(1996) - The Rejected Body - Susan Wendell
In Chapter 2 of her book The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability (1996), Susan Wendell argues that disability is not simply located in the body but is produced by the interaction between bodies and social structures. Ramps, flexible work expectations, and inclusive public space can reduce or eliminate the disabling effects of physical difference, while their absence creates barriers that define certain bodies as "disabled." Wendell carefully distinguishes between impairment (a physical or mental condition) and disability (a socially constructed limitation), showing how culture, infrastructure, and institutional priorities turn difference into exclusion. Her work invites us to ask not how people can adapt to a rigid world, but how that world might adapt to the people in it.
To read more of Wendell's work, see here.
I maintain that the distinction between the biological reality of a disability and the social construction of a disability cannot be made sharply, because the biological and the social are interactive in creating disability.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution is a 2020 documentary that tells the story of a groundbreaking summer camp for teens with disabilities—Camp Jened—in the 1970s. Located in upstate New York, the camp became a transformative space where young people experienced freedom, community, and activism. Many campers later became leaders in the disability rights movement, helping to spark major legislative and social changes, including the fight for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The film links personal stories to broader political struggles, showing how collective action can emerge from shared marginalization. You can watch the full documentary here.