Most societies do not see hope when their kids are born with a disability. Some forms of disabilities hinder most young children from attaining their dreams. The people with disability are stereotyped in most societies despite their hidden talents. In the text, Forrest Gump, the issues facing persons with disabilities are apparent. In the text, the author introduces characters such as Forrest, Jenny, and Bubba. The author of the story describes Forrest as a person with a disability who finds life difficult to adapt to the school environment. It is apparent that Jenny is unable to walk comfortably because of leg braces. Forrest had a low intelligence quotient and therefore he would not do well in his academics (Labs et al., 2015).
Children in school bully kids with disability. For example, in the text, children bullies would chase Forrest to make fun. Persons with a disability do not have supportive environment because of the belief they are unable. Forrest is a protagonist in the text that confirms to the readers that persons with disabilities have talents. In the process of escaping from bullies, Forrest discovers that he had a talent in Athletics. It is apparent that most people did not believe that persons with disabilities have running abilities.
In modern society, sensitization in the society has not end stereotypes in the society. Some of the common stereotypes evident in the text are, persons with disability are a burden to others, and that person with a disability is sick. In the text, a person with a disability who succeed is believed to be superhuman. Forrest is an example of a superhuman individual in the text because of his success in the military. The text reveals the participation of Forrest in Vietnam and his successful rescue of his colleagues. After the war in Vietnam, Forrest was recognized because of the heroic act of saving the lives of other soldiers. The Medal of Honor that Forrest received after saving other the lives of other solder shows that few people believe those persons with disabilities talents.
The reactions of other children to Forrest at school show that how the community dislike people with disability. Bullying a person with a disability shows that how people do not see the value of persons with disability. It is apparent that Forrest was running away from the bullies an indication that he is scared and knows that they lack support from the community. The text has relevant lessons about the persons with disability. From a personal perspective, individuals need to read the text because of the characters proof to the readers that disability cannot limit an individual from living in their dreams. It is interesting that Forrest discovered his running ability while escaping from bullies in school.
Forrest is a motivation to readers with a physical disability because the disability did not stop him from exploiting his potential. The text reveals how the persons with disabilities are stigmatized for no good reason. In the eyes of other students, Forrest did seem to possess any skill that would make him relevant to the society. However, the authors explain how Forrest earned a football Scholarship to Alabama and later joined the military. Forrest had an opportunity to meet the president of the United State in that time. The text confirms that people with disability have cognitive impairment. In the text, Forrest is depicted as having a low intelligent quotient. However, the text also depicts people with disability as endowed with grace. Forrest proved to be strong after being a savior to his colleagues in the military mission. The case of Forrest in the text, dispute the ordinary belief that people with disability have an ending suffering. It becomes clear to the readers that persons with disability have values.
Feminism theory can help in explaining disability. For many years, women have been marginalized because of social-cultural context. Biologically, being a female is a disadvantage because of cultural beliefs. In the context of disability, the theory can best explain the reasons the discriminations of persons with disability in the society. According to the theory, persons with disability are discriminated because of cultural, attitudinal, social and barriers in the environment. There is linked to gender and disability in most societies. Gender and disability is a product of sociological construct. The issues facing the person with disability result from the sociological construct in the society. People in the community grow knowing that persons with disability behave in a certain manner.
The text represents the view of society on personality in the ancient time. The settings of the text are the 1950s when the society did not recognize the value of persons with disability. In the 1950s, the persons with a disability find their ways to success. Forrest is a good example of persons with disability that changed the perspectives of the people regarding disability. During his time, Forrest met with senior persons in the leadership of the country because he displayed talent in athletics. In the text, there are no legal frameworks that promote social inclusion of persons with a disability. The lack of systematic way of protecting the rights of the persons with disability in the society promotes discriminations.
The modern society is supportive for the person with a disability. The people with disabilities are important in the modern societies. It is apparent in the Olympic games that persons with physical disabilities are gifted. The participation of persons with disabilities in Olympic Games has increased the awareness that such people can contribute positively to the development of the society. The education system in the contemporary society supports the welfares of the persons with disability. In school, there are modern washrooms, reading areas and spacious rooms that can accommodate persons with disabilities. There are materials for instructors that support educations for individuals with special abilities. In the 1950s, the persons with physical abilities did not receive attention and care from the public. In the text, stereotypes prevented the persons with disability from advancing in their social lives. Forrest stands out as an example of people with disabilities in the 1950s that were facing serious prejudices from the members of the society (Goodley, 2016).
