Disability and stigma: an unequal life

Abstract

Disabled people are half as likely to go to university, half as likely to get qualifications, and half as likely to get a job. The Disability Rights Commission campaign asks - is a disabled person only half a person? This article suggests that a 'cure and care' approach can inadvertently contribute to the process of disablement, and explores ways in which barriers of inequality can be broken down while at the same time playing an important role in treatment and rehabilitation. Definitions of disability and social models of disability are discussed as well as the concept of disability as a form of social oppression and stigma. The implications for speech and language therapists are discussed