Journal Activity: Week 7

The standard Merriam-Webster definition of oppression: unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power. A Google search for "definition: oppression" acknowledges oppression not only as a cruel exercise of authority, but a prolonged cruel exercise of authority. The National Youth Leadership Network  uses simple language to describe oppression, defining it as "using power to keep someone down." Finally, Mackelprang (2009) defines the oppression of people with disabilities as ableism or disableism (the latter term seems to be the preferable term on the disability advocates blogosphere), a bias that gives preference to people that appear to be able-bodied.

Mackelprang breaks down the long history of oppression against individuals with invisible and visible disabilities - from the Neolithic tribes belief that evil spirits caused disabilities to the genocide of disabled persons in Nazi Germany. Like many minority groups, Disability culture has shouldered a history of oppression that has worked its way into policy and common stereotypes held by modern society. Persons with disabilities are stereotyped as objects to be pitied or coddled, freaks, burdensome, or sick. 

This paragraph is slightly off-topic. I wanted to take a moment and mention that disableism is very real. My class members know that, but this is for the benefit of the anonymous Internet visitor that may deny disableism exists (you know, just like there are individuals that believe racism no longer exists). I have a parent with an invisible disability. Certain cultures believe the disability is caused by the devil. Other people are afraid of my parent's disability - it's the type of fear people harbor when they don't know much about the disability in question. Employers are not likely to hire someone with my parent's disability. What I am getting at is that everything is fine until someone finds out about the disability - my parent is treated like any able-bodied person because they appear able-bodied. Doors are shut when the invisible disability comes to light.

Anyway. Back to the discussion. Persons with disabilities can, unfortunately, experience oppression at libraries and other information agencies, even if they are visiting the most accessibility-friendly library in the nation. This less to do with the library/information agency's ADA compliance and more to do with staff training in sensitivity to persons with disabilities. Library staff may not know how to interact with patrons with disabilities - staff could make the mistake of addressing the disability instead of the person, or they could hold any of the common disability stereotypes. If a library patron with a disability feels uncomfortable seeking information from staff due to disableism, then that creates a barrier to accessing information services.

A similar concept of oppression can be applied to older adults, as many of the disability stereotypes can be applied to aging individuals. Ageism is a prejudice that hurts older adults, and the stereotypes about aging can keep older individuals from employment, social activities, or social services, for example.