Re: Meetings are for what?

On Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:01:34 -0800, Steve VanDevender wrote:
[...]
Whether or not the occupant can leave his wheelchair at will, I still
object to the phrase "bound to a wheelchair" on the basis that a
wheelchair should be thought of as a tool to enhance mobility and
freedom, not a place of confinement. Most of my ire is directed at
American journalists who still use "bound to a wheelchair" or "confined
to a wheelchair" as a standard rote phrase to describe any wheelchair
user, no matter what their level of ability. Even if you were just
trying to use it figuratively, "bound to a wheelchair" carries strong
negative connotations. I'm well past tired of seeing the phrase and
would much rather that people avoid promoting negative views of
disability.

Speaking of anti-ableism, I saw an extremely pertinent website yesterday:
<rummages>
<http://cripwheels.blogspot.com/>
(Caution: Some pages may be NSFW)

--
W
. | , w , "Some people are alive only because
\|/ \|/ it is illegal to kill them." Perna condita delenda est
---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: PC in in ASR, WTF? (was:Re: Meetings are for what?)
    ... "bound to a wheelchair" is not the right phrase to use. ... a _neutral_ alternative for those whose legs don't work like that. ... the negative connotations of the word 'bound' itself. ...
    (alt.sysadmin.recovery)
  • Re: PC in in ASR, WTF? (was:Re: Meetings are for what?)
    ... that uses a wheelchair as his primary means of personal locomotion. ... What one or two word phrase ...
    (alt.sysadmin.recovery)
  • Re: PC in in ASR, WTF?
    ... Steve not only uses a chair, but is unable to get up from it at will. ... "bound to a wheelchair" is not the right phrase to use. ... I speak a different language - I'm _never_ going to speak ...
    (alt.sysadmin.recovery)
  • Re: Meetings are for what?
    ... object to the phrase "bound to a wheelchair" on the basis that a ... wheelchair should be thought of as a tool to enhance mobility and ... not a place of confinement. ... to a wheelchair" as a standard rote phrase to describe any wheelchair ...
    (alt.sysadmin.recovery)
  • Re: PC in in ASR, WTF? (was:Re: Meetings are for what?)
    ... The emphasis shouldn't be on the "bound" part of the phrase, ... but it does draw a descriptive distinction between somebody who may be ... temporarily using a wheelchair and somebody who is permanently using one ... just ways to differentiate temporary and permanent use. ...
    (alt.sysadmin.recovery)