The Four Most Recognized Models of Disability in Disability Studies

Deep in the halls of academia across the country, Disability Studies scholars and sociologists debate and discuss what it means to live a disabled life in today's society. To help frame these conversations in a specific or relative context, they have created what are called Models of Disability. As this article by Disabled World outlines, there are several models. Some models like the Empowering Model or the Spectrum Model are very distinct and stand alone. In contrast, others like the Minority Model or the Moral Model have connections to other models that are similar to their own.

There are many different Models of Disability used in Disability Studies and the Disability Rights Movement as well. From the article:

Disability studies is an academic discipline that examines and theorizes about the social, political, cultural, and economic factors that define disability.

In other words, in order to understand something, first, you have to label it. It is a tale as old as time. These classifications can facilitate a deeper understanding and evaluation of how the millions of different people with disabilities co-exist in the world. Because believe me, the disability community is not a monolith. Hopefully, with this knowledge and information, policies can be developed to more wholly integrate disabled people into all aspects of society throughout the world.

Four main over-arching Models are most prominent in understanding disability: the Medical Model, the Social Model, the Inspirational/Religious Model, and the Tragedy/Charity Model.

The Medical Model

The Medical Model states that disability is a problem with the person and is caused by disease, trauma, or other health condition and therefore requires sustained medical care and a cure. It looks more at the disease than the person.

Being limited by the Medical Model in seeking treatment is very challenging for many disabled people because many times when we go to the doctor, the immediate focus of our care is all about our diagnosis or disability. This kind of thinking lends itself to unwanted objectification and presumption about our lives personally and what we want for our quality of life. We are simply not regarded as human beings.

The Medical Model of disability is one of the oldest and most entrenched in society. It has also been one of the hardest for the disability community to combat because often, our disabilities do require some level of routine medical intervention. The Medical Model can make seeking medical care very isolating, frustrating, and scary.

The Social Model

Whereas the Medical Model sees disability as a problem with the person, the Social Model considers the problem with society. Or, more specifically, sees "disability" as a socially constructed problem of the environment that prevents disabled people from fully integrating. In this model, disability is not an attribute of the individual but rather a complex collection of conditions created by the social environment.

Disability scholar Paul Longmore once explained the Social Model to one of his classes this way: "I use a wheelchair, but my friend who can climb stairs, does not. Up until we both approach a staircase, we are both equal in our ability. But the minute he starts to move forward, up the stairs, and I cannot, an inequality is created."

The staircase is a socially constructed barrier that prevented Longmore from continuing. The only thing that made him disabled was the step, meaning if there was a ramp, they could both go forward.

Related to the Social Model are newer models that are associated: the Identity Model and the Affirmation Model. Both are rooted in disability pride. Exploring and amplifying these models will be essential for the Disability Rights Movement as it moves further into the 21st Century and the demands for Disability Civil Rights grow louder.

The Inspirational/Religious Model

In addition to the Medical Model, the Inspirational/Religious Model has been around for a very long time. In fact, it pre-dates medicine in many ways. In essence, it is the belief that disability is the act of a divine being, like an act of God or other deities. Some people believe that a disabled person has magic superpowers or that they "have been touched" or are "special."

I was shopping in Walgreen's once when a woman approached me and put her hand on my head because she thought I knew Jesus. I didn't really know how to respond. I just stood there and said, "Ummm, thank you." And then quickly walked away. I won't lie; it was weird.

Some view this religious "chosen" aspect through a negative lens. The disabled person is being punished for sinning, and therefore, is something to be ashamed of and tragic. Not so long ago, some disabled people, particularly those with mental health conditions, were believed to be demonic or possessed. These attitudes and beliefs were very isolating and stigmatizing for disabled people. And in some societies, also very dangerous. Many disabled people were killed either because of their disabilities or in their attempted "cure."

An offshoot of the Religious Model is the Moral Model of Disability. It states that people are morally responsible for their disability. That, for example, they are disabled only because they or their family member did "something bad." This can include but is not limited to beliefs around curses, witchcraft and/or other religious, moral doctrine.

The Inspirational part of this model connects more closely to the positive connotations of the Religious Model. There is a common term in the Disability Pride community, and it is called "Inspiration Porn." Coined by Stella Young, (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw ) it refers to idolizing disabled people for very basic tasks, or even nothing at all-- just for existing.

Common refrains of this model are when a disabled person is out in society, grocery shopping, for example, and a stranger approaches and says, "Oh, look how amazing you are! You are out grocery shopping!" The entire undercurrent of this line of thinking is the idea that one needs to "overcome" their disability.

It's a lot of what you see in telethon talk praising disabled people for really doing nothing other than just being alive. There is a really paternalistic and patronizing adulation of existence for no reason other than primarily your disability. This frame of reference of disabled people and our lives is very detrimental to our inclusion in society and very offensive.

The Tragedy/Charity Model

While the Medical Model causes problems for disabled people in the doctor's office, I argue that no other model is more comprehensively limiting for the disability community in current times than the Tragedy/Charity Model. Although cloaked in a false ideal of kindness and compassion, this model's authentic intentions are rooted in very negative associations about disability, oppression, and pity.

The Tragedy/Charity Model regards disabled people's lives as tragic victims only deserving of pity. It says we should be thankful for the bare minimum rather than having high expectations of ourselves and our circumstances. The practical implications of the Tragedy/Charity Model keep disabled people from advancing in education, housing, healthcare, and employment. This lack of advancement severely restricts our ability to live independently and have agency over our own lives and decisions.