s masculine identity can also add to the ableist norms of masculinity, making individuals believe they need these specific traits in order to be seen as masculine. |
Section Three: Taking a Shot
A) Resistance
B) Calling out Supercrip
Exercise 10: Mini Assignment (worth 5% in addition to the module grade)
1) Do you agree with the critique of the “supercrip” narrative in this video? Why or why not? Find an example of the “supercrip” Paralympian in the 2024 Paris Paralympics or Special Olympics coverage and explain how it works.
| I disagree with this narrative of “supercrip” because I believe it creates this image of disabled individuals being heroic for overcoming their disability. However, I think do this places alot of disabled individuals in a box as it creates a expectation for all of them to want the need to come their diability over, but everyone has their own experiences, some find it easier to deal with their disability and some may find it hard to get through theur day. The idea of being ‘heroic’ should influence their experiences and put them down if they aren’t able to compete with others. An example of this narrative in the 2024 Paralympics was Sofyane Mehiaou, a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player. After Teddy Riner had made a comment saying these athletes were “superheroes” or “Avengers”, Mehiaou spoke out against it, saying that they are just like everyone else and want to be seen as normal people, not defined by their disability and want to be considered athletes, not superheroes.
Refrence Davidson, C. (2024, September 4). Paralympic stars shrug off ‘superhero’ label. They’re athletes. The Christian Science Monitor. |
2) Does the film Murderball play into the supercrip narrative in your opinion? How does gender inform supercrip (read this blog for some ideas)?
(300 words for each response)
|
I do believe that the film Muderball plays into the idea of “supercrip”, because when intentionally conveying the ruby players in wheelchairs as aggressive and competitive men who have overcome their disability, in order to inspire others, it falls into the “supercrip” role. I believe gender informs the supercrip idea because when looking at both the film, Muderball and the blog by Mattlin, it is evident that men, especially disabled men, have this societal pressure to prove their masculinity and once they seem masculine enough, or as a “real man” they reinforce not only gender norms but the supercrip idea as they have “overcome” or risen above their struggles to prove both of these. Murderball demonstrates this through wheelchair rugby players, and Mattlin discusses a paraplegic man who was walking. Refrences Cavill, K., Cohn, A., Hogsett, S., Mandel, J., Rubin, H. A., Shapiro, D. A., … Criterion-on-Demand, film distributor. (2005). Murderball. New York? Eat Films.
Mattlin, B. (2022). I am not your SUPERCRIP. Facing Disability.
|
