By Noah Berlatsky — 2014
The supercrip narrative, disability rights groups say, mostly serves to make mainstream audiences feel awesome and inspired, while ignoring the actual difficulties faced by and prejudices directed at the vast majority of disabled people.
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CLEAR ALL
Although body positivity urges acceptance of all kinds of bodies, the movement still has room for improvement. Notably, people with disabilities, who through inaccessibility and lack of representation are often made to feel “other” by non-disabled folks.
Alex Dacy is a strong voice on Instagram for disabled body compassion and equality.
As a woman with a physical disability, I am usually glaringly aware of how my body is the polar opposite of what is deemed the norm.
Internalized ableism occurs when disabled people internalize stigmatizing messages in society, like the low expectations that are often placed on those with disabilities. These expectations usually present in two ways.
In the beginning, it was difficult to let myself rest, even with the ultimate doctor’s note. I felt like I still had to push past my (extremely limited) capabilities. I had to practice slowing down and allowing my frailties to become visible even when I had the choice to hide them.
For many people, chronic illness/disability is not a short-term inconvenience but rather a long-term, often permanent way of life.
We all want more well-being in our lives.
Above all else, you will begin to love the person you see in the mirror every day. The false perception of victimhood will fall away, and the victorious nature of life and living will become your new way of operating in the world.
Many equate self-discipline with living a good, moral life, which ends up creating a lot of shame when we fail. There’s a better way to build lasting, solid self-discipline in your life.
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Psychologist Rick Hanson discusses how to strengthen our capacity for wisdom, peace, and enlightenment.