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?
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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.
| The author’s observation of ableism interacting with other forms of oppression means that the discrimination against people with disabilities is deeply connected and rooted by forms of oppression like racism and sexism. In my opinion, it is describing that the mechanism behind ableism is very similar to other forms of oppression, which target people through their lack of “abilities” based on their biological or social situation. It is also describing that, unfortunately, ableism doesn’t exist in isolation but rather overlaps with the other types of discrimination. For example, a disabled woman may face both sexism and ableism at the same time, which will amplify the effects of both. This can cause the woman to feel a lack of confidence in her own body and lead to emotional challenges due to the lack of support society is providing her. Therefore, the overall theme that is related to ableism and other forms of discrimination is the idea that the lack of ability an individual possesses serves as justification for the racism, ageism, sexism, classism or ableism to take place. Ultimately, this pushes the message that certain groups are less capable than others, which is far from the truth and the wrong message to portray. While the utilization of the isms is primarily negative, it is also important for fighting against inequality because “ableism is also used to call out ability-based discriminations against disabled people” (Arora & Wolbring, 2022). This demonstrates a recognition of the harmful interactions between various forms of oppression, helping to shed some light on the negative stereotypes that are constantly used within our societies.
Arora, K., & Wolbring, G. (2022). Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Physical Education, and Sports through an Equity/Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lens: A Scoping Review. Sports, 10(4), 55. doi: 10.3390/sports10040055
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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.
| Regarding the results of the test, I was surprised to see that the category with the highest percentage was “strong automatic preference for abled people compared to disabled people” which represented 37% of the results. I was unaware that many people felt so strongly about their preference for abled people. To me, it makes more sense that higher percentages were reported for slight (27%) and moderate (14%) preference for abled people compared to preferences for disabled people (1-5%) because in general people are more used to interacting with abled people. However, I think the test did a good job of provoking critical thinking about what words are attached to disabled and abled people by having the participants assign good and bad words to each category. For example, this allowed for an understanding that abled and disabled people can both be pleasing (good) and experience failure (bad). The test demonstrated that negative words are not just associated with disabled people, which was an important distinction to make because often the stereotypes steer people’s perspective in the wrong way.
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B) Keywords
Exercise 3:
Add the keyword you contributed to padlet and briefly (50 words max) explain its importance to you.
| Ableism definition: Ableism is a form of discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities. It is based on the belief that disabilities reflect a lack of ability and that “normal” abilities are seen as superior. The presence of ableism within society leads to accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities. It can also create social isolation for disabled people, which then starts affecting their mental health.
Keyword I added – Disability: Disability is important to me because it acknowledges a person’s lived experience while also creating awareness toward the systemic barriers that exist within our society. The use of the word can provoke people to reflect on how disabled people can be supported, but also on the capabilities they possess.
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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?
Fitzgerald and Long identify many barriers to inclusion which include inaccessible transport, inaccessible buildings and amenities, lack of opportunity and prejudicial attitudes (Fitzgerald & Long, 2017). While the identification of these barriers is important, there are still challenges that remain in terms of breaking down the barriers and providing a more inclusive environment for everyone. This is proven by the authors as they mention that “the challenge for many sports and some leisure activities is that the foundations of these activities are premised on a non-disabled norm” (Fitzgerald & Long, 2017). For example, the barrier of inaccessible facilities demonstrates that sport venues may lack accommodating changing facilities, appropriate entry points and adapted equipment. This means that for disabled individuals, it may be hard to participate in sport without proper adaptive equipment or areas to safely access the sporting venue. All these factors also act as a deterrent for sport participation because the facilities “restrict rather than enable disabled people to participate” (Fitzgerald & Long, 2017). Furthermore, the barrier of prejudicial attitudes means that society consistently uses negative stereotypes focused on assumptions of disabled people participating in sport. The popular perspective is to assume that disabled athletes lack the ability to compete in activities and sports. This creates a discouraging environment that perpetuates exclusion and lowers the confidence and comfort of disabled athletes. Finally, the lack of opportunity stems from inaccessible facilities and prejudicial attitudes which both work together to make an unwelcoming and negative environment for disabled people. Ultimately, this leads to feelings of isolation that make it hard for disabled athletes to gain access to the same sporting opportunities as everyone else.
