Articles: Disabled Woman: The Forging of a Proud Identity

Quotes from this amazing article on becoming a proud Woman with Disabilities! Whooot! Whooot! (don't forget, click on the title to go to the article site)

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"Barbara Waxman and Marsha Saxton together have written a Disability Feminism Manifesto. "Mainstream feminists have battled limited gender roles for nondisabled women: sex object, wife and mother. But as Disabled women, we've had the opposite problem: We've been denied sexual, spousal or maternal roles when we wanted them." So, first of all, they proclaim, "We want our sexuality accepted -- and supported with accurate information."(7)

"Indeed, Disabled women have been fighting for the right to be attractive and sexual, at times acting in ways that would make our feminist sisters frown. I remember that as a feminist I was appalled when Ellen Stohl (a gorgeous quadriplegic woman) posed for Playboy. But as a Disabled woman, I understood and fully identified with her need to flaunt her sexiness. Recently, in a Disabled women's group, a few of us started talking, with some embarrassment but with a great deal of gusto, about having been in our younger days "nymphomaniacs" (those were the days before AIDS). "

"I remember she would pick me up and we would go riding around. Seeing us in the car, no one could tell we were "handicapped" (that was the word that was used then). We were two hot chicks, a blonde and a brunette, out joy riding. Guys on the street would whistle when we stopped at a light, from other cars some men blew us kisses, some made lewd remarks. You know -- the kind of behavior women in the CR groups of the late 60's were calling offensive and demeaning, even labeling it sexual harassment. We soaked in every lustful look. We savored every obscene word. I did feel a bit uncomfortable since I was starting to pay attention to the Women's Liberation Movement. But I loved riding in Wendy's car."

"Though many Disabled women embrace feminism, feminism has not welcomed Disabled women. There have been and still are clashes because our positions on certain issues are not understood. I've been thrown out of feminist meetings for opposing selective abortion and, more recently, physician assisted suicide. In order to throw me out of one meeting, years ago, they had to carry me out since their meeting place was not accessible -- and they had carried me in with such kindness and compassion..."

"Though our community is more diverse than any other on earth, we come together so easily, so joyfully. In spite of the indoctrination we all received to hate our disabilities and hate ourselves and each other, today we love ourselves, and we love each other. Today our community is flourishing, even though the struggle is far from over and most of us are still poor and discriminated against, and many of us are still incarcerated in nursing homes. Our people are giving voice to the disability experience, telling their stories... our people are writing books, making films, creating beautiful poetry, creating beautiful art... We are building culture -- Disability Culture. So, don't we have every right to be proud? "

"And because we are Disabled women, we have to break free of double chains. We have to struggle twice as hard to survive. So, because we are Disabled women, our pride is even stronger. And our joy is greater when we come together ( as we're doing at this conference) to learn from each other, to show each other the way, to share each other's strength, to delight in each other's beauty. "