From the Desk of the CEO

January 3, 2012

“The good life” is the state slogan for Nebraska.

As a result of stigma, stereotypes or prejudice, all sorts of good things in life that many people take for granted slip away from those who are devalued.

Sociology and anthropology have shown that every society places a value on an individual or group of people based on whether the person or group is perceived as significantly different from most others in the society.

There are characteristics of “difference” in all of us. Some of those characteristics may be physical, such as being taller or having blonde hair. Some of those characteristics may be in an item associated with the individual, such as the clothes they wear, where they work or where they live.

The difference may be seen as positive or negative depending on the value society places on the characteristic that embodies the difference.

For the most part however, differences from the typical expectations of society are perceived as having negative value.

“When the difference is perceived negatively, the individual will begin to be devalued. Devaluation is a process of attributing less value to a person or group than is accorded to a typical person and group, because the person or group is perceived as having some undesirable characteristic which differentiates them from other people or groups.” (Wolfensberger, W. and Thomas, S. (1983). PASSING, Program Analysis of Service Systems’ Implementation of Normalization Goals.)

Devaluation is a societal action not an individual action. Individuals acting in shameful or hurtful ways toward another person based on the individual’s prejudices are jerks.

But when we create systems or services that separate out a group of people as different because of some undesirable characteristic the process of devaluation occurs.

Typically, children of school age attend school within their neighborhood with classmates from the neighborhood.

Typically, working age adults have jobs that pay at least the minimum wage.

Typically, adults live with a close friend or their spouse or partner in a place they choose and they prepare their own meals and go to bed when they choose – they typically refer to this place as “home.”

So what is life looking like for someone with a significant disability? Most of us know someone or encounter someone in our life who has a significant mental or physical disability.

What is their life like? Have they attained the “good things of life”?^*

Do they have family or an equivalent small intimate group they feel strongly connected to?

Do they have a place they can call home? Does their family share their home?

Do they have friends? People whose acceptance and companionship are not duty-bound by kinship or paycheck but people who voluntarily chose to spend time with them.

Do they have work that is invested with meaning other than earning money or spending the day somewhere?

Do they have a sense of reasonable safety and security in their daily life?

The good life and the good things society is able to convey are almost automatically apt to be accorded to a person who holds socially valued roles, at least within the resources and norms of that society.

Growing in our understanding of Social Role Valorization increases our insight and sharpens our ability as advocates to challenge actions or systems that limit the possibilities for people with disabilities. It enhances our ability to envision a better future.

“Without a vision, the people perish.” But as Johnetta Betsch Cole observes, “While it is true that without a vision the people perish, it is doubly true that without action the people and their vision perish as well.”

Consequently, as advocates and persons interested in providing meaningful and life enriching supports to people with disabilities we must be able to see and respond to the ill-effects of social devaluation. We must commit ourselves to creating positive and life affirming valued social roles through social structures grounded in the human dignity of all.

Timothy F. Shaw, J.D.
Chief Executive Officer