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The social image of women with disabilities

Author(s): Małgorzata Witkowska
Subject(s): Gender Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uczelni Jana Wyżykowskiego
Keywords: femininity; disability; image; social rating; value in social role

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the issue of the social image of women with disabilities. Disability is treated asa serious social problem because limits of mobility apply to a large part of every nation. Variousways of understanding disability are presented, citing selected definitions. The image was characterized as a psychosocial phenomenon, describing its essence and discussing various aspects. Thepsychological and social value of the image as well as the meaning which is given to it in variousareas of human life have been analyzed. The subject of specific features of the image of people withdisabilities was discussed. The article also discusses the phenomenon of femininity, treated as animportant element of women’s image. The basic elements of femininity as well as the relationshipbetween the appearance of the female body and the sense of fullness in the sexual role are indicated. The evolution of the understanding of femininity throughout history has been traced. Thesignificance of the condition and presence of the body for the sense of femininity was analyzed,and then selected issues of the social reception of women with disabilities were presented.In the designed studies, the author sought to find answers to 8 detailed research questionsregarding the value that the respondents attribute to women with disabilities in various life roles.It was revealed that people without disabilities covered by the study generally highly appreciate theattractiveness of women with limitations, and that this assessment does not differ in the groups ofwomen and men.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 11
  • Page Range: 229-243
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish