Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Where are Fredrick Bilodeau's skis?

Hey! Again this is not at all what I need to be doing. However, there's a lot to blog about this month. The Olympics is here. The games have been politically charged but, also a great show of sportsmanship.  I felt compelled to write a larger reflection on Alex and Fredrick Bilodeau. I am not an avid fan but, this is what I have learned via mainstream media and facebook about the brother's Bilodeau.

Alex is an amazing bilingual skier. He has won Gold twice at the Olympics for Canada. He is driven and inspired by his brother. Alex loves his brother very much.

And this is what the mainstream media has taught me about Fredrick

HE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) AND HIS BOTHER IS A WICKED AWESOME SKIIER. FREDRICK LIKES TO WATCH HIS BROTHER COMPETE BECAUSE HE CANNOT. ALSO HE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY!!! WHAT'S THAT? THINK OF THE WORST THING EVER....CP IS INFINITY TIMES WORSE THAN THAT.

In reality: Fredrick also skis. In fact that is why their parents encouraged Alex to take up skiing because they could do it as a family. My source on this is my friend Vivian. However, both times, Alex has won gold I have seen little media that positions Fredrick as anything other than his brother's cheerleader

See the difference? See how Alex is positioned? See how Fredrick is positioned? Remember, I am not talking about a full on google search, where I took the day off work to learn everything there is to know about the Bilodeau's. This what I have inferred through newspaper articles, the odd facebook post and news radio.

Here's my deal: I am really happy Alex Bilodeau won gold. I am also happy that his brother is his biggest fan. They have a really beautiful simpatico. However, I am a bit put off that every time someone talks about the Bilodeaus they mention that Fredrick has CP. I question if Fredrick was gay would we keep bringing it up (to be fair in Russia we might). If Fredrick was left handed would we keep bringing it up.  I also wonder why the media and Alex himself are using disability as a master status.  Disabled is  just one intersection of  Fredrick's identity and it may be just one of the reasons why he likes to watch his brother ski. In a way I get it, there are things physically I cannot do that I appreciate or am inspired to watch.  I cannot sing very well, I like to listen to people who sing well. I am impressed. There are athletes who are better than me at sports I play or used to play that I appreciate watching because, it is inspiring to see high level competition. When my sister swam I liked to watch her swim because I felt proud of her. However, I have never felt as though I was living vicariously through someone else. There are embodied experiences I will never have but, that is true of anyone.  The times in my life where I did feel envious or sad that I could not physically do something often came from a poverty of experience or a lack of alternative opportunity. For example: I would like to be able to walk because it would be easier to play beer league sports and  participate in marathons.  That being said really the reason why I can't do these things stems more from a lack of imagination that beer league sports or affordable racing equipment would be available to people with disabilities. 

 Don't get me wrong CP is my favorite palsy. I just question why Fredrick's only identity is that of someone who lives through his brother. Alex was quoted as saying "Just like you and I, he has dreams and most of them are not realizable to him. But he never complains that it’s not realistic to him… He lives his dreams through me", in the Denver post (a quote that has not gone viral on the internet). There's no reason why Fredrick has to live through his brother. Disability is an identity not burden.  Fredrick skis too, let's talk about how Fredrick skis. I sincerely hope this is a media driven, over sensationalized, or perhaps something is lost in the translation?

There is adapted skiing. Further, Fredrick could develop an interest independent of his brother. Perhaps, he already has other interests. I am disappointed that in an Olympic games  that has pushed back so hard against oppression and marginalization of sexual identities, and preached diversity and tolerance disabiltiy is positioned as something to be treated with well intentioned pity.

In reality Fredrick is bilingual, a world traveler, a devoted brother, a sports fan. He has Cerebral Palsy, all of these identities intersect.  He is not all of these things in spite of CP or because of it but, rather "With".

If anything Fredrick's appearance at the Olympics is an occasion to reflect on all of the many folks with Cerebral Palsy in Canada and how we support them as a country.  Where are Fredrick's skies?


*For the record CP is a neurological condition often caused by lack of oxygen at birth. It has a wide range of "symptoms" and embodiments. This is the condition I have. There are many successful folks with CP. Further, to this people with CP don't need your pity or for you to throw yourself down a hill (Bilodeau styles). They need allies in the fight for barrier free spaces, and opportunities for equity *

Thursday, January 30, 2014

A Refreshing Perspective on Mothering and Disability

Currently, I have a ton of both personal and professional things to finish in the next 8 hours. Of course now is a perfect time to update the blog I love but, often neglect. My secret new years resolution was to update the blog at least once a month, I have one day left to make good on my resolution for January. Hooray!

I came a cross a beautiful excerpt from a documentary about mothering. The clip profiles  Corbett O'Toole and her adopted daughter. O'Toole is a disability rights activist and independent scholar. She was on the ground floor for much of the disability rights and independent living movement during the 70's in America, I believe. Correct me if I am wrong. I am reading "Don't Call Me Inspirational" by Harilyn Rousso who mentions meeting Corbett in the 1970's at a disability rights organization. This is how I am placing her.

I was particularly moved by the Story of O'Toole and her daughter because, Corrbett uses a wheelchair and her daughter has CP. She speaks about it being a deliberate choice to adopt a baby with a disability.  She also captures the idea that a disabled baby has value and that the disability experience has value. She talks about being able to teach her daughter about moving through the world in varied ways. O'Toole also speaks about wanting to share the experience of being a woman as something that is interesting and worth while. The clip also mentioned that O'Toole's daughter may have ended up in a hospital or large facility had she not adopted her. 

I love this so much because if I were to become a parent this is what I would want. Disability or not, I have had the opportunity to meet many children whom no one wants, and who do not understand their own value. I understand myself as not having a great desire (today I can't promise that I won't change my mind) to physically conceive and birth a baby. However, I would love to share my resources, love, experience and disability identity with a child. The story of Corrbett and her daughter is inspiring to me because I have never seen the type of simpatico I have just described in real life. 

Further, to that Corbett became a mom in her 40's which means that I still have a solid ten years to get my life together.

Here is the clip I am speaking of: 
  
http://vimeo.com/6045202