126-1278: (Redirected from Disability Discrimination Act ) Disability Theory and models Disability theory Ableism / Disablism Medical model Social model Other models Education Mainstreaming Individualized Education Program (IEP) Special needs Special school Special education Learning disability Therapy Physical Occupational Speech Societal implications Disability rights movement Inclusion Normalization People-first language Pejorative terms Sexuality and disability Women's health Personal assistance Unlicensed assistive personnel ( ADLs ) Accessible toilet Assistive technology Assisted living Mobility aid Orthotics and braces Physical accessibility Prosthetics Universal design Web accessibility Socioeconomic assistance Social Security Disability Insurance Supplemental Security Income Ticket to Work Disability Living Allowance Disabled students allowance Disabled Persons Railcard Freedom Pass Assured Income for
252-485: A deaf actress playing the female lead role of a character who is deaf. This continued in the 1986 film version ; Marlee Matlin , who is deaf, won an Academy Award for Best Actress . In addition, the musical Spring Awakening (based on the 1891 German play), a production by Deaf West that debuted in 2015 on Broadway, featured a large cast of Deaf actors. The play featured both hearing and Deaf actors that performed using American Sign Language. In 2019, Ali Stroker became
378-438: A direct correlation between body and mind as a sign of degeneracy. This idea points to a common trope, one of the disabled criminal. Furthermore, these early films coincided with the accepted idea of eugenics at the time, leaning heavily towards the medical model of disability . This era of disability films can be described as post-war films. The trope of the disabled alcoholic veteran in a wheelchair became passé. The WWII and
504-429: A disability can impact people's identities. Which style of language used varies between different countries, groups and individuals. Identity-first language describes the person as "disabled". Some people prefer this and argue that this fits the social model of disability better than people-first language, as it emphasizes that the person is disabled not by their body, but by a world that does not accommodate them. This
630-543: A disability community—such as with art, social media, and sports. Contemporary understandings of disability derive from concepts that arose during the scientific Enlightenment in the west; prior to the Enlightenment, physical differences were viewed through a different lens. There is evidence of humans during prehistory that looked after people with disabilities. At the Windover Archeological Site , one of
756-606: A disability". This style is reflected in major legislation on disability rights, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities . "Cerebral Palsy: A Guide for Care" at the University of Delaware describes people-first language: The American Psychological Association style guide states that, when identifying a person with
882-426: A disability, the person's name or pronoun should come first, and descriptions of the disability should be used so that the disability is identified, but is not modifying the person. Acceptable examples included "a woman with Down syndrome " or "a man who has schizophrenia ". It also states that a person's adaptive equipment should be described functionally as something that assists a person, not as something that limits
1008-405: A feature that creates an impairment, restriction, or limitation from reaching the social definition of health, the individual is labeled as disabled. Under this idea, disability is not defined by the physical features of the body but by a deviance from the social convention of health. The social construction of disability would argue that the medical model of disability 's view that a disability
1134-634: A few plays that relate specifically to the experiences of parents who have children with disabilities. Examples in this vein include Emil Sher's Mourning Dove, about cerebral palsy and featuring a character with Down's Syndrome (first produced by CBC Radio in 1996), and his adaptation of The Boy in the Moon , a true story about parenting a child with a rare genetic disorder (premiered by the Great Canadian Theatre Company in September 2014 and chosen as
1260-420: A jazz vocalist, sustained a traumatic brain injury after she was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. Gardot's injury impaired her memory, including her ability to speak. She spent a year recovering in hospital. While in hospital, her therapy required her to relearn the process of completing simple tasks, such as remembering to shut off a water tap after brushing her teeth. Remembering words to complete sentences
1386-400: A matter of the full integration of individuals into society . In this model, disability is not an attribute of an individual, but rather a complex collection of conditions, created by the social environment. The management of the problem requires social action and it is the collective responsibility of society to create a society in which limitations for disabled people are minimal. Disability
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#17328441138911512-422: A men's washroom to avoid their mundane jobs, debate their lot in life, and rage against their ill treatment by society. Realism , black comedy , and grotesque characterization are interspersed with poignant fantasy scenes. Creeps depicts “a repressive system whose agents (flat characters […]) thwart the protagonists’ desire for freedom and fulfilment. But the real thematic focus [...] is the self -imprisonment,
1638-594: A narrow set of criteria—however, disabilities are not binary and can be present in unique characteristics depending on the individual. A disability may be readily visible, or invisible in nature. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines disability as including: long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder [a person's] full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Disabilities have been perceived differently throughout history, through
1764-506: A negative connotation that they are considered to be slurs. A current point of contention is whether it is appropriate to use person-first language (i.e. a person who is disabled) or identity-first language (i.e. a disabled person) when referring to disability and an individual. Due to the marginalization of disabled people, there have been several activist causes that push for equitable treatment and access in society. Disability activists have fought to receive equal and equitable rights under
1890-457: A number of notable plays, including Alain Shain's solo shows, Still Waiting for that Special Bus (1999), and Time to Put My Socks On (2008). The latter was collaboratively written with Michele Decottignies and Nicole Dunbar, and it had a Bow Valley run in 2008, presentations in 2009, and a 2010 tour to Ottawa . JD Derbyshire ’s one-person comedic show about living with bipolar disorder, Funny in
2016-564: A number of playwrights have created various kinds of works related to disability, ranging from teens dealing with mental illness, as with as Eufemia Fantetti's The Last Moon (1988), and Joan MacLeod's Toronto, Mississippi (Talonbooks, 1989), to children with physical ailments, as with Lina Chartrand 's La P'tite Miss Easter Seals (premiered by Theatre Francais in 1988) and Shirley Barrie 's TYA play, What If? (premiered by Straight Stitching Productions on tour in January 1995). There are quite
