The term “disabled” means “not able” But not able to do what exactly?
The definitions of conditions like cerebral palsy are factual, but “not able” to predict individual abilities.
People will still make assumptions; and at a young age I learned people have many questions and expect answers.
I internalized shame around the word “disabled” because of the constant comparisons of my abilities being lesser because of something out of my control.
I spent years trying to beat my cerebral palsy due to years of internalized ableism and disenfranchising myself from a community.
The origins of internalized ableism can be traced back to the influence of those assumptions and the expectations placed on the person with a disability to educate others.
Between Finding Nemo (2003) and the sequel Finding Dory (2016), Dory learns to be proud of herself and her short-term memory loss. Her signature line,
“Hi, I’m Dory. I suffer from short-term memory loss.” is given a backstory.
The first lines of Finding Dory is her signature phrase followed by:
“her parents clap and congratulate her. Her father praises
Dory, saying, “That’s exactly what you say,” reinforcing the underlying prejudice that disability is something that causes suffering (Finding Dory 00:00:57- 00:00:58).
“The didacticism of the characters’ interaction creates an unsettling parallel for parents who show this film to their children,
perhaps in the hopes of teaching them tolerance.” (Klinowski 51)
The prejudice Dory’s parents are teaching her is not intentional; they want to keep her safe.
They worry about her similarly to the way Marlin worries about Nemo. Dory (in the sequel’s flashbacks) is much younger than Nemo, reinforces that people with mental differences are more vulnerable and less capable than those with physical disabilities.
There are different assumptions. In Finding Nemo, Nemo is called out for looking “funny” and is given a chance to explain his difference. On the other hand, Dory is told,
“There’s something wrong with you.”
Source
Klinowski, Stacie, “Finding Nemo, Findng Dory, Finding Ourselves: How and Why We Teach Our Children to Think About Disability” (2018). English. 25. https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/honorscollege_eng/2