Debunking Normalcy
by John Harris Lofin and Merry Juerling
There is no such thing as "normal".
We humans are all different.
We all have different strengths and weaknesses.
We are all part of the human race.
Again, there is no such thing as normal!
Our communities will be more fulfilled if we all
celebrate our differences,
especially when it comes to people with diff-abilities.
Debunking Normalcy
Breakdown
Please excuse our dust. This page is still under construction.
What/Who is normal?
​
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines "normalcy" as "the state or fact of being "normal" and the same book's top 3 definitions of "normal" are extremely conflicting. The M
Why do we, or should we humans except these negative definitions of ourselves or even a comparison to other's definition of ourselves?
Conversely, the online Urban Dictionary seems to understand the falseness of normalcy.
​​
​
Diff-abilities
"Dis" implies a negative, bad, "un" or 'dissed' thing. Humans are not "dis", humans are "diff" as in different and different is not bad...
Different it is just different. We humans all have Diff-abilities because we are all different.
"You are Diff,
we all have 'Diff-abilities' and that is awesome!"
Merry Juerling
“The only universal, if there is one, is the experience of the limitations of the body”
~ Irving Zola, 1989
​Who/what defined normal?
​
Eugenics History: Indiana3, 4
1492
The social constructs of “the West” and “the other”
In 1492, both Columbus and Europe “discovered “ the “other” or the “differon,” the one who is different. This “other” created “difference”/s and concepts of “ability” and consequently, “disability.”
After Columbus, notions of the “other” questioned the full humanity
of the Caribbean Taino and other Native peoples. This enabled Western Europe to self-identify as a unitary entity--advancing the social-political construct of Western culture as the universal ideal.1
1850
Inventing the Feeble Mind: A History of Mental Retardation in the United States 2
James W. Trent uses public documents, private letters, investigative reports, and rare photographs to explore our changing perceptions of mental retardation over the past [170] years. He contends that the economic vulnerability of mentally retarded people (and their families), more than the claims made for their intellectual or social limitations, has determined their institutional treatment.
1492
1492
Futura Light is a much loved font inspired by elements of Bauhaus design. Ideal for headlines, banners, logos & more, it will make your words stand out.
Futura Light is a much loved font inspired by elements of Bauhaus design. Ideal for headlines, banners, logos & more, it will make your words stand out.