2142-433: A person's capability to perform the activities of daily life. As Marta Russell and Ravi Malhotra argue, "The ' medicalization ' of disablement and the tools of classification clearly played an important role in establishing divisions between the 'disabled' and the 'able-bodied. ' " This positions disability as a problem to be solved via medical intervention, which hinders our understanding about what disability can mean. For
2268-413: A person's efforts to go to school, work, socialize, and more. Some examples of invisible disabilities include intellectual disabilities , autism spectrum disorder , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , fibromyalgia , mental disorders , asthma , epilepsy , allergies , migraines , arthritis , and chronic fatigue syndrome . Employment discrimination is reported to play a significant part in
2394-611: A person, for example, "a woman who uses a wheelchair" rather than "a woman in/confined to a wheelchair". People-first terminology is used in the UK in the form "people with impairments" (such as "people with visual impairments"). However, in the UK, identity-first language is generally preferred over people-first language. The use of people-first terminology has given rise to the use of the acronym PWD to refer to person(s) (or people) with disabilities (or disability). However other individuals and groups prefer identity-first language to emphasize how
2520-492: A political construction is also widely used by international organizations of disabled people, such as Disabled Peoples' International . Using the identity-first language also parallels how people talk about other aspects of identity and diversity. For example: In the autism community, many self-advocates and their allies prefer terminology such as 'Autistic,' 'Autistic person,' or 'Autistic individual' because we understand autism as an inherent part of an individual's identity –
2646-451: A problem of the person, directly caused by disease, trauma, or other health conditions which therefore requires sustained medical care in the form of individual treatment by professionals. In the medical model, management of the disability is aimed at a "cure", or the individual's adjustment and behavioral change that would lead to an "almost-cure" or effective cure. The individual, in this case, must overcome their disability by medical care. In
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#17328441138912772-432: A result of their illness. Leonard Gershe 's Butterflies Are Free , about a young blind man who wins his independence from an overprotective mother, debuted on Broadway in 1969, was made into a film in 1972. The main character was played by non-blind actors in both the original run of the play and the film version. In contrast, the play Children of a Lesser God , written by Mark Medoff and debuting in 1980, included
2898-540: A sense of inclusiveness and awareness, thereby eliminating the apparent social stigma associated with disability. Many films aim to trigger discussion and other forms of engagement revolving around disability. Independent disability film is often screened on a larger scale during disability film festivals. ReelAbilities , for example, is an annual film festival in the United States screening films about disability issues, which acts to "[promote] appreciation and awareness of
3024-510: A societally-created limitation on individuals who do not have the same ability as the majority of the population. Although the medical model and social model are the most common frames for disability, there are a multitude of other models that theorize disability. There are many terms that explain aspects of disability. While some terms solely exist to describe phenomena pertaining to disability, others have been centered around stigmatizing and ostracizing those with disabilities. Some terms have such
3150-552: A society) that help overcome or remove a disability. The first recorded example of the use of a prosthesis dates to at least 1800 BC. The wheelchair dates from the 17th century. The curb cut is a related structural innovation. Other examples are standing frames , text telephones , accessible keyboards , large print , braille , and speech recognition software . Disabled people often develop adaptations which can be personal (e.g. strategies to suppress tics in public) or community (e.g. sign language in d/Deaf communities). As
3276-541: A template for many films that would portray disabled veterans as tragic victims. Films in this pattern include The Men (1950), starring Marlon Brando , and Johnny Got His Gun (1971), an anti-war film directed by Dalton Trumbo . Other early films established the pattern of portraying disabled soldiers as "noble warriors", confronting and overcoming both physical disability and society's lack of understanding upon their return home. Some examples include Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Since You Went Away (1944), and
3402-502: A variety of different theoretical lenses. There are two main models that attempt to explain disability in our society: the medical model and the social model . The medical model serves as a theoretical framework that considers disability as an undesirable medical condition that requires specialized treatment. Those who ascribe to the medical model tend to focus on finding the root causes of disabilities, as well as any cures—such as assistive technology. The social model centers disability as
3528-401: A wheelchair, multiple sclerosis , muscular dystrophy , obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spina bifida , and schizophrenia . This is not an exhaustive list and many injuries and medical problems cause disability. Some causes of disability, such as injuries, may resolve over time and are considered temporary disabilities . An acquired disability
3654-412: Is about a fake beggar who poses as blind, but is eventually caught by the police. Early depictions of disabled people involved criminality and freak shows. In this era, scientist tried to rationalize and catalog people's abnormalities, for example Francis Bacon attempt in 1620 to Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire actualized catalog in the 1830s. In addition, Cesare Lombroso , a criminal anthropologist, drew
3780-759: Is also focusing on incidental portrayal and there are more instances of casting disabled actors into roles that are not scripted as disabled, but where disability can act subtext. This is becoming more common in Shakespearean productions in companies such as Shakespeare's Globe and The Royal Shakespeare Company . Notable disability theatre companies in Canada include the now defunct Kiss and Tell Collective (Vancouver), Inside Out Theatre (Calgary), Realwheels Theatre (Vancouver), Stage Left Productions (Canmore), Theatre Terrific (Vancouver), Workman Arts (Toronto), and renowned playwright, Judith Thompson 's company, R.A.R.E., which
3906-465: Is an Off-Broadway, all- inclusive theater company in New York City dedicated to advancing the work of professional actors, writers and directors with disabilities. Founded by Ike Schambelan in 1979, TBTB began as a company of sighted actors hired to record plays for the blind. In 1982, the theater incorporated and began creating showcases, which mixed blind, low-vision and sighted performers. By 1985
