“Us too”: Processes of Resistance and (Re)Negotiation Among Women with Functional Diversity

Abstract

Taking a feminist and intersectional approach, this article conducts a socio-political analysis of the traditional paradigms of disability through an ethnographic study of the life histories of women with functional diversity (FD). In Spain, the term “people with functional diversity” has emerged as a preferred denomination for many, if not all, people and entities working in this field because it emphasizes the contribution of people with FD to society. Based on interviews with six study participants, the analysis examines these women's discourses and the different ways that they deconstruct traditional models of disability and ableism and the patriarchal and capitalist social categories that constrain them in positions of inequality and oppression. In particular, the analysis centers on the different ways of “being” a woman with FD and the transformative capacity of agency in overturning traditional representations in favor of plurality and inclusiveness. By challenging marginalized social categories, the women claim ownership of their bodies and sexuality and also open routes to social resources. Nevertheless, the research also shows that these resistances often took place at an individual rather than a collective level. Hence, while emphasizing the agentive capacity of the participants, the study shows how each of their biographies is framed within a socio-political context. This research makes an important contribution to the theory and practice of social work as it questions the traditional categories of FD and brings us closer to the lived experiences and practices of the study participants.