Alien Teen Girl Blog :/

The essay I am exploring is The Beauty of Spaces Created for and by Disabled People written by S.E. Smith. This essay dives deep into the heart of connectedness and isolation in marginalized communities. Being disabled in our society is not for the faint of heart. From birth, you are isolated and told you don’t fit in. Smith argues that the isolation of disabled people is due to the fear that together they will fight against prejudice and that if disabled people had a community and felt a sense of belonging, it would be healing and empowering. As a gay woman, I felt extremely seen in this article, and feeling a deep sense of belonging is something I do not take for granted. Smith has a deep understanding of how this affects the way people live. He opened my mind to a world where I don’t have to fight for everything; in a weird way, he gave me my hope back.

Isolation. Isolation is a tactic used to gain control. Disabled people are everything that people in power fear: a group of resilient people who don’t fit into society but still thrive. The only thing they can do to try to control them is isolate them from the world and each other. The only time disabled people are allowed to feel a sense of belonging are in settings that are extremely controlled and already have horrible reputations like hospitals, clinical settings, etc. Smith agrees stating, “That is often by design; we are kept isolated from one another, as though more than two disabled people in the same room will start a riot or make everyone feel awkward.” Seeing the isolation disabled people go through being used for control is vital in understanding how society views them. 

With the darkness isolation brings, belonging is right around the corner, shining its light. As a member of a marginalized community myself, I understand the importance of feeling a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is rare and usually occurs in spaces created and run by the same community, as they are the only ones who truly understand. Smith puts this feeling of belonging into words, “It is very rare, as a disabled person, that I have an intense sense of belonging, of being not just tolerated or included in a space but actively owning it; “This space,” I whisper to myself, “is for me.” Next to me, I sense my friend has the same electrified feeling.”. This feeling is not changing yourself to be a part of something; it is natural. Being who you are and finding the space that allows you to be free is what is truly missing from communities around the world. We are only given a few spaces in our society to feel like this; it is our duty as humans who want connection to make more of these spaces. The only way to beat forced isolation is to find the cracks in the system and to keep going until we are able to be free everywhere. 

This essay opened my eyes to a whole new world of opportunity. The sense of belonging that so many people are missing in their lives often fades because of society’s pressure to conform. But we can break free from these invisible chains by finding people who understand us and carving out our own place in the world. It’s so important for disabled people to have a platform to be heard—not only because their stories matter, but because they see the world in such a uniquely valuable way.