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4032-475: Is an aspect within various arts disciplines of inclusive practices involving disability . It manifests itself in the output and mission of some stage and modern dance performing-arts companies, and as the subject matter of individual works of art, such as the work of specific painters and those who draw. Disability in the arts is distinguished from disability art in that it refers to art that includes people with disabilities, whether in themes, performance, or
4158-432: Is an impairment, restriction, or limitation is wrong. Instead what is seen as a disability is just a difference in the individual from what is considered "normal" in society. People-first language is one way to talk about disability which some people prefer. Using people-first language is said to put the person before the disability. Those individuals who prefer people-first language would prefer to be called, "a person with
4284-471: Is an unspoken appeal for disabled people on screen. Films have an impact in shaping society's views of specific groups. For films with disability, these views and stereotypes are drawn from social institutions and norms in Western culture. Several influential pieces of writing that predate film which include disability: These examples point to a reoccurring theme of disability in mainstream culture and in film, it
4410-407: Is both cultural and ideological in creation. According to the social model, equal access for someone with an impairment/disability is a human rights concern. The social model of disability has come under criticism. While recognizing the importance played by the social model in stressing the responsibility of society, scholars, including Tom Shakespeare , point out the limits of the model and urge
4536-455: Is defined as the execution of a task or action. The ICF lists nine broad domains of functioning which can be affected: In concert with disability scholars, the introduction to the ICF states that a variety of conceptual models have been proposed to understand and explain disability and functioning, which it seeks to integrate. These models include the following: The medical model views disability as
4662-439: Is especially true in the UK, where it is argued under the social model that while someone's impairment (for example, having a spinal cord injury ) is an individual property, "disability" is something created by external societal factors such as a lack of accessibility. This distinction between the individual property of impairment and the social property of disability is central to the social model . The term "disabled people" as
4788-417: Is experienced differently based on the other multi-faceted identities of the individual is one often pointed out by disabled self-advocates. The ostracization of disability from mainstream society has created the opportunity for a disability culture to emerge. While disabled activists still promote the integration of disabled people into mainstream society, several disabled-only spaces have been created to foster
4914-525: Is independent, strong-willed, and often fails to recognize what is in her own best interests. Marlee Matlin won the Academy Award for Best Actress , and was an exception to the general rule that only non-disabled actors would appear in high-profile film roles depicting someone with a disability. Disabled actors that are older, over 40 more specifically, are more likely to be chosen for roles in films, compared to their younger counterparts. This suggests that
5040-457: Is pervasive and often overlooked. One theory movie goers continue to watch films with disability is explained psychologically. In Sigmund Freud's 1919 essay "Uncanny", he attributes the fear of disability as a substitute for castration anxiety and veering from the norm. Film in disability typically involves the portrayal of one disability or another in a way that is meant to communicate a specific message or perspective. Many films strive to create
5166-500: Is precisely this “power of three-dimensional humanity that made Creeps such a major dramatic achievement.” Fifty years later, as part of Stage Left 's Step Right Up! Symposium, held online and in Victoria, BC in December 2023, Creeps was positioned as an important theatrical first and is understood as a harbinger of the disability arts movement in Canada. During the last half century,
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5292-438: Is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive , developmental , intellectual , mental , physical , sensory , or a combination of multiple factors. Disabilities can be present from birth or can be acquired during a person's lifetime. Historically, disabilities have only been recognized based on
5418-413: Is the first time the train has stopped there in four years. The remaining inhabitants are unaccountably hostile, but Tracy proves that one good arm is all you need to win a fight. Disability in film can be categorized into three eras: silent film to the 1930s, 1940s to the 1970s, and post 1970s. One of the first disability films is Thomas Edison's Fake Beggar in 1898. This short film of fifty seconds,
5544-492: Is the idea that disability is constructed by social expectations and institutions rather than biological differences. Highlighting the ways society and institutions construct disability is one of the main focuses of this idea. In the same way that race and gender are not biologically fixed, neither is disability. Around the early 1970s, sociologists, notably Eliot Friedson, began to argue that labeling theory and social deviance could be applied to disability studies. This led to
5670-403: Is the result of impairments that occur suddenly or chronically during the lifespan, as opposed to being born with the impairment. Invisible disabilities may not be obviously noticeable. The medical model focuses heavily on finding treatments, cures, or rehabilitative practices for disabled people. Assistive technology is a generic term for devices and modifications (for a person or within
5796-500: The Middle Ages , disabled people were still able to play significant roles in the rural production based economy, allowing them to make genuine contributions to daily economic life. The Industrial Revolution and the advent of capitalism made it so that people were no longer tied to the land and were then forced to find work that would pay a wage in order to survive. The wage system, in combination with industrialized production, transformed
5922-579: The Streichers , and Conrad Graf were all piano manufacturers who tried different methods of adapting the instrument to make it louder for Beethoven: ear trumpets were attached to the soundboard , resonance plates were added to the underside of a piano, and using four strings for every key were all tried. Beethoven ultimately lost all hearing, and could no longer rely on an instrument to help him compose. Beethoven composed his Ninth Symphony at this time in his life. Belgian jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt
6048-482: The World Health Organization , distinguishes between body functions (physiological or psychological, such as vision) and body structures (anatomical parts, such as the eye and related structures). Impairment in bodily structure or function is defined as involving an anomaly, defect, loss or other significant deviation from certain generally accepted population standards, which may fluctuate over time. Activity
