Why Will PWD Ranking And Various PWD Social Pecking Order Hierarchies Always Exist Within The PWD Community?
Posted: January 4th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Common Questions | Tags: Always, Community, Exist, Hierarchies, Order, Pecking, Ranking, Social, Various, Within | 7 Comments »***Why Will “PWD Ranking” And Various “Disability Social (Pecking Orders) Hierarchies” Always Be Ingrained And Always Exist Within The PWD Community?***
Ever since the PWD Community has always existed, there has always been “PWD Ranking” and various “Disability Social (Pecking Orders) Hierarchies” within the PWD Community. It seems like that “PWD Ranking” and various “Disability Social (Pecking Orders) Hierarchies” will always exist and will always be ingrained within the PWD Community.
Here is one example of a Disability Hierarchy that I found on the Internet.
***Disability Hierarchy Chart***
1. Wheelchair Users (At the top of the Disability Hierarchy)
2. Quads and Parapalegics
3. Amputees
4. Vision Impaired and Hearing Impaired
5. Neurodiverse
6. Cognitvely Challenged
7. Mentally Ill
8. Others… (At the bottom of the Disability Hierarchy)
According to the the example of the above “Disability Hierarchy” that I have found, I will be considered and acknowledged to have THE HIGHEST RANKED DISABILITY STATUS within the PWD Community by certain PWDs since I am FORCED to use a manual wheelchair (WC), and two Power Mobility Devices (PMDs) which are an electric power-chair and an electric power scooter.
***There are various different types of “Disabilities Hierarchies” within the PWD Community.***
I know that Non-PWDs (Outsiders) and Mainstream Society (Outsider Society) has treated PWDs and the PWD Community like “dirt” in various ways throughout time. I know that are various PWDs that ARE AGAINST “PWD Ranks” (PWD Ranking), and various “Disability Social Hierarchies” (Disability Social Pecking Orders) within the PWD Community for various reasons. I also know that there are some PWDs that are FOR AND WILL ALWAYS subscribe to “PWD Ranks” (PWD Ranking), and various “Disability Social Hierarchies” (Disability Social Pecking Orders) within the PWD Community for various reasons.
I think that one reason why various “PWD Ranks” (PWD Ranking) and various “Disability Social Hierarchies” (Disability Social Pecking Orders) will always be ingrained and exist within the PWD Community is because it is one way that some PWDs might use to try to make themselves feel better about themselves.
Here are the questions that I want to ask:
1. Why will “PWD Ranking” and various “Disability Social (Pecking Orders) Hierarchies” always be ingrained and always exist within the PWD Community?
2. What are reasons on why some PWDs will always be for and subscribe to “PWD Ranks” (PWD Ranking), and various “Disability Social Hierarchies” (Disability Social Pecking Orders)?
Thank You.
Both me and my only child are Social Security Administration Registered Certified Recognized Disabled Persons With Disabilities. (SSA-PWDs)
Both me and my only child are Medical Legal Registered Certified Recognized Disabled PWDs. (MLRCRD-PWDs)
I am a Registered Certified Recognized Member of the Ectodermal Dysplasias International Registry. (RCRMEDIR-PWD)
SSA-MLRCRD-PWD — RCRMEDIR-PWD — PWDRHIP — Wowasakeikcupi!
