Women and Disability

3 credits · Undergraduate

This course explores the intersection of women's experience and the social and personal impact of disability and chronic illness on relationships, identity, employment, health, body image, sexuality, reproduction, motherhood, and aging. Explore historic and current perspectives in medicine, independent living, caregiving, insurance, benefits, law, and community activism as they intersect with disabled women and their families. Discuss ethical controversy such as prenatal screening, wrongful birth law suits, and physician-assisted suicide. Course readings draw on rich literature of disabled women's anthologies, scholarly and popular literature of disability, feminist analyses, creative writing; women's art, film, theatre.