I really enjoyed the video “Gimp”! It was a very inspirational clip, and shows that someone who is considered disabled can be just as good a dancer as anyone else. It proves no one should doubt someone’s ability to do anything that they put their minds too. Many believe that if someone is physically disabled that they cannot accomplish tasks that others can. This is not a true assumption, and “Gimp” helps prove that. This video expands the notions of the human body, and shows that anyone can dance. To dance you don’t need every limb, or finger fully in tack, it simply takes dedication, and soul. The dancers in this film were confident, strong, and graceful, beautiful dancers. They show that if you stop doubting yourself, and stop listening to the people telling you that you can’t do something, you can accomplish any goal of yours!
“Gimp” and the article “Gawking, Gaping, Staring”, by Eli Clare, both touch on the term ableism. Ableism can be defined as “the all- encompassing system of discrimination and exclusion of people who live with development, medical, neurological, physical or psychological disabilities” (p.457). Many people do not know how it feels to leave their house, and have majority of people they pass on the sidewalk or sit next to in a restaurant stare at them. I know if it were me I would feel terrible knowing that people were staring at me because of my “disability”, and almost feel ashamed. Why do we even have to call these qualities of someone a disability, I like to think of them as just something different (not bad) about someone else. People have different hair colors, eye colors, heights and weights, so why do we stare and gawk when someone has a physical or mental difference? These people who are part of “freak shows” are people, and I do not agree with the existence of these types of moneymaking ploys that cultivate from someone’s appearance.
Many of these disabilities are not the persons’ choice, and many are incurable medical issues. We don’t know what someone has been through, or their personal story when passing them on the road, so who are we to judge? We should be sensitive and accepting, not judgmental and hurtful. Some people are extremely insecure about their disabilities, however, many have chosen to embrace theirs, and not let that one characteristic restrict their life. If our society was more open-minded, and less critical of people than maybe everyone with any sort of disability would be able to embrace it, and gain confidence in themselves.
I have twins, decidedly NOT a disability but I am constantly amazed at the staring we get or that people think it is socially acceptable to walk up to us in a restaurant, interrupt our meal to ask about the twins like they are some kind of freak show. That is to say nothing about my brunette older child who is made to feel inferior to her adorable blond baby twins. So it begs the question are we being oversensitive to honest curiosity or is rude just rude? (as a walking talking amusement to many I vote rude)
ReplyDeleteYou are completely right. We should be more sensitive and accepting of people. The world would be a better place if we could just learn to accept everyone like they are our family. No matter what circumstances surround them.
ReplyDeleteI too wonder why human beings are so incapable of accepting others different from themselves. Although I do understand that we are naturally curious, it is one thing to be respectful and another to believe that unless others are exactly like you are, they are wrong and different.
ReplyDeleteI think it is both supreme arrogance, as well as a sense of entitlement, that allows people to think they have the right to comment on people whose bodies have been in some way culturally "othered." As a gender-variant person, and a person of size, I face this constantly in public and it is both exhausting and infuriating. Sometimes I do tell people to knock it off, but it depends on the level of safety and on my desire to engage with them. Sometimes these people are better left ignored.
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