To Skinsfan: Mainstream Society (Outsider Society) has a completely different Disability Hierarchy which is “the LESS Disabled a PWD is, the HIGHER up the PWD is on the Disability Hierarchy and the MORE Disabled a PWD is, the LOWER the PWD is on the Disability Hierarchy within Mainstream Society (Outsider Society). I have heard time and time again by various PWDs that “the MORE Disabled a PWD is, the HIGHER up a PWD is on the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: Every legitimate PWD is a “Certified-Registered Disabled PWD” one way or another even though a PWD might not be getting SSI and/or SSDI. Example: A PWD is “Certified-Registered” as Disabled by a licensed Physician in order to get a Handicapped Parking State Permit. The PWD is then listed on Department of Motor Vehicles (DVM) state records as a “Certified-Registered Disabled Driver” even though the PWD might not getting SSI and/or SSDI. Yes, Stephen Hawkins and Christopher Reeve are Certified-Registered PWDs by the fact that their Physicians have medically documented and medically certified them as having SEVERE Disabilities and a patient’s medical records CAN SERVE AS A LEGAL DOCUMENT IF NEEDED. (I know that Christopher Reeve is deceased.) Thank you for your acronym “DaPPoDA – Disabled and Proud Parent of Disabled Adults”. It is very much greatly appreciated! I will put your acronym in my private list of PWD Community Acronyms Language List.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: The only reason why I put “Registered Certified Recognized Disabled PWD” in all of my posts is to let people know that I am an actual legitmate Disabled PWD and that I am not a member of the A-DPW (Admirers, Devotees, Pretenders, Wannabes) Community.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: If you have a Handicapped Parking State Permit, then you are listed on your state’s
Department of Motor Vehicles (DVM) state records as a “Certified-Registered Disabled Driver” which means that you do have “Disabled PWD Registration Certification” by the state.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: The state in where I live at, you have to have a licensed Physician to medically certify you as a Disabled PWD on the Handicapped Parking State Permit application in which you take the Handicapped Parking State Permit application back to the DMV in order to get to get a Handicapped Parking State Permit. Yes, you are correct about Fake/Pretend PWDs can and do fake their Disabilities in order to get various Disability Accommodations and Disability Benefits (SSI/SSDI). I will always complain about Fake/Pretend PWDs scamming the government in order to get various Disability Accommodations and Disability Benefits (SSI/SSDI). I will report all Fake/Pretend PWDs that scams the government in order to get various Disability Accommodations and Disability Benefits (SSI/SSDI) if I have solid proof that a Fake/Pretend PWD is scamming the government in order to get various Disability Accommodations and Disability Benefits (SSI/SSDI).
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: To be completely honest with you, I will always complain about the A-DPW Community for various reasons.
To Skinsfan: Persons with Mental Retardation or with Mental Illness has always been towards the bottom of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community. BEFORE I was FORCED to use a manual wheelchair (WC), and two Power Mobility Devices (PMDs) which are an electric power-chair and an electric power scooter, I was at the VERY BOTTOM of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community and had the LOWEST PWD RANKING within the PWD Community. Since I am now FORCED to use a manual wheelchair (WC), and two Power Mobility Devices (PMDs) which are an electric power-chair and an electric power scooter, I am now at the VERY TOP of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community and have the HIGHEST PWD RANKING within the PWD Community.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: Thank you for the weblink. I visited the webage and read the article. It was very interesting to read.
To Skinsfan and Teddy & Chiliswoman: Here is the weblink of where I found the Disability Hierarchy Chart that I posted if you both are interested.
http://epilepsy-paula.blogspot.com/2008/07/disability-hierarchies.html
To lioness: When I was growing up, I was virtually isolated from the PWD Community and knew nothing about
“Disabilities Hierarchies”. It was after I became an adult when I began to do
“Disabilities Studies” on my own by reading various Disabilities books written by various PWD authors is when I became aware of “Disabilities Hierarchies” and I also found various PWD websites that talks about
“Disabilities Hierarchies”. I then became aware that there is internal fighting and internal discrimination within PWD Community. When I became aware of “Disabilities Hierarchies”, internal fighting, and internal discrimination within PWD Community, I was absolutely stunned because I always thought that the entire PWD Community had the attiude of “One For All And All For One” but is not the case. There is tribalism within the PWD Community. I have read about tribalism within the Deaf Community and the Autism Community also.
To lioness: Please visit these web-links for they will prove my point(s) in what I have been saying.
“Coming Home to Disabled Country”
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze20h45/essay/guest/cominghome.html
Is Clubhouse Philosophy Breaking Down?
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze20h45/essay/clubhouse/notdisabled.html
Invisible Disabilities: FAQ List and Essay
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze20h45/disability/id_faq.html
To lioness: Here is one more web-link for you to visit for it will prove my point(s) in what I have been saying.
