Disability Themes and Concepts in Books

Sarah Tuberty

In a conversation about navigating complexities of the disability identity development- I was recommended to read the book "Covering: The Hidden Assault on our Civil Rights" by Kenji Yoshino. Yoshino is a lawyer and musician, who identifies as a gay Asian male. He weaves in his own experience of suppression and intentional killing of innerselves that do not fit social norms, to then embracing and allowing himself to love his gayself, to then coming out of the closet.

I think it is a journey that we mirror in the Disability community when it comes to use and taking on "the Disability identity. Yoshino discuses his experience of learning gay history and following legal protections for gay rights. However, he deeply dives into the experiences of covering- and how while gay marriage may be leagal in the United States there is still this expectation that we are not "too" gay - or "too" black, or "too" disabled- where we are flaunting our various identities proudly.

Yoshino discusses that the uncovered identity is not protected by civil rights leglistation- and that largely society can still make demands that we cover these parts. Kenji brought up the example of gay men legally unable to join the United States Military in prior to 1993, and under the "Don't ask, Don't Tell Policy" from 1994-2011- gay and bisexual men were "allowed" to join the military- yet this is a piece of legislative policy demanding them to cover. On the surface- it seems that the civil rights laws were upheld as they were no longer banned from service- however, deeper down, the policy is demanding them to be "straight passing" and denied them from being their authentic selves.

Yoshino draws from Disability theory- derived from Sociologist- Irving Goffman and his Stigma Theory. This theory operationalizes the social expectations and limitations on those who deviate from social norms.

There are many parallels between disability rights and those of other civil rights- and it makes me think over and over again "who is this normal?" and why are we all expected or striving to be it when clearly that is impossible?

I am excited to continue reading, and have found this to be very enlightening- here is the link if you are interested!

https://kenjiyoshino.com/KY/covering/