6174-612: The personal computer has become more ubiquitous, various organizations have formed to develop software and hardware to make computers more accessible for disabled people. Some software and hardware, such as Voice Finger , Freedom Scientific 's JAWS , the Free and Open Source alternative Orca etc. have been specifically designed for disabled people while other software and hardware, such as Nuance 's Dragon NaturallySpeaking , were not developed specifically for disabled people, but can be used to increase accessibility. The LOMAK keyboard
6300-421: The 1830s of l'homme moyen – the average man. Quetelet postulated that one could take the sum of all people's attributes in a given population (such as their height or weight) and find their average and that this figure should serve as a statistical norm toward which all should aspire. This idea of the statistical norm threads through the rapid take-up of statistics gathering by Britain, the United States, and
6426-538: The Ancient Greeks may not have viewed persons with disability all that differently from more able-bodied individuals as terms describing them in their records appear to be very vague. As long as the disabled person in question could still contribute to society, the Greeks appeared to tolerate them. During the Middle Ages , madness and other conditions were thought to be caused by demons. They were also thought to be part of
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#17328441138916552-579: The Asper Centre for Theatre & Film), and The Autism Monologues (2018, premiered at the Montreal Fringe Festival)., while Michaela di Cesare also touches on the subject matter in Fear of Missing Out (premiered by Geordie Productions in 2019). Theatre practitioners with disabilities have emerged in Canada as well. Some notable creators include Lyle Victor Albert, who has cerebral palsy ( Scraping
6678-691: The Head , was performed at Stage Left’s Balancing Acts Festival in 2008, and in 2010 at the Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver, and the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival. Poet, broadcaster, and new media artist Meg Torwl’s work, That’s So Gay ! was commissioned and presented by Stage Left in 2009, and due to its success, in 2010, Stage Left presented another new play by Torwl, Cancer Town . There are many other shows to
6804-871: The Physically Handicapped Actors & Musical Artists League), is a theater group and touring company formed in 1989 when a group of former students of the Boettcher School in Denver, Colorado , frustrated with the lack of theatrical opportunities for people with disabilities , decided to found a company of their own. Phamaly performs at the Denver Performing Arts Complex and the Aurora Fox Theatre. The company's season also includes various touring and educational shows. Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB – formerly Theater By The Blind)
6930-579: The Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, Remedy Against Infringement of Their Rights, etc" (in Korean and English). ^ "Disability discrimination" . Walkerlawsd.com. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disability_discrimination_act&oldid=1241673866 " Category : Disability legislation Hidden category: CS1 Korean-language sources (ko) Disability Disability
7056-690: The Protection and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Canada: Accessible Canada Act British Columbia: Accessible British Columbia Act Manitoba: The Accessibility for Manitobans Act Ontario: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 New Brunswick: Accessibility Act Newfoundland and Labrador: Newfoundland and Labrador Accessibility Act Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Accessibility Act Prince Edward Island: Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act (Prince Edward Island) Quebec: Act to secure
7182-479: The Rights of Persons with Disabilities" (PDF) . Disability Action Council . July 2009 . Retrieved 21 January 2022 . ^ "The Disabilities Act, 2014" (PDF) . Houses of Parliament . Government of Jamaica . Retrieved 18 January 2022 . ^ Ewang, Anietie (25 January 2019). "Nigeria Passes Disability Rights Law" . Human Rights Watch . Retrieved 21 November 2020 . ^ "(Translated)장애인차별금지 및 권리구제 등에 관한 법률(장애인 차별 금지법) Act on
7308-565: The Severely Handicapped Ontario Disability Support Program Groups Organizations National Telecommuting Institute Society for Disability Studies Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) Visitability WeThe15 Parasports Special Olympics Paralympic Games Deaflympics Invictus Games Culture Disability in
7434-620: The Surface [1995], Objects in the Mirror [1997], Jumpin' Jack [2002]); blind playwright Alex Bulmer ( Smudge [2000], May I Take Your Arm? [2018], Perpetual Archeology [2023]); Deaf playwrights Adam Pottle ( Ultrasound ) and Chris Dodd ( Deafy ), and award-winning black, disabled, trans, activist performer Syrus Marcus Ware ( Antarctica ). Stage Left Productions in Alberta is one of Canada's longest running disability theatres, and it has produced
7560-545: The Vietnam War were publicly perceived and reacted to differently, therefore representations of disabled veterans from these respective wars were also different. Post-traumatic stress is a reoccurring theme in the 1970s, as action films that previously upheld American culture and values, no longer did as a result of the Vietnam War. Contemporary films have attempted more nuanced and humanistic portrayals of disabled people. One particular movement, Dogme 95 , attempted to change
7686-458: The Western European states during this time period, and it is tied to the rise of eugenics . Disability, as well as the concepts of abnormal, non-normal, and normalcy, came from this. The circulation of these concepts is evident in the popularity of the freak show , where showmen profited from exhibiting people who deviated from those norms. With the rise of eugenics in the latter part of
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#17328441138917812-594: The arts Disability art Disability in the media [REDACTED] Disability Lists v t e In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a number of countries have passed laws aimed at reducing discrimination against people with disabilities . These laws have begun to appear as the notion of civil rights has become more influential globally, and follow other forms of anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation aimed at preventing racial discrimination and sexism which began to emerge in
7938-838: The closing show for Crow's Theatre premiere season in May 2017.). Oftentimes, these plays are autobiographical, and there is a growing body of work about parenting children with disabilities such as autism, as with Saskatchewan playwright Kelley Jo Burke's Ducks on the Moon (Radiant Press, 2010), and its follow-up companion piece, Why Ducks, Anyway? , anthologized in 2016 by the League of Canadian Poets, or God’s Middle Name (Scirocco Drama, 2010) and Spelling 2-5-5 (premiered by Carousel Players in 2012) by Nova Scotian playwright Jennifer Overton. Coming out of Montreal, Christine Rodriguez likewise writes about autism in her works, Dreaming in Autism (2013, premiered at