Owning Up to the Pecking Order and Prejudice Within the Disability Community
http://newmobility.com/articleViewIE.cfm?id=65
Here is the full title of the last web-link.
Crip Caste – Owning Up to the Pecking Order and Prejudice Within the Disability Community
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: What I have posted is truth. It is information that I have read in some PWD books that has been written by PWD book authors and that I have also read on various PWD websites.
To lioness: You are welcome. There are people that will want you to think that “all is well” within the PWD Community.
“Not all is well” within the PWD Community for various reasons. When I learned of “Disabilities Hierarchies”, internal fighting, and internal discrimination within PWD Community, it greatly saddened me because of the various divisions within the PWD Community. The entire PWD Community needs to be united as one instead of being divided. The entire PWD Community needs to remember the saying “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”. It is bad enough for the PWD Community to suffer discrimination from Mainstream Society (Outsider Society) but it is something else when there is internal discrimination within PWD Community. Internal discrimination should never happen within PWD Community.
To Skinsfan: I would have to rank you towards the bottom or at the very bottom of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: I am glad to see that you do acknowledge that the Disability Hierarchy does exist within the PWD Community. I am also extremely glad to hear that there are people who are trying very hard to erase the Disability Hierarchy and it’s impact and are working together Cross-Disabilities which is needed within the PWD Community. Thank you for posting The Justin D’Arts puppet Troupe web-link. I visited the website and found it very interesting.
To Skinsfan: I find it extremely funny that you would rank me at the bottom of the Disability Hierarchy. You forget that I am now a WC user and a PMD user in which using a WC and two PMDs WILL put me at the VERY TOP of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community whether you like it or not. If you beat the incredible huge odds against you in getting SSI, I will still rank you towards the bottom or at the very bottom of the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community due to your MILD Disabilities and SEVERE Depression.
Last comment is intended for Skinsprincess.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: Thank you for the additional information. I already knew that are different Disabilities Hierarchies that are in existence within the PWD Community. PRIOR to me in posting my question I found several Disability Hierarchy that WC users are NOT at the top of some others Disabilities Hierarchies that I found.
1. Blind or Deaf (Top of Disability Hierarchy)
2. Spinal Cord Injuries
3. Congenitally-Caused Disabilities such as Spina Bifida
4. Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illnesses (Bottom of Disability Hierarchy)
1. Mild physical Disabilities that are easily overlooked by the general public. (Top of Disability Hierarchy)
2. More visible physical and sensory Disabilities (Paraplegia, Cerebral Palsy, Blindness, Deafness, etc.)
3. Developmental Disabilities
4. Mental Illness (Bottom of Disability Hierarchy)
1. Visible, Non-Physical Disability
2. Non-Physical and Non-Visible Disabilities (Bottom Of Disability Hierarchy)
Here is another Disability Hierarchy.
1. Physical Disabilities and Visual Disabilities (Top of Disability Hierarchy)
2. Hearing Disabilities
3. Mental Disabilities and persons who are perceived of having mental Disabilities (Bottom of Disability Hierarchy)
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: The reason why I posted these four other Disabilities Hierarchies is to simply demonstrate the fact that there are different opinions on which Disability (Disabilities) is/are at the top of the main Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community. As you probably already guessed by now, I do go by the first Disability Hierarchy that I posted that has the WC users at the top of the Disability Hierarchy.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: Here are some of the Disability books that I have read:
1. The Everyday Advocate – Standing Up For Your Child With Autism
2. Ask And Tell – Self-Advocacy And Disclosure For People On The Autism Spectrum
3. Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book
4. One Person At A time – Citizen Advocacy For People With Disabilities
5. Disability Awareness – Do It Right – Your All In One Guide How To Guide – Tips, Techniques And Handouts For A Successful Awareness Day
6. The Ragged Edge – The Disability Experience From The Pages Of The First Fifteen Years Of The Disability Rag
7. No Pity – People With Disabilities Forging A New Civil Rights Movement
8. Nothing About Us Without Us – Disability Oppression And Empowerment
9. The Disability Rights Movement – From Charity To Confrontation
This is just a very small listing of a larger amount of Disability books that I have in my personal library.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: What I post is information that I have learned from Disability books and Disability websites, my interactions with other PWDs, my personal observations, and my personal experiences of being a PWD. I do realize that some of my personal PWD viewpoints are controversial which does goes against the grain but all of my personal PWD viewpoints has come from my personal experiences of being a Disabled PWD.
