It’s interesting how we define things: you and me, them and us, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, strangers foreigners, gangs, crews, teams, clubs, nationalities, ethnicities, religions. All these play their parts in self and group identity. Of course we move in and out of some identities but not others.
What is very strange is how different societies determine citizens and in-valids. For example, in the UK wheelchair users are classed legally and explicitly as citizens and protected from unfair discrimination by law in some areas of life while in some specific areas of life and in some other other countries we are not.
Protective legislation is important as it ensures fairness in terms of addressing barriers – intended or not – that disproportionately affect ones ability to access social life. I can remember being asked to leave a building because I was deemed to be a fire hazard and another time to sit away from Karen under a light in a cinema for the same reason. The incidents took place before the Disability Discrimination Act came into force and when it was acceptable for people to treat my needs and wants as a wheelchair user as different from others – as invalid. Today’s image of the day speaks to such things.
anomiepete 
Are you familiar with the comedian Maysoon? She is starting a school for kids who are completely rejected from the school system http://maysoon.com/pages/maysoonskids It is shocking to think that these kids are completely excluded from education.
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Thanks for the link Tanya.
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