Ableism During The 20th Century And Its Impact

Ableism During the 20th Century and Its Impact

Nora Ouardi
Mrs. Houston-Lingman Honors English 9 January 23, 2023

Ableism has always been present throughout history, but during the 20th century, that mistreatment surged exponentially. The 1900s time period was highly problematic, not only for citizens with special needs, but also because the Great Depression was happening at that time, and the economy was in despair. Social issues linking Jim Crow and Jury trials were also coeval, and it ties into the idea of how everyone seen as “different” is mistreated. Throughout the 20th century, the difference between how citizens with special needs were treated and how their fellow citizens were

Disabled citizens were always seen as unable to make their own decisions, but the involuntary placement in asylums created an unhealthy environment in the institutes that would affect them forever. According to IDEA, “many individuals lived in state institutions for persons with intellectual disabilities or mental illness. Many of these restrictive settings provided only minimal food, clothing, and shelter, and persons with disabilities were often merely accommodated rather than assessed, educated, and rehabilitated.” Not only does this show the harsh and cruel treatment that they were placed in, but it also proved how citizens with special needs would always be seen as different and not human, and how to present ableism was and still is, regarding institutions and hospitals. The Story of Intellectual Disability: An Evolution of Meaning, Understanding and Public Perception described the conditions as “violations of basic human rights, and a diminution of basic human dignity.” It created a lack of health and safety, and instead provided hazards for residents that were already struggling in a neglectful environment. Based on the informational text, The Story of Intellectual Disability: An Evolution of Meaning, Understanding, and Public Perception, “the Great Depression exacerbated the continuing conflict over the level of patients admitted to southern institutions as many families searched desperately for relief in handling children with severe disabilities.” While many families required that relief due to the lack of financial resources during the Great Depression, it created stress and conflict to try and provide more space for disabled children and overall citizens to reside in those institutes. It came to a point where the Virginia State Colony Superintendent announced in 1936, that “there is little we can do