To Teddy & Chiliswoman: Here is another Disability book that I have read:
10: The Case Of Terri Schiavo – Ethics At The End Of Life
To Skinsprincess: The only reason why you said in what you did is because you are angry with me that I will not rank you higher on the Disability Hierarchy within the PWD Community.
To Dan: I do understand that you are not attacking me personally. One reason why I place such an extremely high emphasis on what I put on the end of every post is due to the fact that there are FAKE/PRETEND PWDs in mainstream society that try to pass themselves as actual legitimate Disabled PWDs and to establish the fact that I am an actual legitimate Disabled PWD who is a medically legally registered certified recognized Disabled PWD and that I am NOT a FAKE/PRETEND PWD. Yes, there are various types of segregation/discrimination within the PWD Community which will always be around. Concerning the division of PWDs on Local, State, and Federal levels, this type of segregation of PWDs on Local, State, and Federal levels will always be around due to the fact that it will always designate on what type of services/support a PWD is qualified/eligible for on Local, State, and Federal levels.
To Dan: The PWD needs to have an “Official Diagnosis Label” that has been given to the PWD by mainstream society in which a PWD needs if the PWD is going to recieve services/support on Local, State, and Federal levels which does lead to segregation of PWDs on Local, State, and Federal levels.
To Dan: The segregation of PWDs on Local, State, and Federal levels will put PWD against PWD for various reasons.
Wheelchair (WC)
Power Mobility Device (PMD)
Permanent Handicapped Parking Space State Permit (PHPSSP)
Registered Certified Recognized Member of the Ectodermal Dysplasias International Registry (RCRMEDIR)
Medical Legal Registered Certified Recognized Disabled (MLRCRD)
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Person With Disabilities (PWD)
Person With Disabilities Rank Has Its Privileges (PWDRHIP)
Wowasakeikcupi! (Taking Back The Way!)
WC PMD PHPSSP RCRMEDIR MLRCRD SSA PWD — PWDRHIP — Wowasakeikcupi!
What exactly is a social heirarchy in the disabled community?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiKq8zEayOYMKlxYfSbM6KIjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090326053513AAqnGgq
Disable in america?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtU60kdFkLwW8FcvTQ3ZB5MjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080505083230AArZtaE
You are part of the reason these hierarchies continue to exist. You continue to describe them and place yourself on the top of the hierarchy. You insist on putting on your posts that you are certified disabled – making you what? better than those who aren’t? Not everyone seeks certification because they don’t want or possible need any social services or financial support. Do you think Stephen Hawkins or Christopher Reeve were certified disabled?
Most people who become advocates for people with disabilities advocate for the disability they have or someone they love has. The personal is political and they want everything they can get. They don’t much care about what others get as long as they get what they need. As long as we are selfish – and human beings are inherently selfish – a hierarchy will exist.
Most agencies that help people with disabilities, advocate for fairly narrow definitions of disability. The agencies that have the most clout are the agencies that advocate for people (or parents of people) with the most income and the greatest intellect Since chair users are the most likely of people in the major categories of disability to work and to be well-educated – they as a group have the greatest income and the most clout.
And as long as people with disabilities pit them self against each other and don’t unify as a group – and as long as we see the world as us and them and vilify people who could be our allies – everything will remain the same.
Added: SSA-MLRCRD-PWD — RCRMEDIR-PWD — PWDRHIP These are totally irrelevant and made up by you.
Here’s mine equally irrelevant: DaPPoDA
Disabled and Proud Parent of Disabled Adults.
Added 2: Well in that case I am not certified disabled. I have not been to a doctor in 20 years since I do not have health insurance The records from my broken back and shattered leg are long lost in some hospital & insurance deep storage. I purchased my scooter/wheelchair/walker/hearing appliances and all other medical appliances I use – used or as floor models with considerable discount. The cpap I use is the same one I used when I had last had insurance. I assess my medical problems via the internet and purchase medications online from India. NO ONE would question I was disabled if they saw me, but I claim no certifications what-so-ever.