8064-476: The company’s credit, but scholars have deemed Michele Decottignies’ collectively-created Mercy Killing or Murder: The Tracy Latimer Story , winner of the 2006 Moondance Columbine Playwriting Award, to be a “critically important” work. Drawing on documentary and verbatim theatre techniques, Mercy Killing or Murder unpacks the 1993 premeditated murder of Tracy Latimer and the sensationalist trial that followed after her father, Robert Latimer , killed her because she
8190-430: The creation of the social construction of disability theory. The social construction of disability is the idea that disability is constructed as the social response to a deviance from the norm. The medical industry is the creator of the ill and disabled social role. Medical professionals and institutions, who wield expertise over health, have the ability to define health and physical and mental norms. When an individual has
8316-455: The creation of the artwork, rather than works focusing on disability as the central theme. Disability in the arts can also refer to work that is made as a political act toward shaping a new community, fostering disability culture : Disability culture is the difference between being alone, isolated, and individuated with a physical, cognitive, emotional or sensory difference that in our society invites discrimination and reinforces that isolation –
8442-489: The difference between all that and being in community. Naming oneself part of a larger group, a social movement or a subject position in modernity can help to focus energy, and to understand that solidarity can be found – precariously, in improvisation, always on the verge of collapse. People with disabilities sometimes participate in artistic activities as part of expressive therapy (also known as "expressive arts therapy" or "creative arts therapy"). Expressive therapy may take
8568-521: The early 1970s, in his search for new Canadian work, Bill Glassco suggested Freeman rewrite the work as a play, a process Freeman found “painful” because he “lived it.” The result was Creeps , and it was a “major success” when presented by Factory Theatre Lab in February 1971. The play was then revised and remounted as the inaugural production of the newly established Tarragon Theatre in October 1971, and it
8694-852: The efficacy of popular theatre tactics, and the innovations of disability aesthetics, Mercy Killing or Murder: The Tracy Latimer Story is considered an important and canonical work for disability theatre in Canada. With organisations such as Disability Arts Alliance pushing an agenda for change, particularly in UK theatres, authenticity in casting where disabled fictional and historic figures are being re-claimed by casting with disabled actors, for example Duke of Gloucester/The King in Richard III has been played in professional productions by Peter Dinklage , Mat Frazer , Arthur Hughes , Daniel Monks , Tom Mothersdale, Kate Mulvany , Jan Potměšil , Katy Sullivan , Michael Patrick Thornton , Zak Ford-Williams and Michael Patrick. The Theatre and Disability movement
8820-454: The era of silent cinema. Disability may be an essential plot element or make a significant contribution in another way as part of the screenplay . The experiences of disabled war veterans were often the basis of early films that dealt with disability. The Light That Failed , a popular short story by British author Rudyard Kipling , was filmed in 1916, 1923 and 1939. The protagonist , a veteran gradually losing his eyesight, became in many ways
8946-412: The field include Marta Russell , Robert McRuer , Johanna Hedva , Laura Hershey , Irving Zola , and many more. Prominent disability scholar Lennard J. Davis notes that disability studies should not be considered a niche or specialized discipline, but instead is applicable to a wide range of fields and topics. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), produced by
9072-504: The first wheelchair-using actor to win the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance of Ado Annie in the revival of Oklahoma! . In Canada , one of the earliest plays by and about people with disabilities is David Freeman's Creeps , originally published by the University of Toronto Press in 1971, and it is this work that “broke new ground by bringing to life stories about people with disabilities." Freeman
9198-459: The first-person experience of disability. This means disability is integrated not as a medical model construct but as a social phenomenon , through artistic, literary, and other creative means. The Italian organist and composer Francesco Landini ( c. 1325 —1397) was the central figure of the Trecento style in late medieval music , his blindness makes him among the earliest figures in
9324-435: The form of writing therapy , music therapy , drama therapy , or another artistic method. While creativity and artistic expression are parts of expressive therapy, they are secondary to the goal of achieving a therapeutic benefit. This article describes disability in the arts where artistic achievement is the primary goal. The physically integrated dance movement is part of the disability culture movement, which recognizes
9450-521: The globe. She sometimes still has memory lapses while performing, and Gardot needs to wear sunglasses to protect her light-sensitive eyes. She carries a cane as she occasionally experiences vertigo . In 2011, British composer Charles Hazlewood formed the British Paraorchestra , an orchestra that aims to consist entirely of skilled disabled musicians to counter his belief that orchestras do not contain enough disabled musicians. The formation of
9576-715: The gods. In Ancient Egypt , staffs were frequently used in society. A common usage for them was for older persons with disabilities to help them walk. Provisions that enabled individuals with impaired mobility to access temples and healing sanctuaries were made in ancient Greece. Specifically, by 370 B.C., at the most important healing sanctuary in the wider area, the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus , there were at least 11 permanent stone ramps that provided access to mobility-impaired visitors to nine different structures; evidence that people with disabilities were acknowledged and cared for, at least partly, in ancient Greece. In fact,
9702-433: The groundbreaking The Best Years of Our Lives (1945). The Best Years of Our Lives tells the story of several veterans who are disabled in battle, then return home to face their own bitterness and the challenge of reintegrating into society as men with a disability. Some members of the film industry opposed the decision to cast Harold Russell , a real-life veteran who lost both hands in a training accident, stating that it
9828-668: The groups targeted by the Nazi regime in Germany, resulting in approximately 250,000 disabled people being killed during the Holocaust . At the end of the Second World War , with the example of Nazi eugenics , eugenics faded from public discourse , and increasingly disability cohered into a set of attributes to which medicine could attend – whether through augmentation, rehabilitation, or treatment. In both contemporary and modern history, disability
9954-688: The handicapped in the exercise of their rights Saskatchewan: Accessible Saskatchewan Act Hong Kong : Disability Discrimination Ordinance 1995 (see Disability Discrimination Act 1995 below) Jamaica: Disabilities Act, 2014 Nigeria: Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 Pakistan: National Policy for Persons with Disabilities 2002 South Africa: Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000 South Korea: Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, 2008 Switzerland: Disability Discrimination Act (2002) United Kingdom: Equality Act 2010 (prior to October 2010