Long, J., & Fitzgerald, H. (2017). Chapter 10 “Integration or special provision? Positioning disabled people in sport and Leisure”. In Sport, Leisure and Social Justice (pp. 126-138). Taylor & Francis Group. https://www-taylorfrancis-com.proxy1.lib.trentu.ca/reader/read-online/9afc5f0a-d9ad-49e6-8c12-5c9a75e23dd4/chapter/pdf?context=ubx
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?
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Fitzgerald and Long argue about whether sport should be grouped by ability or disability, and mention the complexity that comes with attempting to integrate all forms of ability into the same sport (Fitzgerald & Long, 2017). In my opinion, sport should be grouped by disability because I don’t think the structure of mainstream sport is flexible enough to meet the unique needs of disabled athletes. There may be a lack of adaptive coaching that struggles to invite disabled athletes into mainstream sport, and social dynamics may lead to sentiments of exclusion. Instead, the framework of mainstream sport should be utilized to build effective and valuable sport organizations that give disabled athletes equal access to appropriate resources. A perfect example of this is the Paralympics, which has taken the structure of the Olympics and transformed it into a competition that allows disabled athletes to compete against each other in a fair and well organized event. The Paralympics do a great job at providing multiple events of the same competition for all the varying levels of disability, which is why the integration of disabled and non-disabled athletes would be very difficult to achieve. Many different disabilities affect people in numerous ways, so by categorizing the levels of disability it ensures a competitive and unprejudiced environment. Whereas, integrating various categories of disability with non-disabled athletes would most likely create an unfair competition that doesn’t provide the disabled athletes any confidence or satisfaction. Ultimately, as long as time, effort and resources are put into developing and promoting disabled sport competitions, then sport should be grouped based on disability to allow for more competitive and evenly matched events. Long, J., & Fitzgerald, H. (2017). Chapter 10 “Integration or special provision? Positioning disabled people in sport and Leisure”. In Sport, Leisure and Social Justice (pp. 126-138). Taylor & Francis Group. https://www-taylorfrancis-com.proxy1.lib.trentu.ca/reader/read-online/9afc5f0a-d9ad-49e6-8c12-5c9a75e23dd4/chapter/pdf?context=ubx
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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).
| True: Sportswomen are most definitely expected to excel in sports and adhere to the societal norms of femininity which creates an unfair double standard that places additional pressure on female athletes. If an women focuses too much on her life as an athlete then she may been seen as “too masculine”. However, if she leans into her feminine presentation, then people may question her athletic credibility. Ultimately, it creates an unfair paradox that reflects the wider societal and cultural biases about sport and gender. |
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
| d) Murderball does both of these things
Murderball celebrates a resistance to marginalized masculinity while also reinforcing ableist norms of masculinity. In the film Murderball, these two statements became very apparent through the aggression, toughness and competitiveness of wheelchair rugby. To start, it celebrates a resistance to marginalized masculinity because the sport challenges the traditional views of what it means to be masculine for men with disabilities. In society, masculinity is often linked to physical traits like strength and independence. However, people with disabilities are often seen as weaker or less capable, creating a perspective that disabled men don’t fit the traditional ideals of masculinity. Wheelchair rugby is able to push back on that narrative because it gives athletes a platform to display their power, competitiveness and toughness. This becomes extremely evident in the first 20 minutes of the Murderball documentary where Canada beat USA during a tournament in Sweden (Murderball, 2005). During their match in the final, there were numerous big hits and a lot of chirping between both teams (Murderball, 2005). This demonstrates the masculine characteristics that are typically displayed in able-bodied athletes, highlighting the ability of the sport to provide resistance to the marginalization of masculinity in people with disabilities. Furthermore, wheelchair rugby also reinforces ableist norms of masculinity because it is promoting physical strength, force, and dominance as a way to assert masculinity. While the sport is empowering individuals with disabilities, it is also sending a message that to be seen as strong and manly, disabled athletes must conform to the societal pressure of being tough and resilient. This is a similar problem that able-bodied males face, which creates an expectation that masculine males don’t show their soft sides and emotions. Ultimately, the sport allows for disabled athletes to push back on the marginalization of masculinity, but it also creates pressure for the athletes to constantly display their masculinity. Rubin, H., Shapiro, D. (Director). (2005). Murderball [Film]. eOne Films. https://media3-criterionpic-com.proxy1.lib.trentu.ca/htbin/wwform/006?T=AL500689&ALIAS=AL500689_EN.KF&M=0_bbjkxzd6&DSTYLE=0#multimedia_resources_AL500689 |
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 do agree with the critique of the “supercrip” narrative that “We’re The Superhumans” video portrays because it reinforces the idea that disabled people must achieve exceptional feats to be valued. The video does a good job at celebrating disability and achievement and uses upbeat music to create a fun atmosphere. However, through the representation of these athletes’ achievements, the video is sending a message that achievements represent the overcoming of disabilities. This point is proven in the blog “Grappling with Ableism in the Parasport Movement” where the author mentions that the “supercrip” narrative is “the perception that the achievements of athletes with disabilities mean they are overcoming and transcending their disabilities” (Loeppky, 2021). So while it is great to celebrate accomplishments, it is unfortunately creating unrealistic expectations and downplaying the barriers that disabled people face daily.