I do have a handicapped parking permit, but it was given to me based on my appearance as a person with a disability (using a scooter.) I provided no medical documentation what-so-ever. The pretenders and wannabees you are so scornful of could have done exactly the same thing – than they would be certified disabled. Would you still complain about them if they had certifications? What about the people who defraud the government and get SSDI – they are certified – so they now are legitimately disabled. You take this certification thing way too far and it is truly irrelevant. What matters is our lived experiences. And the fact of the matter is, if a pretender actually uses a wheelchair on a day-to-day basis, albeit can get out of it and walk anytime they choose, they still encounter the barriers we who have no choice encounter and can be an effective advocate for change.
I thought you were a supporter of such a heirarchy??? Anyway, I find some fault in your chart because generally speaking, despite disability label, people who are mild and/or higher functioning (closest to normal) are said to be on the top, and the lower functioning you are (meaning: ability to cope with the nondisabled world and ability to “fit in”), the lower you are on the totem. For example, on one chart, I’m low on the totem pole because I am both mentally and physically disabled, but I am very high functioning indivisual who’s disabilities are many but range from the very mild to the severe range but I’m still pretty high functioning, so that would make me more on the top of the totem pole. Like it or not.
Yeah that makes sense considering all the discrimination I’ve gotten from not just “non disabled” but various disabled people like you. But with that example, someone with extreme mental retardation or illness would come before wheelchair users I’d think.
So where would you rank me? I have mild CP (physical and mental problem), mild LD, and speech impediment, severe anxiety and depression and take medication and therapy for it. But I’m still quite functional and educated despite it.
Funny, I’d probably rank you to the bottom too. Soon I will have SSI and there will nothing you can do about it. With that money, I will move into HUD supported low income housing, maybe get a part time job and go to school again. For once I have more thumbs ups than downs.
You’re just saying that because you hate me,
I love your rants.
The disability social hierarchy will always exist because there will always be certain people who want to hold onto it and follow it. Some people who are high on the disability hierarchy (or who think they are) will always want to hold on to that hierarchy and make sure others know of it, because they feel like it gives them power or makes them superior to other people with disabilities in some ways. There will always be some people who think (or want to think) they are better than others and want to be considered at the top of some social hierarchy. It‘s an attempt to make themselves feel better or to justify feeling entitlement or claiming superiority over others in some ways.
I believe it is mostly people like you who keep the disability social hierarchy in existence. You (and some others) seem to care a lot about the disability hierarchy and your (perceived) rank in it and you seem to take pride in it and think about it a lot. You like to point out your rank and separate people into different ranks and make sure that everyone knows their place in the hierarchy and I get the feeling you judge people a lot based on their rank in the disability social hierarchy.
Everyone and every organization has a different criteria and definition of disabled. An airline pilot, truck driver or operator of a commercial transporter who has a condition that puts the public safety at risk, has a disqualifying disability by Dept of Transportation definition. Whereas others may not agree it is a disability.
SSA will tell you up front, their definition of disabled is different than most private insurers, and other government agencies. The AMA has their idea what qualifies as disabled. One Doctor will say in his/her opinion, you are disabled, another Doctor will say you are not, for the same condition.
A person 25 can handle the same disability, possibly overcome it, in certain situations, better than a person 65. Not all people diagnosed or labeled disabled, will accept it, always fight it, try to overcome it. Others will concentrate on dealing with it and not let it get out of control.
One person or groups definition is no better, or more recognized as legitimate, than others. The person and their situation often has as much to do with it as the disability itself.
Let’s say you have a commercial pilot, commercial truck driver, a train operator. DOT (U.S. Dept. Of Transportation) requires a commercial license, along with a mandatory DOT physical card. Most are disqualified if or when, they become diabetic insulin dependent.
Normally, insulin dependency does not qualify as a disability. However, here you have a federal agency disqualifying a person from gainful employment, due to a medical condition. Let’s say the person is 58 years old, with no other skills, no college degree, and has never worked in any other type of job.
