CLASSROOM RESPONSES

PEERS 1 (Chawtel)

This past summer, when I visited New York City, I saw a lot of individuals who were in wheelchairs, walking with canes, or could hardly walk. The primary transportation options in this area are metro stations, Ubers, taxis, etc. The affordable transportation would be the metro stations. Many metro station entrances required you to descend some steep stairs to access the metro station. However, many metros station entrances that were on the side of the streets were unable to have the service to allow for accessibility for the disabled. As you approached the area to pay your fare, there was a door for wheelchair-accessible passengers. Many metro station locations however have a main building with a disability accessible section. Unlike one entry that is only around the corner, another entrance can be several blocks away. Poor architectural design provides physical barriers for everyone, including those who use wheelchairs, those who can walk but cannot go far, those who cannot climb stairs, those who can open doors, and those who can do all these things but only at a pain or energy cost they cannot afford (Wendell, 2013). Most buildings, including metro stations, convenient stores, and restaurants, have inaccessible architecture since they were designed to be two stories or higher. The elevators in several of the stores, including Chik-fil-A and McDonald's, weren't functioning. A young adult non-disabled male vision of humanity has influenced a lot of architecture (Wendell, 2013). We must be able to ensure that there are wheelchair accessible pathways and label building sections where there are elevators or access for the impaired to better assist persons with impairments in accessing better transportation. Along with ramps, the Braille signature, wider hallways and doors, lower adjustable workstations and fittings, and simple access door openers are all features of universal architectural design (Castaneda, 2013). We must make sure that, if there is accessibility for the disabled, all sections are up to date and maintained to ensure the safety of these individuals. 

References 

Castaneda, C., Hopkins, L. E., and Peters, M. L. (2013). Ableism: Introduction. In M. Adams et al. (eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.) (pp. 461-465). New York: Routledge. 

Wendell, S. (2013). The social construction of disability. In M. Adams et al. (eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.) (pp. 481-485). New York: Routledge. Reprinted from: Wendell, S. (1996). The social construction of disability. In The rejected body (pp. 36-56). New York: Routledge

PEERS 2 (Jennifer Lopez)

The social construction of disability, as per the article (Wendell, (2013) best illustrates one of the ways disabilities is socially constructed by society as explained by Wendell “disability as socially contracted in ways ranging from social conditions that straightforwardly create illnesses, injuries, and poor physical functioning, to subtle cultural factors that determine standards of normality and exclude those who do not meet them from full participation un their societies.” pg. 477 My observation experience would be at my job placements, I see, read and heard as a Case Manager the different types of disabilities there is at my work placement, a shelter that we received immigrants' children's males and females that have experience rape, physical abuse, sexual abuse, trauma, and other types of disabilities. The majority of youth in our care are 13–17-year-old from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador who’ve come here on their own, escaping dangerous conditions in their homeland. Based on my experience, their basic human needs are not being met at home: food, water, shelter, safety and warmth. Some come to escape extreme violence and gang threats in their home countries, some are trafficked into the country. Some come to work, others to escape physical abuse and desperate poverty. Within 48 hours of arrival, all minors receive a medical exam by a licensed medical provider. They are screened for infectious diseases and receive immunizations as needed. Those who require examinations from specialists or hospital care are transported to the appropriate medical facilities. As per the article (Wendell, (2013) states that “Medical care and practices, traditional and Western-scientific, play an important role in both preventing and creating disabling physical damage.” pg. 477 A strategy to empower individuals whose disability is socially constructed in the way I described would be how the government opposed the separation of children from their parents. Children fleeing unsafe conditions in their homelands should not face the added trauma of being removed from the security of their parents’ care. Such an action inflicts unnecessary and inhumane psychological damage on the children our organization is committed to helping. 

Reference: 

 Wendell, S. (2013). The social construction of disability. In M. Adams et al. (eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.) (pp. 481-485). New York: Routledge. Reprinted from: Wendell, S. (1996). The social construction of disability. In The rejected body (pp. 36-56). New York: Routledge