10080-420: The high E string, his ring finger on the B, and sometimes barring his index finger to fashion chords of four to five notes. He then slid his hand up and down the fretboard, employing these chord forms to craft a fluent vocabulary. Reinhardt continued to work as a guitarist, and became world-famous as a recording artist. Reinhardt's creative techniques became part of the jazz guitar repertoire. Melody Gardot ,
10206-406: The high rate of unemployment among those with a diagnosis of mental illness. People with health conditions such as arthritis , bipolar disorder , HIV , or multiple sclerosis may have periods of wellness between episodes of illness. During the illness episodes people's ability to perform normal tasks, such as work, can be intermittent. Disability in the arts Disability in the arts
10332-550: The history of disability in the arts. Beethoven is remembered for his ability to compose classic music after completely losing his hearing. He tried several ways of using his deteriorating hearing before it completely disappeared. He had the legs of his pianoforte cut off, so that it was sitting directly on the floor. By lying on the floor in front of the keyboard, he could feel vibrations while he played, helping him to compose. Different attempts were made to help Beethoven with adaptive or assistive technology. Thomas Broadwood ,
10458-544: The inclusion of actors with intellectual disabilities on mainstream stages. In May 2012, six Blue Apple actors made history by touring a ground-breaking re-imagining of William Shakespeare's Hamlet around the South of England. They were the first actors with Down syndrome to perform the play professionally. The title role was played by Tommy Jessop . Graeae Theatre Company is a British organisation composed of artists and managers with physical and sensory impairments. It
10584-508: The law—though there are still political issues that enable or advance the oppression of disabled people. Although disability activism serves to dismantle ableist systems, social norms relating to the perception of disabilities are often reinforced by tropes used by the media. Since negative perceptions of disability are pervasive in modern society, disabled people have turned to self-advocacy in an attempt to push back against their marginalization. The recognition of disability as an identity that
10710-413: The lead character any depth beyond being a typical "plucky" and brave hero. Yet, the film was notable for bringing sign language to mainstream film audiences for the first time, and for making a woman with a disability the main character and allowing her to triumph over adversity. Children of a Lesser God (1986) shattered the stereotype of the innocent young woman with a disability. The character Sarah
10836-556: The lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with various disabilities." They additionally aim to "bring together our community to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience." Disability in film has been a relatively recent phenomenon; as Hollywood has "kept its distance, favouring conditions such as blindness, deafness and discreet mental illnesses which exhibit no outward sign of deformity, though good-looking wheelchair users have proved acceptable." According to scholar David T. Mitchell, it
10962-434: The lost fingers: Instead of playing scales and arpeggios horizontally across the fretboard as was the norm, he searched out fingerings that ran vertically up and down the frets as they were easier to play with just two fingers. He created new chord forms using a minimum of notes—often just triads with his two good fingers on the bass strings. He pushed his paralyzed fingers to grip the guitar as well, his smallest digit on
11088-408: The medical approach to disability. Due to this work, physical barriers to access were identified. These conditions functionally disabled them, and what is now known as the social model of disability emerged. Coined by Mike Oliver in 1983, this phrase distinguishes between the medical model of disability – under which an impairment needs to be fixed – and the social model of disability – under which
11214-562: The medical model, medical care is viewed as the main issue, and at the political level, the principal response is that of modifying or reforming healthcare policy. The medical model focuses on finding causes and cures for disabilities. There are many causes of disability that often affect basic activities of daily living , such as eating, dressing, transferring, and maintaining personal hygiene ; or advanced activities of daily living such as shopping, food preparation, driving, or working. However, causes of disability are usually determined by
11340-539: The millions who may have been injured, had a stroke or developed arthritis. The primary obstacle is the absence of suitable instruments." The EyeHarp is an electronic musical instrument controlled by the player's eye or head movements. People with severely impaired motor function can use this instrument to play music or as an aid to learning or composition. In modern times, the treatment of disability in theatre works has reflected an evolution in mainstream social attitudes towards disability. In Western culture, disability
11466-550: The natural order, especially during and in the fallout of the Black Death , which wrought impairments throughout the general population. In the early modern period there was a shift to seeking biological causes for physical and mental differences, as well as heightened interest in demarcating categories: for example, Ambroise Pare, in the sixteenth century, wrote of "monsters", "prodigies", and "the maimed". The European Enlightenment 's emphases on knowledge derived from reason and on
11592-457: The need for a new model that will overcome the "medical vs. social" dichotomy. The limitations of this model mean that often the vital services and information persons with disabilities face are simply not available, often due to limited economic returns in supporting them. Some say medical humanities is a fruitful field where the gap between the medical and the social model of disability might be bridged. The social construction of disability
11718-493: The nineteenth century, such deviations were viewed as dangerous to the health of entire populations. With disability viewed as part of a person's biological make-up and thus their genetic inheritance, scientists turned their attention to notions of weeding such as "deviations" out of the gene pool. Various metrics for assessing a person's genetic fitness were determined and were then used to deport , sterilize, or institutionalize those deemed unfit. People with disabilities were one of
11844-666: The orchestra was the subject of a Channel 4 documentary, and it also performed during the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London . In the UK the One Handed Musical Instrument Trust has the objective of removing the barriers to music-making faced by physically disabled people. It comments: "There is currently no orchestral instrument that can be played without two fully functioning hands and arms, denying unlimited participation in musical life to those with congenital disabilities and amputees, as well as
