Disability Culture in New York City

So I’m going to preface by saying that, while I do live in New York City, I do not have a disability. Therefore, I am looking at disability culture in New York City from the outside looking in. I hope this will be a helpful perspective to all of you, my readers.

Anyway, I think that we must start by defining what disability culture is before explaining what disability culture is like in New York City. As such, for the purpose of this writing, I will go with the Encyclopedia Britannica definition of disability culture: “the sum total of behaviours, beliefs, ways of living, and material artifacts that are unique to persons affected by disability.”

One belief that exists with many disabled people I know in New York is that institutions do not come close to adequately serving people with various kinds of disabilities (physical ones too, but other kinds of disabilities as well). From the schools and how they do (or don’t) address children with educational special needs, to wheelchair accessibility issues in many places (including the subways in New York), there is a general belief among many disabled people in New York City that not nearly enough is done to address the needs of disabled people. This belief is a part of disability culture in New York City.

Since institutions fail to properly provide for people with disabilities, they need to work very hard to compensate for the fact that they’re disabled in an ableist world. One example of that would be with the subways: since the subways in New York are notorious for their lack of wheelchair accessibility, people in wheelchairs need to meticulously plan out their trips so that they can travel. An example like the subways demonstrate that in New York City, part of disability culture is encountering systems which are inadequate, and finding things for themselves which do work.

However, these negative circumstances, while they are a part of disability culture in New York City, should not be the only thing about disability culture in New York City, or even the thing which hopefully defines disability culture in New York City. No, the thing that I hope can define disability culture in New York City (at least from the outside looking in) is the deep desire to have the same opportunities that people without disabilities have. Those opportunities don’t exist, but there is a desire for those opportunities to exist.

I am sure that there is much more to disability culture in New York City, and that there is quite a bit I’m missing here. Hopefully, one day, someone (either on Joe’s blog or in another place) can fill in some of the gaps left by able-bodied me. But what I’ve written above are just a few things I’ve noticed about disability culture in New York City.

By: 

Brendan Birth 

What is Disability culture?

This is a movie on youtube called Sound and Fury. This is a live example about disability and culture. Mainly about the deaf community. Recommend watching it. I choose the picture it reminds up were are all able not disabled.

Today you as the reader as going to learn  some concepts some concepts when it comes to disability culture order to understand next weeks post written by my friend Brendan Birth who lives in New York.   He is going to talk about what Disability culture is like and what he thinks about it.

In my post this week you will learn some new concepts and reiterate some old concepts I wrote before. Before I began I began I could write 20 pages or more on this subject? I am going to teach you some concepts and words that stand out the most. Then apply it to and give examples of what the mean.

Think about this when you thinking about what culture is.
Disability Etiquette: a way of interacting with people with disabilities which demonstrates respect and consideration. 
Keys:
- first person language
- being okay with differences
- have all something to contribute
- have people the way you want to be treated.
- want all the same basic stuff.

At first let me tell you what what culture means in the most broadest sense. "A fluid system of leaned beliefs values and traditions  principles and guides for behaviors that are shared among a particular group. " How how people hold themselves in a particular group. An Example of that is many deaf people are proud to be deaf and use sign language. A lot of those people do not want to make way for them to hear because they are to proud to be who they are as people.
What is visible:
- age
- race
- Gender
- Language
This what is the most truest when it comes to culture and what you can point out in people. To me gender is becoming harder. Sometimes it is harder to point out if this person is Female or male or something. Since understanding a little bit about culture. Language is powerful and the way we use words is to as people.

Person First language: is putting person first before the disability. An example of that is Justin has Autism. It is not saying that Justin Autistic. It all depends on the person. If the person can speak for themselves ask what their preference is. Sometimes people are to say they have a disability and some are not. It sum it up it is all about preference. 

What to think about when it comes to the end of the post.

Golden Rules:
- Let them be their own advocates.
- Put yourself in their shoes