An example of the “supercrip” narrative being displayed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics is the story of Matt Stutzman, who is an armless archer that won his first Paralympic gold medal in 2024. Considering that very few archers in the Paralympics compete without any arms, his story garnered a lot of attention, especially since he captured the gold medal. With a plethora of media sources reporting on his story, the “supercrip” narrative of overcoming his disability became quite prevalent. For example, the media company Sportstar wrote an article about Matt and started by saying “most might assume that shooting a bow without arms is an insurmountable challenge, Matt Stutzman, often referred to as the “Armless Archer,” doesn’t just defy expectations — he rewrites the rules” (Joshi, 2024). This demonstrates that Matt is seen as an athlete that has heroically overcome an obstacle that pertains to his disability, which aligns with the “supercrip” narrative. Ultimately, this narrative overshadows his years of commitment and hard work, and places a larger emphasis on his ability to defy the odds.
Joshi, A. (2024, August 29). Stutzman champions para-archers — believes foot archery could match the able-bodied in Paralympics. Sportstar. https://sportstar.thehindu.com/olympics/paris-paralympics-2024/interviews/matt-stutzman-para-archers-foot-archery-could-match-able-bodied-at-paris-2024-paralympics-united-states-news/article68580274.ece
Loeppky, J. (2021, August 1). Grappling with Ableism in the Para-Sport Movement. Rooted in Rights. https://rootedinrights.org/grappling-with-ableism-in-the-para-sport-movement/
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)
| In my opinion, the film Murderball does not play into the “supercrip” narrative because it highlights the athletes’ lives outside of athletics, instead of solely focusing on their ability within sport. To me, a “supercrip” narrative would display their athletic achievements while pushing a notion that they defied the odds. While the film does produce a “defy the odds” type story in certain parts, it is based on multiple facets of their lives, such as their social life with their friends and families. For example, the American wheelchair rugby player Mark Zupan went into details about the accident that left him paralyzed and how it was his best friend, Chris Igoe, who caused the accident as a result of his drunk driving (Murderball, 2005). This section of the film provides interviews with Mark’s friends and family who talk about how the accident changed his relationship with his best friend (Murderball, 2005). The film’s ability to provide an in-depth examination of how Mark’s social life has impacted his current athletic career, proves that Murderball went beyond athletic accomplishments as a way to explain the athlete’s capability to defy the odds. Murderball also provided insight into the relationships between teammates and their families outside of sport, which challenged the stereotypes that disabled people are socially isolated, reinforcing my opinion towards the “supercrip” narrative.
Although I don’t believe that the notion of “supercrip” was a dominant narrative in the film, it can still provide information on how gender informs “supercrip”. The idea of overcoming a disability is associated with personal characteristics like strength, independence and aggression. These characteristics often suit male athletes, like wheelchair rugby players, or more masculine female athletes. Therefore, masculinity becomes a catalyst for informing the narrative of “supercrip”. This leaves little room for other athletes who don’t conform to the norms of masculinity to be seen within the spotlight of “supercrip”. Rubin, H., Shapiro, D. (Director). (2005). Murderball [Film]. eOne Films. https://media3-criterionpic-com.proxy1.lib.trentu.ca/htbin/wwform/006?T=AL500689&ALIAS=AL500689_EN.KF&M=0_bbjkxzd6&DSTYLE=0#multimedia_resources_AL500689 |