11970-458: The perception of the disability in film becomes more acceptable as one gets older . In the 2009 science fiction film Avatar , the paraplegic protagonist ( Sam Worthington ) experiences a new freedom as a fully mobile human-alien hybrid (avatar). Spencer Tracy plays a disabled war veteran in Bad Day at Black Rock . He steps off the train at the almost-deserted desert hamlet of Black Rock. It
12096-562: The purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 , the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations provide a list of conditions that should easily be concluded to be disabilities: amputation , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism , bipolar disorder , blindness , cancer , cerebral palsy , deafness , diabetes , epilepsy , HIV/AIDS , intellectual disability , major depressive disorder , mobility impairments requiring
12222-477: The relevant legislation was the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended) United States of America: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Law portal Ableism Equal opportunity References [ edit ] ^ Justice, Manitoba. "Manitoba Laws" . ^ "Law on the Protection and the Promotion of
12348-645: The same way one refers to 'Muslims,' 'African-Americans,' 'Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer,' 'Chinese,' 'gifted,' 'athletic,' or 'Jewish.' Similarly, Deaf communities in the US reject people-first language in favor of identity-first language. In 2021, the US Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) announced their decision to use identity-first language in their materials, explaining: "Identity-first language challenges negative connotations by claiming disability directly. Identity-first language references
12474-766: The second half of the 20th century. Many of these Acts aim to reduce barriers for persons with disabilities in the areas of customer service, employment, built environment, transportation, and information and communications. List of disability discrimination acts [ edit ] Australia: Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Australian Capital Territory – Discrimination Act 1991 New South Wales – Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 Northern Territory – Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 Queensland – Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 South Australia – Equal Opportunity Act 1984 Tasmania – Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 Victoria – Equal Opportunity Act 2010 Western Australia – Equal Opportunity Act 1984 Cambodia: Law on
12600-471: The self-condemnation and self-destruction of those who internalize the system's view of them and thus become incapable of freeing themselves from it.” As Freeman himself stated, “The play was about freedom and having the guts to reach for it.” While the play has many flaws, it is praised for its visceral (“like a punch in the mouth,” Douglas Watt wrote in the Daily News), gut-wrenching characterizations, and it
12726-486: The skeletons was a male about 15 years old who had spina bifida . The condition meant that the boy, probably paralyzed below the waist, was taken care of in a hunter-gatherer community. Disability was not viewed as a means of divine punishment and therefore disabled individuals were neither exterminated nor discriminated against for their impairments. Many were instead employed in different levels of Mesopotamian society including working in religious temples as servants of
12852-461: The society that limits a person needs to be fixed. Like many social categories, the concept of "disability" is under heavy discussion amongst academia, the medical and legal worlds, and the disability community. The academic discipline focused on theorizing disability is disability studies , which has been expanding since the late twentieth century. The field investigates the past, present, and future constructions of disability, along with advancing
12978-493: The story of the Little Tramp's efforts to help a blind flower girl with whom he falls in love. The film was radical in challenging the audience at the end of the film to take the point of view of someone blind, to metaphorically "see" beyond their prejudices towards others. The melodrama Johnny Belinda (1948), which depicts an innocent young deaf woman raped and then defending herself from an attempted murder, does little to give
13104-486: The theater company aims to expose the disabled experience though history. The Apothetae focuses on "The Disabled Experience" and integrates able bodied actors with actors who have mental and physical disabilities. Their first larger production was "The Penalty" which was based on a film from the 1920s. Blue Apple Theatre is a theatre company based in Winchester , England . It was founded in 2005 by Jane Jessop to pioneer
13230-411: The troupe began producing full stage productions featuring integrated casts of blind/low vision and sighted actors for blind and sighted audiences. In 2008, TBTB expanded their mission to include all performers with disabilities and officially changed their name from TBTB – Theater By The Blind to TBTB – Theater Breaking Through Barriers to reflect the expansion. For filmmakers and audiences alike, there
13356-416: The value of natural science to human progress helped spawn the birth of institutions and associated knowledge systems that observed and categorized human beings; among these, the ones significant to the development of today's concepts of disability were asylums , clinics , and prisons . Contemporary concepts of disability are rooted in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century developments. Foremost among these
13482-511: The variety that exists in how our bodies and brains work with a myriad of conditions that exist, and the role of inaccessible or oppressive systems, structures, or environments in making someone disabled." Invisible disabilities, also known as Hidden Disabilities or Non-visible Disabilities (NVD), are disabilities that are not immediately apparent, or seeable. They are often chronic illnesses and conditions that significantly impair normal activities of daily living. Invisible disabilities can hinder
13608-439: The viewpoint that disability is a complex social identity from which we can all gain insight. As disabilities scholar Claire Mullaney puts it, "At its broadest, disability studies encourages scholars to value disability as a form of cultural difference". Scholars of the field focus on a range of disability-related topics, such as ethics, policy and legislation, history, art of the disability community, and more. Notable scholars from
13734-528: The way bodies were viewed as people were increasingly valued for their ability to produce like machines. Capitalism and the industrial revolution effectively solidified this class of "disabled" people who could not conform to the standard worker 's body or level of work power. As a result, disabled people came to be regarded as a problem, to be solved or erased. In the early 1970s, the disability rights movement became established, when disability activists began to challenge how society treated disabled people and
13860-402: Was a 20-year-old, accomplished guitarist when his left hand was severely burned in a house fire, leaving him with only the use of two fingers for playing the fretboard on the neck of the guitar. While he recovered from his burns, his brother gave him a new guitar. Reinhardt devised his own physical therapy, practising daily to stretch his fingers. He also invented new techniques to compensate for
