Every time I allow myself a little hope that attitudes regarding disability are slowly evolving towards something resembling acceptance in this country, I’m quickly reminded that a substantial number of people can become positively medieval when confronted with someone with a disability. An Illinois woman was denied service at two different McDonald’s restaurants because employees were freaked out that she had no arms. Granted, McDonald’s employees are not the most likely demographic to possess a clue about disability etiquette, but perhaps the reaction of these workers is a more naked, honest form of the discomfort and standoffish-ness that I (and probably this woman) encounter on a regular basis. I wonder whether any amount of education and legal protections can overcome the antipathy towards disability that is seemingly hardwired into most humans. I wonder how much of the disability rights movement is about winning hearts and minds and much of it is a containment effort to minimize the damage done by people’s worst instincts.
Thanks to Cory at BoingBoing for the tip.
I clicked on the link to Dawn Larson’s story and the banner ad immediately above was for McDonald’s. Irony?!
The slam against McD’s employees is kinda gratuitous, don’t you think? Actually, I was surprised when I read the story, because as a general proposition McDonalds’ employees are the best trained of anyone working at the entry level in the country. The company (which I have had occasion to represent) really works hard at that sort of thing, and you seldom hear of instances of bigotry involving it– a boast not many restaurant chains can make.
The story is appalling, to be sure, but you can count on it: there are heads rolling in Oak Brook right now.
I think people tend towards extremes in their reaction to people with a disability. Either they love them in some form or other, and they want to show this, or they feel repulsion.
Attraction and repulsion are sometimes very close together, in many kinds of relationships.
I adore the English word “standffish-ness”, which I didn’t know, up to now. It expresses so well what I think you mean.