The governments in different countries reserve positions for persons with disabilities. The constitution of most countries protects persons with disabilities from different forms of discriminations and prejudices from the society. The people with special ability in the modern society feel accepted and lived in the modern society as opposed to ancient time. The persons the disabilities have equal chances as other people in the modern society. There are current examples of influential persons in the society who have lived with special abilities for a long time. It was hard for persons with disabilities in the ancient time to succeed in life. The stereotypes preoccupied the minds of people and did provide support for persons with disability. The belief that people with disability need help and sympathy mislead. Persons with disability are not in pain but living comfortably as the other persons in the society. It is a fact people with a disability that succeeded in the ancient time are superhuman. The environment that persons with a disability lived in in the ancient time was difficult and a few that managed to go to school and lived a decent life were considered superhuman (Barnes, 2014).
The disability federation of Ireland set an example for the neighboring countries regarding how to treat persons with disabilities (de Paor, 2015). In 2005, the government of Ireland resolves to recognize persons with disabilities in the different parts of the country. The disability act of 2005 protects the rights of persons with disability by ensuring that they access services and facilities that support their livelihood. The act ensured that persons with disabilities access educational needs and that the health of such individuals was assessed. Different countries are copying from the country of Ireland the various ways of protecting the needs of the individual (Santuzzi et al., 2014).
The Irish act of 2005 promotes the recognition of persons with disability. When the law protects the needs of persons with disability, it is possible that do not feel socially excluded. The act protects the persons with disabilities from the discriminations in the workplace. The social stereotypes of the persons with disability can be severe and hinder persons with disability from success in the community. The discriminations in the society can make persons with a disability feel inferior to the rest of the society (Francis and Silvers. eds., 2015).
In the text, the issues of disability are very serious and therefore it is relevant to base the research on the text. The author used Forrest strategically to show how disability causes discrimination and causes a division in the society. In some societies, persons with disabilities have to fight with all the might to ensure they succeed. It is apparent that person with disabilities can be very ambitious and fight for their rights in the society. Forrest disapproved many after depicting the athletic abilities, joining military and working hard to save the lives of other military officers. The text is a lesson to the people who despise persons with disabilities. It is clear in the text that disabilities can prevent an individual from attaining their dreams. In a stereotypic society, it is difficult for persons with physical disability to live their dreams because the society despises and isolate such persons (Mackelprang, and Salsgiver 2016).
Prejudices prevent persons with disability from exploiting their potentials. The social discriminations of persons with disabilities make them be scared and feel inferior to the entire population. The choices of the Forrest thumps were intentional because it depicts how the physically challenged individuals are gifted (Ferrari, et al., 2014). Forrest in stood out to be one of the gifted soldiers despite the physical disability. According to the positivist theory, it is essential that the societies work hard to reduce prejudices and discriminations of the persons with disabilities. The proponents of the theory hold that it is possible to reduce impairments in the persons with disabilities. The needs of persons with disabilities are unique and therefore there is a need for special attention for such an individual (Leonard, 2016.) For example, a person with visual needs different attention from persons with hearing impairment. In the school setting, there is a need to identify the needs of every individual and ensure that the individual needs are protected.
References
Barnes, C., 2014. . A brief history of discrimination and disabled people.
de Paor, A., 2015. The Irish Legislative Response to Genetic Discrimination-An Analysis of Part 4 of the Disability Act 2005: Time for Reform. Dublin ULJ, 38, p.129.
Ferrari, L., Berlingerio, M., Calabrese, F. and Reades, J., 2014. Improving the accessibility of urban transportation networks for people with disabilities. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 45, pp.27-40.
Francis, L. and Silvers, A. eds., 2015. Americans with disabilities. Routledge.Goodley, D., 2016. Disability studies: An interdisciplinary introduction. Sage.
Krahn, G.L., Walker, D.K. and Correa-De-Araujo, R., 2015. Persons with disabilities as an unrecognized health disparity population. American journal of public health, 105(S2), pp.S198-S206.
Labs, A., Reich, T., Schulenburg, H., Boennen, M., Mareike, G., Golz, M., Hartigs, B., Hoffmann, N., Keil, S., Perlow, M. and Peukmann, A.K., 2...
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