The ideas of race and disability are socially constructed

Student’s Name Professor Course Assignment Date Disability and Race Introduction People’s skin color and physical conditions subject them to different opinions and treatment from other people around them. The ideas of race and disability are socially constructed. Skin color and disability are ideas prevalent in society and not biological issues because of the modern-day definitions that surround them which is explained by the sociological theory of “intersectionality.” “Intersectionality” refers to the complexity of reciprocal attachments as well as polarizing conflicts (sometimes) that confront parties which are seeking "navigate" among the class-based, health-based, ethnicity-based, raced, and gendered political and social life dimensions (Erevelles and Minear 127). As individuals trying to pursue socially fulfilling and just “everyday life” as well as collectivities trying to “influence the course of history” through social movements and political actions, people struggle with unstable connections between race, ethnicity, and health, among other characteristics (Hassan 2.57). Through this thinking, it is evident that physical, environment, and social aspects play a crucial role in what is defined as the skin color/ethnicity/race or disability. Thus, different definitions used influences the different outcomes for the persons included or else excluded in each category. Such implications explain the importance of discussing the descriptions as well as the social thought processes. People are different from many aspects, like the color they deserve, the body they have, and the life they pursue, but everyone is the same and needs to have the same respect from all of us. Discussion According to Wendell in, The Rejected Body: Who is Disabled?, the definitions of the terms “disabled” and “handicap” differs significantly at different parts of the globe. Additionally, the two terms also differ in meaning with locality. Wendell categorically points out that with the practical definitions of the word “disability,” all of the definitions have an aspect of a stigma that something is wrong with whoever is described or defined. Wendell also insists that the same definitions bring out some circumstances that may appear to disable an individual in localities such as Mali and fail to disable the same person in the United States and vice versa. Therefore, the definition of disability eventually plummets to contextual setting and consecutively to the surroundings of the person in question (Wendell, Who is Disabled?). A perfect example of such is, in Mali, an individual may be required to walk three miles every day to get clean water for domestic purposes. Thus, to Wendell in this surrounding, anyone who cannot for three miles every day would be seen as weak and disabled or as one who is likely to suffer from disability someday in future. In the same way, in the United States, a black person may be seen a disabled because of his skin color which does not match that of the vast majority and even mocked and blocked from participating in communal activities or interacting with others (Matthews, n.p). This same person in Mali is seen as a normal person and is treated with respect and accorded the dignity they deserve as a human being. People with disability will have “special” treatment from the public. First, people with different body shape will have a bad view. People who see themselves as perfect people because they have a different, perfect body perceive others as disabled and different. For instance, in the society, people are obsessed with perfect body and at the same time fight as hard as they can to distance themselves from any human body form that is not symmetrical (Meier n.p.). However, we can help people achieve good body shape through healthy lifestyle as well as fitness, but we should not acknowledge the body shape as a necessity for social validity. Secondly, through the “special” treatment, because of their physical situation, people with disabilities do not get equal respect from members of the public. For instance, disabled people are portrayed negatively with representations that mainly focus on stereotypes. The public also gets used to the same biased depiction through the media (Hartnett 7). For instance, the society judges us by our looks. In the society, good body shape is an accepted norm for “beauty.” Everyone around us tags us as beautiful or ugly based on our looks. A person with a good body shape is socially considered as a beautiful/handsome and a lovely person while another with a bad body shape is regarded as an ugly, lazy, and a weird personality (Erevelles and Minear 130). We should support people to achieve good health and physical condition, and if they cannot realize it, it should not be a basis for establishing their social validity. People of color suffer same...