Disability Rights Movement

Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement

Accommodation not pity

Independent-living

How do we define disability? Includes:

1. Physical Impairment 2. Cognitive Impairment 3. Mental/Psychological Illnesses 4. Chronic Illnesses

Eugenics

Process of improving the human population by controlled breeding. Often associated with Hitler and the

Master Race

However, did you know?.............

The United States had its own eugenics program??

Late 19th early 20th century – we had laws prohibiting certain groups from marrying.

We also conducted forced sterilizations. People who were considered defective Some single mothers Young “sex delinquents”

From 1907-1963, over 64,000 people were sterilized.

California had the most 1981 Oregon performed the last

legal sterilization MN conducted 2350 (4% of the total)

Go back to the earlier definition of disability…..

1. Physical Impairment 2. Cognitive Impairment 3. Mental/Psychological Illnesses 4. Chronic Illnesses

What are some of the characteristics or experiences this group shared/shares with other minority groups?

Individual with Disability Education Act (IDEA) 1975

1. Schools have to provide students with disabilities with a free and appropriate education

2. Schools have to include students with disabilities with students without disabilities to the greatest extent possible.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990

“civil rights act for people with disabilities” 1. No discrimination in employment 2. Public accommodations (Physical

access) 3. Telephone and Television – hearing

and speech disabilities

Person-first LanguageDo not say: Say instead:Angela is retarded Angela has a disability

Darius is confined to a wheelchair Darius uses a wheelchair

Allen suffers from cerebral palsy Allen has cerebral palsy

The brain-damaged soldier returned from the war.

The soldier acquired a head injury in the war

The crazy man needed a quiet place to calm down

The man with a mental illness needed a quiet place to calm down

Phil is a victim of Multiple Sclerosis

Phil has Multiple Sclerosis

Famous People with Disabilities

Christopher Reeves -

Quadriplegic

Catherine Zeta Jones – Bipolar Disorder

Tom Cruise - Dyslexi

a

Marlee Matlin - Deaf

Harriet Tubman

-Epilepsy

Demi Lovato - Bipolar

Abe Lincoln - Depressi

on

Michael J. Fox - Parkinson's

David Beckham

OCD

Tom Brokaw – Cleft Palate

A disability is just ONE characteristic of a

person!!!

YouTube - Conjoined Twins, Abby & Brittany Hensel turn 16