I'm My Own Woman! But could I get a little help...

I went to this panel/performance at Access Living last Friday. It was on the intersections between disability, race and community. Very interesting. There was one thing that the moderator said, though, that really struck me. It's something I've read and taken note of before, but for some reason hearing it in this context really drove the point home.

He made the point that disability and disease challenge the idea of "the individual." In American society, we're pretty much taught to take care of ourselves. Individualism is extremely important to the way we conceptualize our bodies and our minds. The "I" is at the center of the American dream. If I work hard and educate myself, I can rise through the ranks of society. So, what happens to this concept when a body must depend on others to perform certain tasks, or even to make it through the day?

This is more of an issue for some types of disability than others. With Crohn's, for instance, as long as it's maintained, I retain a great deal of autonomy. However, when I'm not doing well, I need people around me that understand my needs and can help me out. This is not an easy concept.
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