The film Murderball is about the United States and the Canadian Paralympics quad rugby team. This film focuses on how people with disabilities and how there are just as capable and as able bodied people. This film shows disabled people in comparison to any other athlete. The different backgrounds, relationships and struggles the athletes have been through in life are some of the most interesting points in this film.
The film Murderball really tries to remove the stigma from individuals with impairments. Having a disability is seen as deviant in this society. In “You’re Not a Retard, You’re just Wise,” Steven Taylor says “A stigma is not merely a difference but a characteristic that deeply discredits a person’s moral character.” (Taylor, 2000). One other interesting point that the film focuses on is sexual intercourse and the ability to have sex. Another focus is about Mark Zupan and how he just wants to be treated equal despite that he is in a wheel chair. Society gest the notion that everybody who is disabled gets looked down on.
The thesis of this film relates to the course because we have been discussing deviant bodies and how society portrays them. A deviant body or anything outside the norms is considered deviant to society. You are treated and looked at differently by others.
One of the points I found most convincing was how the reality of not being able to walk was not being realized or coped with at first. The belief that one may walk again was still believed. But it took time to settle in with reality that walking will never happen again. Another point that is convincing about Murderball was the emotional affects that individuals had from being judged and dehumanized. The fact that not everyone in a wheelchair wants to walk was also a good point. The “Supercrip” blog relates to this also because we portray the disabled differently than they portray themselves
There was not a point in the film that I found least convincing. The film was good and very informative. The knowledge received from the film in regards to disabilities was great.
A question that would most stick out for me is finding out how people in wheelchairs are adjusting in the first year. I would also study their progress a few years down the road to see how they are doing. I would study other races as well.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Power of Words
There are many ways that words can be used in our society. Words can be powerful. They can change lives and societies. But importantly, words can be used out of its original context in ways that can offend or hurt people. Words hold weight in ways that many people cannot imagine. In today’s society many people call each other names using words without knowing its true meaning and how a word evolved to its so called “new meaning”. The word I decided to focus on is used commonly in our society and is offensive to many: retard. The word ‘Retard’ is used to mean relatively slow in mental, emotional or physical development. This word appeared first in Middle English in 1400 (dictionary.com).
What is interesting about the use of the word retard or retarded is that it commonly used in society and has in some cases has sadly become a norm attached within many individuals speech. The frustration of having to take a test or gossiping about people usually has this word attached with it out of context, which is pointless and offensive. The fact that this is said regularly toward and amongst individuals brings my attention to Labeling Theory. According to Howard Becker he says “The deviant is one to whom that label is successfully been applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label”. If a person acts or says something in a certain way that is opposing to another person’s view, they can be labeled. A person who is most likely to use the phrase ‘retard’ or ‘retarded’ is someone who is ignorant and thoughtless to those who have mental and physical disabilities. The underling construction of the word retarded is that people are mentally slow and incapable of doing something that others are able to do. The word is in many ways compared to being called stupid because it also gives the label that one is incapable or lacks in something.
The community that is impacted by this “r word” is those who are "considered" mentally and physically challenged. Being called retarded is also similar to the phrase “That’s gay”. Another theory that comes to mind in relation to this issue is the Shaming Theory. A person can be perceived as deviant because of an act or behavior, which is tied into stigmatization. John Braithwaite mentions that shaming means all social processes of expressing disapproval that has the effect of provoking remorse in the individual being condemned by others who become aware of the shaming (34). Many people view this community as “retarded” and “stupid” automatically when that is not the case. In Steven Taylors "You're Not A Retard, You're Just Wise" he dicusses his study of the Dukes and how they have been labeled as disabled. But the Dukes do not attach the same meanings of disability labels found in society. In the clip below it shows how offensive words can be and how we need to be careful of the words we choose to use when speaking to or around other people. The members of the relevant community show that this word needs to stop being used.
I personally have grown to understand that being called retarded” or retard is not acceptable to this community, even though society may view them that way. I have a relative who is a part of this community. I can say he fits in just fine with society without a needing label. The norms that are socially constructed in this country have made individuals think ignorant, selfish and careless. That way of thinking does not make issues better. A message Wanda Sykes brings attention to in the clip below relates to this issue also, though it is another phrase commonly used. Not realizing what we say is insulting to others. Case and point, phrases like “That’s so retarded” or “What a retard” are phrases that hurt people’s feelings. We all need to watch are words.
Word Count: 618
Work Cited
-Becker, Howard S. Labeling Theory. Chapter 7. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
-Braithwaite, John. Shaming Theory. Chapter 6. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
-Taylor, Steven J. "You're Not A Retard, You're Just Wise". Chapter 26. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/retardation
What is interesting about the use of the word retard or retarded is that it commonly used in society and has in some cases has sadly become a norm attached within many individuals speech. The frustration of having to take a test or gossiping about people usually has this word attached with it out of context, which is pointless and offensive. The fact that this is said regularly toward and amongst individuals brings my attention to Labeling Theory. According to Howard Becker he says “The deviant is one to whom that label is successfully been applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label”. If a person acts or says something in a certain way that is opposing to another person’s view, they can be labeled. A person who is most likely to use the phrase ‘retard’ or ‘retarded’ is someone who is ignorant and thoughtless to those who have mental and physical disabilities. The underling construction of the word retarded is that people are mentally slow and incapable of doing something that others are able to do. The word is in many ways compared to being called stupid because it also gives the label that one is incapable or lacks in something.
The community that is impacted by this “r word” is those who are "considered" mentally and physically challenged. Being called retarded is also similar to the phrase “That’s gay”. Another theory that comes to mind in relation to this issue is the Shaming Theory. A person can be perceived as deviant because of an act or behavior, which is tied into stigmatization. John Braithwaite mentions that shaming means all social processes of expressing disapproval that has the effect of provoking remorse in the individual being condemned by others who become aware of the shaming (34). Many people view this community as “retarded” and “stupid” automatically when that is not the case. In Steven Taylors "You're Not A Retard, You're Just Wise" he dicusses his study of the Dukes and how they have been labeled as disabled. But the Dukes do not attach the same meanings of disability labels found in society. In the clip below it shows how offensive words can be and how we need to be careful of the words we choose to use when speaking to or around other people. The members of the relevant community show that this word needs to stop being used.
I personally have grown to understand that being called retarded” or retard is not acceptable to this community, even though society may view them that way. I have a relative who is a part of this community. I can say he fits in just fine with society without a needing label. The norms that are socially constructed in this country have made individuals think ignorant, selfish and careless. That way of thinking does not make issues better. A message Wanda Sykes brings attention to in the clip below relates to this issue also, though it is another phrase commonly used. Not realizing what we say is insulting to others. Case and point, phrases like “That’s so retarded” or “What a retard” are phrases that hurt people’s feelings. We all need to watch are words.
Word Count: 618
Work Cited
-Becker, Howard S. Labeling Theory. Chapter 7. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
-Braithwaite, John. Shaming Theory. Chapter 6. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
-Taylor, Steven J. "You're Not A Retard, You're Just Wise". Chapter 26. Readings in Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/retardation
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