13986-424: Was a challenge for Gardot. A doctor suggested that Gardot try singing sentences as an alternative to speaking them, as a way of improving her ability to remember longer sentences. Gardot discovered that this method improved her memory. Gardot gained a music following by adding recordings of her music to Myspace in 2006. Gardot is now a world-famous recording artist, in both French and English, and gives concerts around
14112-579: Was already famous when she had a leg amputation at age 71. She continued her acting career. Bernhardt disliked her prosthetic limbs and chose to use a sedan chair. The National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped (NTWH) was a repertory theatre company based in New York City that worked in advocacy, training, and production in theatre for performers with disabilities. It was primarily inclusive of performers and playwrights with physical disabilities when it
14238-477: Was born with cerebral palsy , and by the age of seventeen, he found himself sanding blocks in Toronto's Adult Interfraternity Workshop for a meagre seventy-five cents every two weeks; a deadening experience he wrote about for Maclean’s Magazine in 1964. Freeman penned a screenplay for CBC-TV based on the same subject matter, but it was passed over (the characters were deemed “too unattractive for television).” In
14364-586: Was conscious of the common mistake of equating physical beauty with personal or moral qualities, or the reverse perception, that physical unattractiveness represents personal flaws (he satirizes such attitudes in his Sonnet 130 ). Richard III is portrayed as a complex character, one whose tragedy is in surrendering to his moral weaknesses rather than overcoming them. The inclusion of performers with disabilities in theatre has developed in tandem with wider public acceptance of integrating people with disabilities in mainstream society. French theatre actress Sarah Bernhardt
14490-552: Was designed in New Zealand specifically for persons with disabilities. The World Wide Web consortium recognized a need for International Standards for Web Accessibility for persons with disabilities and created the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). As at Dec 2012 the standard is WCAG 2.0 (WCAG = Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). The social model of disability sees "disability" as a socially created problem and
14616-468: Was diagnosed with schizophrenia , and then left severely disabled by a lobotomy as a young woman. Characters who reflect Rose's struggle with mental illness include Laura in The Glass Menagerie , Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire , and Catherine in the screenplay Williams wrote for the 1959 film Suddenly, Last Summer . In Williams' plays, such women are seen as suffering tragedy as
14742-562: Was established to put disabled performers and marginalized communities in the spotlight. A theater in New York City created by Gregg Mozgala, a professional actor with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. The name of the theater company comes from the play The Rules of Charity , where John Belluso referenced the apothetae , a chasm in Ancient Greece where infants, who were found by elders to be too small or disabled, were left to die from exposure. The term means "the place of exposure", and
14868-669: Was founded in 1977. NTWH oversaw projects such as the Writers' Program for Wounded Warriors, which served as both a therapeutic and artistic program for war veterans to explore the psychological, emotional and spiritual experiences of war. Famous People Players , founded in 1974, is a touring black light theatre company based in Toronto, Canada that employs people with disabilities as performers and staff. Some notable 20th-century plays have dealt directly with disability. American playwright Tennessee Williams wrote many plays with female leads who were at least in part inspired by his sister Rose, who
14994-626: Was founded in 1980 by Nabil Shaban and Richard Tomlinson and named for the Graeae of Greek mythology . In 1981 the company was offered the use of an office, rehearsal space and facilities for 18 months by the West End Centre, an Arts Centre in Aldershot in Hampshire . Nicu's Spoon is an inclusion -oriented Off-Off-Broadway theater company in New York City . Phamaly Theatre Company , (formerly
15120-443: Was in "poor taste". However, the film was popular with audiences, and Russell was awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , as well as "a special Oscar for 'Bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans'". Early portrayals of women with disabilities rarely strayed from an image of an innocent, sheltered young woman. Even a nuanced film like Charlie Chaplin 's City Lights (1931) follows this pattern. This film tells
15246-465: Was in constant pain due to cerebral palsy. Presented in December 2003, the play emphasized the polarity of perspectives in the case between the general public and people with disabilities, as well as between “experts” and “ordinary people,” employing a trial-within-a-trial set-up in which the people/characters with disabilities, as well as the audience, function as jury. Given its articulation of “pressing human rights concerns for people with disabilities,”
15372-433: Was nearly thirty years ago that "a resurgence of concern over the consequences of dehumanizing representations (monster, freak, madman, suffering innocent, hysteric, beggar) resulted in suspicion over the ultimate utility of representational studies about disability." Mitchell further discusses the shift to altering the social perception of various disabilities in the public sphere. Disability has been portrayed in film since
15498-467: Was often viewed as a by-product of incest between first-degree relatives or second-degree relatives . Disability scholars have also pointed to the Industrial Revolution , along with the economic shift from feudalism to capitalism , as prominent historical moments in the understanding of disability. Although there was a certain amount of religious superstition surrounding disability during
15624-403: Was once rarely mentioned in plays. Notable exceptions include Shakespeare's Richard III . The character of Richard III was depicted as "deformed, unfinish'd" has served as an example of an " anti-hero " and illustrated the depiction of people with disabilities in the arts as villains. Richard's physical disabilities are used to symbolize the fundamental weakness in his character. Yet Shakespeare
15750-533: Was the development of clinical medical discourse, which made the human body visible as a thing to be manipulated, studied, and transformed. These worked in tandem with scientific discourses that sought to classify and categorize and, in so doing, became methods of normalization . The concept of the "norm" developed in this time period, and is signaled in the work of the Belgian statistician , sociologist , mathematician , and astronomer Adolphe Quetelet , who wrote in
15876-497: Was “an even bigger hit” than the premiere. That production won the first Chalmers Award for Outstanding Play in Toronto in 1972, and a Washington, DC showing in NYC garnered a New York Critics Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Playwright in 1973. Since then, the play has been produced frequently in Canada, the US, and the UK. Creeps involves five men with cerebral palsy who retreat to
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