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.
This idea focuses on the more in-depth ways that ableism is connected to the different systems of oppression. For example, black disabled women may face challenges or barriers that are different from a white disabled person or even a non-disabled black male. Her experiences are shaped by the combination of various oppressions such as racism, sexism, and ableism together. However, the idea of abilities often justifies other forms of oppression. For example, with ageism, older adults are seen as less capable as a result of their physical decline. With sexism, women are seen as weak and more emotional, causing them to be seen as less superior to males, and finally, with classism, people who lack financial ability are often seen as lazy or unmotivated. All these oppressions incorporate ableism as within society, the concept of normal ability becomes based on judging who is valuable in some way, and those who face a disability or oppression are instantly at a disadvantage because of ongoing discrimination.
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.
As someone who has done this test before, as well as now, I am not the biggest fan of the Harvard Implicit Bias Test as I do not feel it is accurate. It does not prove that someone is prejudiced, and it also focuses more on someone’s focus or familiarity with the letters on the keyboard than anything else. Every time I take the test, I get different results, which depend on my mood and focus when completing it. For example, I took this test at 8 am, still very sleepy and not as alert. If I had taken it later, I might have been more focused and got a different result. Although this test may be a helpful starting point, it does not address systemic issues and instead focuses on individual bias rather than the many things that ableism is connected to within society.
B) Keywords
Exercise 3:
Add the keyword you contributed to padlet and briefly (50 words max) explain its importance to you.
The keyword I chose to contribute to in the padlet is ableism. Ableism refers to the discrimination towards people with disabilities. It also makes disabled people seen as being less capable and in need of being fixed, whereas non-disabled people are seen as being normal and more valuable. Ableism excludes people with disabilities such as physical, mental, intellectual, and even sensory, which can impact how they are treated and assisted within society.
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, such as social, cultural, and institutional, that can often go unnoticed and impact participation from disabled people. Regarding social and cultural barriers, there are many stereotypes, assumptions, and even stigma for disabled people that exclude them from participating. Coaches and other players may underestimate the potential of a disabled person, which can make them feel left out and excluded. Institutional barriers such as lack of training, policies, and even practices also make inclusion difficult, leaving disabled people under-supported. Many clubs may not have adequate funding for tools and equipment needed for people with disabilities and often focus on able-bodied sports which is a significant barrier to inclusion.
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?
The question I am discussing is #1 – Should sports be grouped by ability or disability?- I feel that sports should be grouped by ability rather than disability because it is more inclusive for everyone as it allows people to compete and play against one another more. It also shifts the focus on what people can do rather than their diagnosis, allowing greater integration in both recreation and competitive sports. When you group sports by disability, it is more exclusive for people who do not fit into specific disability categories may be left out. It also creates a greater separation between disabled and no -disabled athletes as there is a clear divide rather than integration.
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?
I believe this statement is true!
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
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 agree with the critique of the “supercrip” narrative from the video as it is a common factor in many media representations regarding athletes that frame a person with a disability as inspirational or exceptional just because they overcame a challenge while having a disability. It focuses on them as if they overcame something terrible when it is just who they are. This is problematic as it creates an unrealistic representation and puts more pressure on people with disabilities to be great. It also reinforces ableism by making it seem that people with a disability are less than those who do not and focuses solely on individual success rather than society’s responsibility for inclusion and equity for everyone. For example, if a person lacks mobility in their legs and finishes a race, they are praised and considered an inspiration just because they participated rather than having athletic skills. In the 2024 Paralympics, an athlete subjected to this narrative was a French para-swimmer named Ugo Didier. He had many leg impairments and was celebrated for his resilience and determination while winning gold for men’s 400m. Although he won, demonstrating excellent skill and effort, his disability took away from the time and effort he put into training for that race. Instead of focusing on his skill, the talks were about his disability and not the hard work put into the win, reinforcing the supercrip stereotype. Overall, this narrative limits the way that people view people with disabilities by holding them up on individual pedestals rather than looking at the bigger picture and advocating for inclusion. People should be celebrated for their skills and not their disability, and achievements should be recognized for all as a way to promote inclusion within sports to move away from the “supercrip” narrative.
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)
The film Murderball plays into the supercrip narrative, focusing on the “extraordinary” athletes and how they go beyond their disability to achieve greatness. This film discusses the athletes as being great and showcasing heroism as they persevere and overcome the many obstacles in their way. The film also leans into each athlete’s personal stories, such as rehab and other traumas faced, and then focuses on how they recovered and were stronger because of it. This heavily plays into the supercrip narrative by emphasizing their backstories, representing a tragic victory moment.
This film also pays a lot of attention to gender as it focuses on masculinity, excluding women altogether. Murderball portrays the athletes as being tough and aggressive, fighting the stereotype that people with disabilities are weaker. Men in everyday society are often expressed as being strong and competitive, and by focusing this film on disabled males, it makes them look like superheroes, reclaiming masculinity while highlighting their physicality and limiting the perception of vulnerability. Many male athletes feel that they need to prove their worth through their performance, which is not the same for women, and the athletes in the film “reclaiming” masculinity suggest that real men need to push to be seen rather than just being “normal.”
Within the blog that focuses on critiquing the supercrip narrative, for many disabled people, being inspiring is the only way to be accepted, which I think is problematic to society and how nondisabled individuals view those with disabilities. Just because they have a disability does not mean that they are weaker or less than someone who does not and should not have to prove themselves to anyone. This relates to another point mentioned that disabled people only exist or are worth writing about as a way to motivate or inspire nondisabled people. This does not focus on individual ability but instead emphasizes their disability and how they are already at a disadvantage. What this leaves out is the personal ability and strength it takes for many disabled people to train and work hard while emphasizing the lack of inclusion that is put on people with disabilities, especially males, within the sports culture.
