Disability Protests

Disability Protests 1970 – 2005: Empirical Realities and Changing Meanings Sharon Barnartt Gallaudet University Presented at SDS, 2011

Methodology/Data • Quantitative content analysis of events • From media reports, personal accounts and organizational websites • Located using computerized databases [primarily LexisNexis] & print indices • Included only protests which had already happened • N = 1264 protests from 1970 – 2005 in the US

Definitions 1: Protest Conducted by 2 or more people Demands social, not individual, change Not related to self-help or money-raising Uses tactics which are non-normative in the American political context NOT INCLUDED Lobbying Petitioning Lawsuit Voter registration

INCLUDED Protest march Hunger strike Blocking buses Lock-out

Definitions 2: Disability Protest • Issue is relevant to people with disabilities • Determination is based upon issue, not protesters: Stephen Hawking protesting about Iraq or disabled athletes protesting inclusion of athletes from apartheid South Africa are not included • Protests related to AIDS, breast cancer, obesity or other medical problems included only if related to disability [Ex: if protesting disability benefit criteria]

More Definitions Rights-related demand Accessibility, discrimination, or legal issues such as enforcement of existing laws

Services-related demand Money, specific types or characteristics of services, or education

Impairment demand type Is based upon type of issue, not types of protesters identified in media coverage

Disruptiveness Based upon the American context in which marches or demonstrations are not disruptive

FIG 1: Frequency of Protests by Year 250

200

150

100

50

0

5

3

1

99

97

95

93

91

89

87

85

83

81

79

77

75

73

71

FIG 2: Impairment demand Type 52.5%

18.3%

10.8%

Cross disability

Mobility

Deafness

9.2% 4.9%

4.4%

Blindness

Dev. Dis.

Other

FIG 3: Disability Demand category 44.3% 41.1%

14.6%

rights

services

other

FIG 4: Protest Targets 36.5% 32.9%

21.7%

8.8%

Local

State

Federal

Other

FIG 5: Other Characteristics [% ‘yes’] 62.6%

23.8% 16.8% 8.4%

Disruptive

Police

Arrests

Organization

FIG 6: Numbers of Protests per Decade

FIG 7: Cross Disability Demands by Decade [as % of all demands] 77.5%

57.3% 50.0%

21.5%

1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

FIG 8: Demand Type by Decade 70.0%

Rights services

60.0%

Other

50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

FIG 9: Organizational Involvement by Decade 80.0%

Any Org

70.0%

ADAPT

60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

FIG 10: Police Presence and Disruptiveness by Decade 35.0%

Police Disruptive

30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

Empirical Realities 1. Disability demands have become more cross-disability, but they were not initially. 2. Disability protests overall are now more likely to relate to services than rights. 3. Many disability protests are not fomented by organizations, and this is increasingly so. 4. ADAPT’s proportional involvement in protests has decreased. 5. Protest activity is less disruptive and less likely to involve police.

1.

2. 3. 4.

5.

Meanings: What Do Protests Tell Us? Protesters do not represent all or even a substantial part of the disability community. There is not a Disability Rights Movement, rather a Disability Movement. Issues related to services have not gone away and are still contentious. Protest activity is increasingly less likely to be claimed by organizations—therefore more spontaneous. Future research: The Disability Movement is moving towards non-contentious tactics?