Reflection of the Semester
Hello to all of my loyal readers this semester, sadly the day has come. This will be my last blog post on this page and that being said this final week's topic is an overall reflection of what I learned. As well as my thoughts on the values of disability and sports and their impact on society. A few of the key points that I learned from the semester that I will be talking about in this post are the victim and "super crip" narratives in the media and ADA facility standards.
First, I want to talk about the victim and "super crip" narratives in the media surrounding disabled athletes. Prior to this class I had no idea this was going on in the media, and I was even more unaware of the negative impact it has on the disabled community. Furthermore, I can see how as a person from outside of the community looking in that these advertisements can seems uplifting and positive. Although now that I am more informed on the subject, I can clearly see that these messages are doing more harm than good. These media posts focus on the idea that if a disabled athlete can do it than anyone can, instead of focusing on the hard-work and dedication that these disabled athletes put in. Lastly, is the victim narrative also being pushed in the media that just because someone is disabled, they are automatically need saving or help. Which this is of course completely false and again paints the disabled community in a negative or "helpless" light.
Next, I will be talking about ADA facility standards and if most buildings fully live up to these standards. Before the sports facility project I had never looked at the ADA standards website, nor did I pay much attention to if building were up to their standards. Now every building I walk into especially when I am on Stockton's campus, I am able to see all the ways that building is either up to the standards or lacking components. I think this is a very powerful way of looking at our surroundings in a different perspective, and I believe that if everyone did this, these buildings would be a lot more up to ADA standards. Resulting in a way more inclusive environment for everyone, further breaking down the barriers the disabled community faces in society.
In conclusion, I do not think my mindset on the value of sports and the disabled community has changed but it has absolutely evolved and grown from the start of the semester. I have always believed that sports in general are an extremely important thing in life, because they teach teamwork, hard work, mental and physical toughness, and respect. Furthermore, I have also always loved and respected the disabled community since I was very young, as well as my whole family works for a company with adults with disabilities. Although, I know not everyone in society shares this same love and respect, so I plan on using my newfound knowledge from this class to inform everyone around me. Hopefully, I can show them a new perspective and way of looking at their surrounding community. Lastly, I want to say thank you again to all of my loyal readers for tuning in each week and giving me an outlet to share my thoughts and opinions.
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