“Sports opportunities for people with disabilities should focus on how to construct opportunities that emphasize the sports ability of participants rather than their disability” (Nixon, 2007, pp.417). This is the most impressive statement to me. I think we should also apply this rule (focus on ability rather than disability) to the real world for all people with disability.
People with disability in China have a header life than in the U.S. If you are in the public places, you barely can see the people with disability. It is abnormal to consider the huge population in China. The reason for this phenomenon is lacking of basic facilities for the people with disability. Before 2008 Paralympics, the Chinese government built many facilities for the athletes with disability in venues and infrastructure. These facilities truly improved the situation for people with disability in China, but it’s still not enough. In contrary, in the U.S., I found lots of people with disability in the public places, such as the supermarket, restaurant, or shopping mall. Convenient parking space, automatic door and special bathroom shell provide people with disability wider lives for outside of the world.
Another issue about people with disability in China is employment opportunities. As far as I know, the majority of people with disability are authors. Because people with disability usually stick at home for lacking of basic facilities in the public places, writing is one of few jobs they can do for living. I heard, for the big companies in U.S., they have to hire several employees with disability to show the equal opportunity for all. For example, Bowling Green State University is committed to equal opportunity for all and does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, or veteran status.
Even though China don’t have perfect legal systems and enough basic facilities, because China need face to lots of social issues as a developing country, the Chinese government have already started to concern about the people with disability.
You bring up a really good perspective of the world outside of the US. I had no idea that China was underdeveloped with their disability access. I guess I just assumed that the whole world had a standard for those with disabilities. From reading what you said, I think China is probably about 20 years behind the US as far as access and acceptance for those with a disability. It was not long ago that the US was in that same position, and even before then, those with disabilities were treated horribly. Families with “normal” children were seen everywhere in public together. However, if there was one child that was “abnormal,” that child was either kept in a closet or taken to an institution. Luckily this is not that case anymore and does not seem to be the case in China, which is because I have two family members who have a so called disability. I do not seem them as having a disability, but rather bringing another completely different personality to family gatherings.
ReplyDeleteWow, here is another example of something I take for granted. The acceptance of Americans of those with disabilities. Now, it's still far from perfect, but it sounds more advanced then other countries. Kallie, the example you give of people hiding their "abnormal" children helped bring this point on. You are right, it was like that. For some reason this point had escaped me, but is something that makes me greatful for the world we live in today.
ReplyDeleteI know how I can do better. I'll stop complaining about the massive amounts of handicap spots at Walmart and appreciate them for what they represent - America's general acceptance of those with disabilities.
These are great observations on differences between accommodations of those with disabilities in the U.S. and China. Like Kallie, I was thinking that it has only been about 20 years since the U.S. made legal provisions for people with disabilities. When I was at the University of Illinois, which is known for its disability programs, the building in which I was a grad student was not accessible to people with disabilities. This proved to be a hardship for Scot Hollonbeck, a Master's student who was in a wheelchair--because there was no elevator service on the weekend, he did not have access to the grad office. So, the U.S. still has quite a distance to go as well. I think that by hosting the Paralympics, this probably gave China the opportunity to enhance its facilities and that is a good thing. Remember that the U.S. most likely lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics because it ignored covering the 2004 Paralympics in Greece!
ReplyDeleteYu, I like to read your blogs and learn about differences that exist between the U.S. and China. I am sure that it is frustrating to have a physical disability in China. I bet they do not know any different though so it may not seem as big of a problem to someone who has never known different as opposed to a U.S. citizen who has special accommodations to their disability virtually everywhere they go. I agree with Dr. Spencer that we have a long way to go, especially in sport, in making everything equal. But to what point is making every person equal and fair losing the idea of working to get what you want. Not saying that we should make those with disabilities work harder than everyone else, but saying that we strive so much to make everything equal for everyone. At what point is it too much- at what point do we lose the idea of difference between people and lose our originality?
ReplyDeleteBack on topic... It is very interesting to me that many Chinese with disabilities are authors because they do not have to go in public as much. Are people with disabilities in China looked down upon in a sense that they feel like people do not accept them in public or is it simply because they do not have the amenities available to access all public areas? What about in sport- are there many opportunities in sport for disabled athletes?