Disability in politics

            A few thoughts come to my mind after reading the article about the election and disability. The fist is that there are many issues that I think politicians should be talking more about, this being one of them. Republicans can't seem to wrap their heads around the science of climate change which could have devastating effects if that issue is continued to be ignored by them. Disability is talked about very little by politicians running for president. Some, like Donald Trump, actually mock disabled people, specifically a disabled reporter who was asking him a question. I think this group of people is continually left in the dust by the majority of Americans because I think many Americans are only focused on what is good for them rather than what would benefit all people. Disabled people are seen as people who have little relevance in society and are therefore treated like it. Also Many politicians who say they are going to do something to help people with disabilities are only saying so to get their vote. This issue has little relevancy in the political landscape that politicians just simply don't seem to think it is a need that should be addressed immediately. When issues like disability, climate change, etc. aren't addressed it can cause the problem to get out of hand. For example if climate change is ignored any longer it can have irreversible effects on our natural world and our resources. If we continue to alienate disabled people then how can we call ourselves a democracy. In a democracy everyone should be able to have their voice heard. If disabled peoples voices are suppressed we need to really rethink what our democracy was built upon. Part of this problem is big money in politics. Candidates can take money from interest groups and in return will do those groups "favors". This can make a candidate corrupt because they are not acting in the best interest of the American people. There aren't too many interest groups that are associated with human disability and therefore lose out in the political arena. It is unfortunate that this type of favors system exists in our government and it doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

Cutting Desire

  While I was reading this article, I was very shocked that this type of disorder exists. Personally, I think that this mental disorder can be treated with the sufferers going to a psychiatrist. It seems like it is more of something that they developed over the years and not something they were born with. In no way am I trying to say that they shouldn't be taken seriously, but I just think that they could easily cure it by talking it out. What concerns me about people suffering with this disease is that many of them take illegal surgical procedures to get amputated. Some of the examples of the sufferers in the article have died by undergoing these procedures. Not only do they pay a ridiculous amount of money, but they also lose their life because of this surgery. The assertion that most of these people are middle aged white men shouldn't be taken with a lot of credence. I say this because at multiple points in the article it states that most people suffering from the disorder are afraid to speak up. Therefore we need to wait longer until more people come out and then you can make assertions like this one. The thought of wanting to be disabled is a little weird to me because it is not something that society perceives as normal. Also I like having all my limbs in tact. I couldn't imagine losing one from injury, let along voluntarily getting a limb amputated when there is no need for it. The way I go through life would dramatically change and I don't know if I could every adjust to life as an amputee after having lived for 18 years with all my limbs. In the article it mentioned that some people think that people suffering from BIID are making a mockery of actual amputees. I don't think this at all, this is a mental disorder that these people are suffering from and should be taken just as serious as any other mental disorder. BIID sufferers are not trying to disgrace amputees. The article mentions a study done by Dr. Michael First, which showed that "these people were far from psychotic". Essentially these people are normal people who think and act just like any one of us. That study makes me think that they can be cured by talking to someone rather than taking medical procedures. I do feel sad for them because in the end once they are able to get a surgery to remove a limb they can no longer get that back. My question for them would be was all of that really worth your time? I realize that they feel complete after they get the amputation, but it just seems like it isn't worth all the stress of the surgery and on top of that trying to live life as an amputee. I almost feel as though they get so caught up in the act of trying to figure out ways to get rid of a limb, or trying to find someone who will perform a surgery, that they don't take all the repercussions of going through life with out a limb. In the article there was an example of a sufferer of BIID who went to Mexico to get surgery and after he worked as a gatekeeper for the doctor. This guy was lucky that he was able to find a job after his surgery because I know a lot of places today that probably wouldn't be as lenient to hire a person with disabilities.

first paper

Adam Bargnesi

Whether our goal is spiritual, educational or physical, we all have a desire for which we will push our limits. In class, we’ve been discussing what a healthy human is considered to be; generally, I believe a human, at his or her maximum potential, should not only be healthy in the physical aspect but also in a stable mental state. Roxanne Edwards and Kathy Akers are two women whose minds and bodies coalesce in order to work like machines- perfect and at peak performance; they are exemplary people in expressing my opinion of health.

