What assumptions did you bring to this session? What expectations did you have?
Although I try not to have too many predispositions, I think it is human nature to have some judgements in the back of our heads. In this case, the judgements I had were that she was almost completely incapable of performing any basic functions (e.g. feeding herself) and that she was very weak mentally as a result of lack of confidence and alienation from a large portion of society.
Now that the talk has wrapped, what have you needed to rethink and why?
I need to rethink both of these judgments completely. I now know that any disability can be overcome with enough innovative thinking. Before, I thought that Christina was incapable of doing almost any physical activity, but I now know that she can actually do a lot, including play table tennis. And this is all thanks to her ability, along with the ability of the people trying to help her, to think critically and innovatively.
I also now know that I was completely wrong to think that Christina would be mentally weak. In fact, she is extremely strong and confident and doesn’t feel that she is alienated from society at all. She believes that she is just as normal as everyone even with her disabilities.
Yes, I was quite struck by how she says she has ceased to care what people think of her.