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Background of Ableism in Foreign Countries |
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Introduction |
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Ableism has evolved throughout history in foreign societies. There have been many major tragedies. An example is when they “shunned” and sometimes killed people with disabilities to try and make the gods happy and keep themselves safe from the anger of the gods (Snow 18). Positive views were sometimes overshadowed by the incorrect, negative ideas and views. The ideas of the Ancient Greek and Roman cultures concerning people with disabilities have influenced modern societies. These ancient societies thought the gods’ displeasure resulted in the disability of a person (Snow 18). Hippocrates, a Greek physician, however, suggested that people’s disabilities were caused naturally and not by angry gods. Unfortunately, his proposal didn’t fuse with the beliefs of the society that affected people’s lives. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and scientist, said that women were the first level of deformity and people with disabilities or differences were in the second level; he said that men were perfect (Snow 18). Aristotle’s social hierarchy idea greatly affected hundreds of ancient societies’ generations. The Roman and Grecian parents of babies with disabilities wanted to dispose of their societies’ “imperfections” and make gods happy (Snow 19). Children with disabilities were killed due to their parent’s desire for human perfection. In addition, the Law required that sick or “deformed” infants be abandoned or put to death, “in many communities” (Snow 19). So, they threw the babies with disabilities over cliffs, abandoned them and left them outside to die, smothered them, or starved them to death. The ones who were “rescued” were raised by strangers to be slaves, entertainers, or prostitutes (Snow 19). Some were mutilated on purpose to maximize their ability to beg. Also, in these ancient societies, young males who had mental disabilities were castrated. They were castrated in order to prevent them from reaching sexual maturity. “As eunuchs, they seemed to be neither male nor female” (Snow 19). So, they had little to no body hair, high voices, and little to no muscular development. No matter their age, they had many boyish characteristics. These young males were referred to as fools or jesters and they entertained the wealthy people while wearing “silly costumes” (Snow 19). Lots of people with disabilities were bought by or given to royals, the wealthy, and nobility. Some of them were “forced to become performers” (Snow 19). Audiences were not only entertained by their skillful performances, but also by their disabilities, for example: the way the jesters did or did not eat, walk, talk, and etcetera. Snow suggests that we remember this when viewing Halloween jester costumes in October. We see the lingering influence of this truly inhumane and unfortunate happening when children wear jester-like costumes for candy gathering. In ancient times, parents with disabilities were viewed as inferior and therefore exterminated like their children (Snow 19). This was done because these societies wanted to prevent people whom they called inferior from reproducing “more of their kind” (Snow 19). Another example of slaughtering people whom some others view as inferior was in the United States in the 20th century (Snow 19). This could happen again if people don’t take the right steps. “History does repeat itself” (Snow 17). Lots of prior views about people with disabilities and prior actions are reoccurring in the 21st century (Snow 17). During the middle ages, people with disabilities were still considered “inferior” (Otto 11). Therefore they were forced to become beggars and jesters. Babies were drowned during this time also (Otto 3). Little had changed since ancient times. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it.” The Renaissance brought new and improved views of people with disabilities. Completely able-bodied people understood people with disabilities further and there were also healthcare improvements during this time (Otto 4). This most likely increased the lifespan and populations of people with disabilities because they were receiving better care, more frequently. The Renaissance was a time of awakening in medicine (Otto 4). It also was a period of awakening of people to the fact that people with disabilities had value, had importance in society, and deserved better treatment. In spite of these progressive values, “treatments” for and attitudes toward the disabled continued to be characterized from the 1600s through the 1800s primarily by exclusion and intolerance. Most individuals with disabilities were cared for in large institutions and often those with physical and mental disabilities were treated as though they were similar to those who were mentally disabled. Asylums housed both those thought to be “mad” and those who were victims of prejudice because of their physical appearances. A significant event that occurred around 1799 changed perspectives about whether people with mental disabilities could learn. Itard taught Victor (the Wild Boy of Aveyron), a young boy who many people thought would never learn. Additionally, Itard’s methods would influence educational approaches for people with mental disabilities for many years to come. Despite the significant changes concerning people with disabilities throughout these centuries, ableism still occurred and would be transported along with the founding fathers to the American shores.
