Where all the cool wheelchair people hang out
Media reinforce and perpetuate negative bias simply by omission. Seldomly is the beauty and vitality that comes with a disability shown in popular culture and even more rare the portrayal as attractive parental and sexual beings. Prejudice attitudes against disability and sociological notions relegating the disabled body as something to be hidden are slowly changing.
Feminist, author, disability activist, Andrea Rita Dworkin suffered from an agonizing bone disease for many years. She describes her disability with grim humor and shares her worst moments and triumphs in overcoming crippling pain…
Influential Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) painted images of a disabled female body. Striking self portrait’s of her own trauma following a tram car accident in 1925 in which she suffered spinal column and spinal cord injuries. Frida Kahlo paintings and artworks are an artists journey through pain trauma and recovery.
Depression is not caused by a weakness or lack of will power. After spinal cord injury the incidence rate of depression in both men and women more than doubles. The impact of a traumatic event does not end when people have begun to mend physically. It is also important to note that the passage of time does not always heal the feelings caused by trauma. Often the longer one goes without getting help the more intense the feelings of distress.
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