“Treating disabled people like superheroes allows organizations like Inclusion Alliance to ignore the discrimination faced by people with disabilities, such as the payment of subminimum wages to disabled workers and the inability of many blind college students to gain accessible materials for their education. The superhero mentality surrounding independent disabled people is holding back true and meaningful change.”
Most people enjoy winning contests and getting trophies. But for disabled people, an award can be a mixed blessing. In this article from the NFB Braille Monitor, Sophie Trist contrasts her experiences receiving two awards. One, a second-place Braille Challenge trophy, was one she earned as a child for winning a braille reading contest. The other, an “Adult Spirit Award,” was one she received merely for being a college student who is blind. Through this contrast she reflects on the complex feelings associated with getting accolades when one is disabled, and the struggle to determine whether or not those accolades are deserved.
The Superhero Hangs Up Her Cape
