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 discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities is interconnected with other forms of systemic inequality like sexism and agism. Traditional gender roles may imply that certain genders lack the “necessary” physical or emotional abilities, reinforcing exclusion or inequality. Ageism, is the practice of excluding young individuals or older adults from decision-making or participation because of preconceived notions about their capacities.
Based on racial presumptions, a racialized student may be ignored or stigmatized as “naturally athletic” or “not athletic enough” while a student who may have a disability won’t be allowed to participate at all because it is believed that they “can’t keep up” or “won’t benefit” the team.
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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.
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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 refers to the discrimination that can be conscious or unconscious against people with disabilities and can lead to unfair treatment. This can be through inaccessible buildings (stairs), transportation, and exclusion from activities. Some places in society are built to overlooks or excludes the unique needs of disabled people.
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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 structural and attitude barriers to inclusion which affect a disabled individuals access to participate in sporting activities. There are many stereotypes that disabled individuals are less capable of doing wha able-bodies are. There may be leagues that lack rules and or regulations that do not allow for mixed-ability individuals to compete. There is also very minimal representation for people with disabilities and sometimes they are not taken into account when making decisions.
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?
| Should sport be grouped by ability or disability?
I think I would argue that sport be grouped by ability rather than disability. But I don’t think that there’s a clear cut answer to a question like this because if you group people by ability it can create more inclusion by focusing on skill rather than someones abilities but on the other hand grouping by disability can help can offer specific tailored support and increase opportunities for participants. It is important to make facilities or environments that are accommodating and inclusive to many different individuals of varying abilities.
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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: The paradox that sportswomen face involves the expectation they will be successful in a ‘masculine’ environment. Women are supposed to be competitive but still elegant and beautiful, strong but not overly strong. |
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
| The film shows disabled men in a physically intense, aggressive sport which pushes back against stereotypes of disabled men as weak and highlights athleticism and independence but it also promotes ableist and hegemonic standards of masculinity. It portrays extreme masculine characteristics like aggression, competitiveness, and dominance to define who they are and their worth. This issue with this is that disabled men only have worth and validity when they display ableist masculinity.
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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.
| Yes, I do agree with the critique of the “supercrip” narrative from the video We’re The Superhumans (Rio Paralympics 2016 Trailer). “Supercrip” frames people with disabilities as inspirational because they accomplish everyday tasks or succeed in overcoming their disabilities. I understand that the ad is trying to be more inclusive and show the achievements of non-ableist people but it portrays them as superhuman when performing everyday tasks or succeeding despite their disabilities. This can set unrealistic expectations and give the idea that they can achieve anything and I think that it gives the idea that when someone doesn’t meet a goal or… it is due to a lack of effort when in fact it is because of systemic barriers. This gives the illusion that most disabled people are not as capable and doesn’t show the daily struggles that they go through to get to where they are today.
An example of this can be seen in the coverage leading up to the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Ali Truwit who’s an American Paralympian who lost her leg in a shark attack and 16 months later competed in Paris winning two silver medals. Her journey into the sport was pictured as an extraordinary personal triumph over adversity by how quickly she recovered and at such a high level. But the way that the media portrayed her story made her disability overshadow her dedication, training, and skill. |
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 think that the film Murderball plays into the supercrip narrative because…
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