Western Society: The Medical Model Of Disability

have learned many of the beliefs and views I have had about disability, impairments, and people with disabilities from the models of disability that persist throughout society. Before beginning this class, one particular belief I had about people with disabilities and the idea of disability and impairment as a whole was that although I was aware of society’s marginalization and maltreatment of people with disabilities and did not think there was anything wrong or imperfect about any individual with a disability, the idea of disability itself began with and was limited to each individual with a disability or impairment. This belief of disability existing solely within each individual is representative of one particular model of disability, …show more content…
The medical model of disability is based on the belief that the human race as a whole can be perfected, which includes eliminating such imperfections as social, intellectual, and physical disabilities. Within the medical model, disability and imperfection in general are limited to and centered on each individual. Furthermore, the medical model pathologizes imperfections in order to treat and cure them. Because of how persistent the medical model of disability is in today’s society, the belief I had before beginning this class of an individual’s disability being limited to their own self is also persistent and common belief that is associated with the medical model of …show more content…
Although I never believed that there was necessarily anything about any individual with a disability or this group as a whole that needed to be fixed or cured, I used to think of disability as something that emanated from an individual with a disability, instead of thinking of the concept of disability as something that is created by society, as the social model of disability demonstrates. I have viewed gender as something that is created by society, but did not translate that into viewing disability as a societally created concept until beginning this class. I believe that my newly found belief and understanding of the societal context of disability represents a shift in my academic and professional development. Before beginning this class, I had a very narrow view and understanding of what disability is and means, as I focused more so on people with disabilities and society’s relationship with them instead of now focusing on the meaning of disability and the role of people with disabilities within the greater context of society. I believe that this change in my understanding of disability is vital in supporting people with disabilities and creating effective change in my community in order to work towards adapting the societal context of disability and reintegrating people with disabilities into