Last week I attended a student discussion on discrimination. While I feel obligated to keep the details of that discussion secret, I would like to share my personal experiences and opinions on discrimination that are unrelated to what was discussed.
When the word “discrimination” is heard (or, in this case, read) a couple of other words usually tied to it, such as “race” and “sex,” come to mind as well. However, I would like to bring to light that one of the most discriminated groups today in the United States may not be minorities or women, but individuals with disabilities.
Historically, individuals with disabilities have been treated as invalids: even today there are individuals with disabilities who are admitted to special treatment homes (traditionally a process called “institutionalization”) with no hope of leaving. Individuals with disabilities had been sterilized, almost always against their will or without their knowledge, in the United States as late as the 1960s. This practice, implemented in the early 20th century, lost popularity after World War II because of the connotation with ethnic cleansing, where Hitler murdered hundreds of thousands of individuals with disabilities and millions of other “unworthy” individuals.
Indeed, the rationalization of sterilization, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1927, was that “It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind.”
It is estimated that more than 65,000 (forced) sterilizations in 33 states took place during the sterilization program. Apologies for this program weren’t formally made until the beginning of the 21st century, decades after the program’s dismissal.
Now, what exactly falls into the category of “discrimination?” Well, one definition of discrimination I found is the “unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice.” Would this “unfair treatment” include the (lack of) accessibility to public buildings? If so, the University of Northern Iowa is definitely discriminating against some individuals with disabilities. But let’s put things in perspective: women gained the right to vote in 1920, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ‘60s granted rights for African-Americans and other minorities, and the Americans with Disabilities Act went into effect in 1990.
Chronologically, individuals with disabilities in America are the newest group to gain rights against discrimination. Twenty years is not sufficient time to update (or demolish and rebuild) every inaccessible building in the United States.
However, I have experienced discrimination in other ways. Upon learning I am blind on my right side, I have had people say, “Oh! So you can’t see me flipping you off right now?” (When is that a nice thing to do?) Or, “Wait, you probably shouldn’t be driving then....” (Except I can and do.) Or my favorite, “How did that happen? (“Brain surgery,” I say) Oh.” And then they look at me and act like my IQ just dropped 70 points before their eyes. I could do myself a favor and just not tell people. But it’s as much a part of me as the color of my eyes or my shoe size.
Discrimination can and does happen in many forms and should never be tolerated or accepted as the norm. I hope I have opened your eyes to one form of discrimination that doesn’t get much attention. Please report any discrimination you experience or observe.
A type of discrimination overlooked
Published: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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