Marcella identifies as an able-bodied person and because she has a sibling with a disability she believes she must also identify as a person of privilege because she can walk around on her own two feet while her disabled sibling cannot. I believe that Marcella is suffering from sort of socially-induced guilt complex—as if she has to feel guilty for being able-bodied, which I think is nonsense. I am tired of people accusing themselves of privilege as though they should feel guilty about being who they are. This is absolutely ridiculous and I wish it would stop. Marcella does not have to feel ashamed of being able-bodied just because others are disabled. There is no guilt in being able-bodied. I would never consider myself as a person of privilege because I am able-bodied. Maybe it’s because I’m African-American, but I think this privilege “talk” is way too politically correct and fake. It is people trying to atone for some perception of some sin they have committed for not being oppressed by this or that.
I believe no one should walk around accusing themselves of being privileged. Accusing oneself of privilege or accusing others of it is a way to mentally oppress them. One cannot control whether one is born able-bodied or disabled—so why should one be accused of privilege as though the able-bodied person were somehow at fault for being able-bodied. This is bad for society, and a just a bad culture in general that is creating this type of scorn and self-loathing.
I will have to work with disabled persons, but I am not going to have a perspective like Marcella and think about privilege. I plan to treat everyone with respect because that is what all people deserve. I don’t need to judge anyone—it is not my place to do so. By not judging others, I think I will create positive therapeutic alliance with everyone when working with a client who is similar to Marcella or anyone else for that matter.
