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From: Beth B
Date: 02 Oct 2012
Time: 20:40:11 -0500
Remote Name: 71.246.249.134
Thank you for your comments! Several people commented on the format of this article. It was fun to do, and an easier way for two people to collaborate on an article. Regarding your question, you raise an interesting point about the stigma of disability. Yes, labeling can be a problem for people, but what Nina and I discuss in the article is the push in the disability community to remove the stigma from the term "disability". There is a lot of pride in the community and they wear the label proudly. Same with any other disadvantaged group -- black pride, gay pride, etc. So I think that we should also try to instill that pride in ourselves - not pride in being a PWS, but pride in our accomplishments and what we've achieved, despite (or because of) our speech. And I also think it's up to us, as PWS, to work to dispel the stigma around all disabilities, though our language, our perceptions, and interactions with others, and also by reaching out to people with disabilities and trying to understand our commonalities. We can learn a lot from them, and from the disability rights movement.