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Background of Ableism in America |
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As an outgrowth of the American Revolution and Civil War, attitudes of society toward people who acquired disabilities as a function of war differed from attitudes toward those who were born with disabilities. Soldiers with disabilities were viewed as heroes; children with disabilities were still to be pitied or shunned. Most children with disabilities continued to be placed in large institutions away from their families and communities. By the 1900s, conditions at many of these institutions were horrible with large numbers of residents, few staff, and limited resources (Snow, 25). Senator Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. once said, “authorities on disability have often said, and I have quoted them on this floor before, that the history of society’s formal methods of dealing with people with disabilities can be summed up in two words: segregation and inequality” (“The History of the Treatment of Disabled Persons in America”). The previous quote by Senator Weicker states the dim unacceptable treatment of people with disabilities in the United States. In 1927, a case was heard in the Supreme Court, concerning sterilization of a particular person with a disability (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). The final ruling would affect a larger scale of people. In this case, Buck v. Bell, Buck argued that the forced sterilization by the government of a person with a disability due wholly to the disability was unconstitutional. An institution funded by the state of Virginia did a salpingectomy on Carrie Buck in order to sterilize that individual (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). The ruling by the Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes was that it would be “better for all the world, if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit for continuing their kind.” As a result of this ruling, sterilization persisted in Virginia. The Supreme Court Justice Holmes expressed an idea that it was better for all of society to sterilize people with disabilities so that they could not create more people with disabilities; he strongly seemed to believe that people with disabilities were not fit to live and should be completely extinct. This was a sorrowful ruling for people with disabilities. There are some additional court cases that dealt with ableism. The following are some examples: PARC v. commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mills v. Board of Education District of Columbia, Friedman v. County of Cuyahoga, and Seph et al. v. Council of the City of Los Angeles et al (Fallon 493-494). There are also two cases before Supreme Court that focus on the struggle between practicing the Constitutional principle and not spending more than is in an employer of school’s budget (Slade 2). Court cases involving people with disabilities have been instrumental in the history of ableism. Then, after World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, a joyful time came for people with disabilities (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). Sadly, many veterans with disabilities flooded America after the wars. As a result, the population of people with disabilities included people who were patriotic heroes. Due to the expanded lifespan of Americans, there were millions of older people in the population of Americans with disabilities (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). As a result, Americans with disabilities became accepted more in society. Attitudes towards Americans with disabilities had now evolved into better attitudes towards the people with disabilities. Life continued to get better for people with disabilities during the 20th century. Researchers, physical and occupational therapists, and specialized physicians were trained in the 20th century in order to help people with disabilities in society (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). During the 20th century new technological and medical advances provided people with disabilities more independence, longer lives, and greater “convenience in everyday life” (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). These have been great advancements for people with disabilities in American society. Even so, people with disabilities still have many difficulties remaining. For example, “ isolation, unemployment, and a lack of education that leads to fewer chances for earning sufficient wages to support themselves” (“The History of Disabled Persons in America”). Steps have been and are being taken in the right direction but there are nevertheless some barriers and stumbling blocks to overcome.
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Background of Ableism |
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Ableism has evolved from severe exclusion to serving as a barrier to active inclusion. This metamorphosis is taking place in foreign societies and in America. The beautiful butterfly of total equality is developing in its cocoon and hopefully will break from the cocoon and fly in splendor eventually. The rights of people with disabilities have increased over time. Also, their position in society has escalated; this is magnificently significant. They used to be viewed as undesirable and were left out of society’s main events. Now they have more rights, better accessibility to many facilities, and are viewed as people first, in most cases. It has been no facile journey in foreign countries or in our country.
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