The Identity Crisis
“On the one hand, she was viscerally aware of what polio had done to her body and of the day-to-day realities of living with a disability. But she was also aware of what she called “a gentleman’s agreement” at home and at school to pretend that her disability didn’t exist.” This is a quote from chapter 1 of Fred Pelka’s book What We Have Done: An Oral History of the Disability Rights Movements. This particular quote is a part of the Childhood chapter, and he’s introducing Corbett O’ Toole. In the pages following this quote, Corbett O’ Toole’s interview describes a fundamental problem still relevant in society today--that of identity. As we progress from childhood into adulthood, we struggle to find our identity. We strive to no longer be perceived as so-and-so’s child but rather our independent person. This is no different, no matter your race, religion, sexual orienta...