There are very few other types of work they can do, which are transferable from their transportation job responsibilities. They would have to be retrained to qualify for most jobs, earning a living reasonably compared to the job they had. Many employers would consider them too old, or too close to retirement age, to train and/or hire.
Because of their age, education, lack of skills or transferable experience to other types of work, that would yield “gainful” employment, SSA would very likely classify them disabled. Many may disagree. However, keep in mind, a federal government agency (DOT) has disqualified them from gainful employment, due to a medical condition. That alone can easily be argued as one of the definitions of disabled.
If you disagree, the only question is, which one of your loved ones do you want on the plane, when the pilot blacks out? Which one of your children do you want sitting in the back seat of the car, stuck on traffic, when an 80,000 pound 18 wheeler comes up from behind, and the driver is disoriented due to a sharp drop in blood sugar level?
So you see, there are too many variations to determine who is actually disabled, and who isn’t, for any one group to make the determination.
to be honest sir. The more I read about this “PWD Community” you frequently post about, the less and less I want to be included in it.
it wasn’t until reading your posts that I ever heard of such an idea. It doesn’t seem to exist where I live, I’m very sorry it exists were you live. It seem to me to be quite sad that anyone would allow this form of bullying to exist with in the community. The very idea that one person is more deserving or a ‘higher rank” than another person with a disibility is quite counter productive. Some of us due to the nature of our disability require additional services, aids, or support. this doesn’t mean we’re better or of higher importance than someone who requires less assistance.
I’m very surprises that as someone who is a survivor of peer-abuse and bullying you seem to be okay with this idea of “rankings” with in the community.
All I can picture is how horrible it would be for a person just finding out they have a disability then being told by the community that they are reaching out to, that they are the low man on the pole. How is a person in that situation supposed to feel any source of pride or encouragement?
edit; Thanks for the links. Wow there should be zero tollorance for that sort of thing.
and thank you teddy/chills for letting me know about that theatre group. there are actually efforts to start something like that here.
Both me and my only child are Social Security Administration Registered Certified Recognized Disabled Persons With Disabilities. (SSA-PWDs)
5 days ago
Both me and my only child are Medical Legal Registered Certified Recognized Disabled PWDs. (MLRCRD-PWDs)
5 days ago
I am a Registered Certified Recognized Member of the Ectodermal Dysplasias International Registry. (RCRMEDIR-PWD)
5 days ago
SSA-MLRCRD-PWD — RCRMEDIR-PWD — PWDRHIP — Wowasakeikcupi!
Take a look at what you place at every post you make. Why do you place such a high emphasis on it? Disabled is disabled. There are various degress of disabilities, but this seperationism is going too far. This is rediculous. Keep in mind, this is not an attack on you personally. That is not my intention. It is merely one example of many out there that I find is a troublesome growing issue out there. I’m attacking segragation, or rather the ways of segragation, Not you.
We’ve entered a new form of segration in the disabled community over the past years. Disableds against disableds. It’s sickening. Letters/symbols/labels behind a disability do not justify, or hero-ize a disabled persons place in the world, or their specific disabillity. It does not make one persons disabilities more real than those without them. And it should not degrade anothers disabilities based on an idiotic heirarchy based at state or federal levels (their idiots and biggots at heart). It is a form of segragation in our community that has been driving me mad for several years, and I am sick of it. It is taking the all-for-one, one-for-all menatillity and turning it into a all-for-some, and one-for-me. It’s rediculous. It needs to end. All the seperating done to us on the county and federal levels have trinkled down to effect how we see ourselves and others. It’s breaking up our community. It’s turning us into a bunch of bickering ingrates who view our selves as better than other disabled people based on the catagories made from a level who are trying to segragate us into ranks that have no place in our community. It’s time to take back our community and our integratory nature. It’s time to be one again. As long as we use their rankings in our communities, we are giving them justification and cause to say that discrimination is okay by us. Segragation is just one more form of discrimination, it needs to be stopped. And we are the ones who need to stop it.