Dear Joy and Rayna,

I immediately noticed the wheelchair putdown.  An aging family member
recently said, to my suggestion she get one, that she would shoot
herself before she had to use a wheelchair.  My mother had told me she
detested the fact that I had dated a number of women who used
wheelchairs.  She said she thought I was having self esteem problems.
<LoLoL>   Obviously a perceptual-social-cultural schism of huge and
discriminatory magnitude.

Why is it ok for TABS to be accommodated by cars or golf carts, for
example, and still be at least ok or seen sporting a device/symbol of
ease, value, and prestige, while a disabled person using a wheelchair
becomes further devalued: at least once for the disability, then twice
for the wheelchair?

I rather belatedly see the absurdity of striving for gain far beyond the
reasonable.  To act and appear like everyone else we put at risk our
physical and mental health to fit what is an arbitrary norm.  The norm
itself never included us in its formulation and excludes us from its
measure.  So we spend our lives trying to fit the unfit.  Then we are
denigrated and denigrate ourselves for not doing or being able to do the
impossible!  At least we occasionally make the newspapers.  (They have a
social responsibility for making insanity appear sane.)  ;-)

I quibble with Rayna's closing observation regarding the value of our
hearts, minds, and spirits compared with how our bodies work.  As I
interpret the statement I see the stereotype reinforced.  This may be
because I experience my body as important to my being in the world as
any other facet of my humanity.  I may get pain, but do I ever get
pleasure!  <VBBG>

CP bodies compare as men to women, women to men: can't live with 'em,
can't live without 'em.

Hugs,
ISM
"Depravity Defies Gravity"

>From: Rayna Lamb <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:
>Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 17:24:10 +0800
>
>Joy, I totally agree.  I used nothing to help me get around until I
>was 19, and I was totally exhausted every day - life was miserable,
>and it has taken me several years to recover.  I now use a scooter for
>outside mobility, and only walk inside houses and small buildings.  I
>am happier and far healthier than I was - gradual deterioration not
>withstanding.  I lost so much of my life being forced to focus only on
>passing as `normal', and not on my other qualities which are far more
>important and valuable than how my body does or does not work.  What
>makes us all valuable people is how our hearts, minds and spirits
>work, not our bodies.
>
>Rayna
>
>On Sat, Feb 24, 2001 at 12:31:03AM -0500, - Joy - wrote:
>     I understand that this was supposed to be inspirational.  And I
have a
>     lot of respect for Jennifer's accomplishments... but this quote
just
>     bothered me:
>
>     "Once, she was so far down, she was in a wheelchair," Carter said.
>     Carter prodded her daughter to fight the disease. "I said, 'If you
sit
>     in that, you're never going to get back up.'
>
>     Why does everyone consider being in a wheelchair to be the worst
case
>     scenario?  Why should she have to struggle and be out of breath
every
>     day at school?  There are so many ways to make life easier and
more
>     enjoyable... It frustrates me that the media continues to portray
life
>     in a wheelchair as a death sentence or worse.
>
>     ~Joy~
>     http://www.geocities.com/joy0823