The covergirl for bodybuilders, an international sensation, Roxanne Edwards stands proud at five foot three inches with little to no body fat- driven by the sole purpose of feeling good in her own skin; her fitness regime consists of frequent visits to the gym, a diet rich in protein and absent of fats, the occasional steroid and a positive outlook on life. Roxanne started bodybuilding at the age of 30 and joined the IFBB, an organization that holds hundreds of fitness competitions, soon after (Roxanne Edwards is Superhuman). She describes herself as peeled, meaning with every movement you can see her muscles working as each individual fiber pulls together at Roxanne’s will. She is not ashamed of her body and understands that her muscles don’t take anything away from her femininity. Being a woman is not about how you look, but how you carry yourself and your choice in actions. Roxanne describes the obstacles she had to overcome being dark-skinned; society often overlooks black people because of the systemic racism imbedded deep in our culture. White women are seen as more marketable, likely candidates for photo shoots and the front covers of magazines, while black women are delegated to the back burner, shadowed by their peers.

Starting as a self-discovery project, Ms. Acker, the novelist, began her rigorous exercise to experience the extremities of the human body; Kathy’s routine was a stark contrast to the standards placed on her by society- she encountered the oppression women beared at a very young age, believing femininity was a pitfall that kept her from accomplishing her dreams. During her career, Kathy was given the opportunity to write an essay about fitness; she found this difficult, and ended up taking ten years to finish the prompt. She frequented the gym three to four days per week, and placed herself outside of reality to completely immerse herself in bodybuilding (Acker,21). Kathy found the failure aspect of training the most essential part; in her essay she constantly alludes exercising to life itself. As muscles are utilized, they undergo constant trauma, but when you take a break, and relinquish yourself from bodybuilding, during those moments, your muscle fibers repair themselves, becoming thicker in the process and essentially stronger than ever before. In life, she believes defeat is an important learning experience that will inevitably make a person better. Kathy Acker considers bodybuilding to be a form of meditation in which she can reduce herself to art and a few simple words, bringing herself closer to the essentials of life.

These two women strived for good health, not only to improve their bodies but their self-image as well. In their pursuits, they learned femininity is a very fluid thing that can be interpreted in many different ways. Society places people under rigid labels in order to facilitate making assumptions: women are soft and men are strong. Their athleticism not only allowed them to prove these stereotypes wrong but to also embrace their gender. In my opinion, health means being aligned with oneself in mind and body; Edwards and Acker were people who felt comfortable in being themselves while pushing their bodies to undergo and conquer failure.

Roxanne Edwards

      Roxanne's story is a very compelling one. I have great respect for the fact that she was able to stick with her goals and become a very good body builder. For me, personally, I don't think she has the perfect body image. Actually I don't think there is such a thing. The perfect body image is the one you feel comfortable living in. Towards the end of the interview she said that she body builds because it is her way of showing her femininity. I thought that was a perfect answer to the question posed to her because we all live our lives differently it is in our human nature to be different. Nobody can be exactly the same as someone else. Roxanne had said in the interview that she had indeed taken steroids before. For me this is not a way I interact with my body. I would consider myself in good shape but i don't like putting too many chemicals into my body because I do not feel that it is the right way to interact with my body. Roxanne was asked what it is like to be a black female bodybuilder. She responds by saying that it is harder for her because she is darker. The media shows the women that are easier to market. These women end up being white women because they are already established figures in our society. When you look at Roxanne you wouldn't associate her with the so called normal women characteristics. She is extraordinarily muscular and does things that most women wouldn't. The thing that intrigued me most was actually putting a face to the voice. I listened to the interview first and then looked at the photos so I guess I was a little shocked at what I saw. Anytime I see someone that muscular it always shocks me a little bit. I feel as though to many people in this world they would not be accepting of her. Most would look away from her without appreciating all that she has done. I feel as though Roxanne is strong enough mentally to deal with some of the negativity that she might deal with from strangers. I do feel though that it will still take some time for her to get the recognition that she deserves only because we still are a little reluctant to be accepting of all people. I think that media also has a role to play in this. The media has lots of control over what is played and shown on the internet and on social media. Most of them still don't want  to leave the social norm and show something that most people still haven't been exposed to. One thing we had talked about in class was what would we associate with a male and female body. Most of what we associated with each body type was pretty stereotypical; males should have a tall muscular body whereas females should have the hourglass figure. This thinking is what keeps us from opening our eyes to all the possibilities. Once you are exposed to all possibilities it is much easier for us to accept them as normal.