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In an interview Shawn Conner from The Vancouver Sun had with Jason DaSilva, a filmmaker and victim of multiple sclerosis, he discusses how people react differently to him because of his disability. In India people stare and question him, whereas in North America he claims there is \u201can invisibility factor\u201d (DaSilva). He explains that this \u201cinvisibility factor\u201d makes it difficult for a disabled person to connect with the rest of society because \u201cpeople don\u2019t really talk to other people with disabilities\u201d (DaSilva). Delving into possible reasons behind this blatant separation, it can often be due to people feeling uncomfortable because they do not know how to react to disabilities. It can be difficult to decide on whether or not to address a disability or how to do it without being offensive. Others may be more fearful of disability and therefore choose to avoid disabled people altogether. Either way, these attitudes, while not necessarily meant maliciously, only contribute to the exclusion. To further develop DaSilva\u2019s \u201cinvisibility factor\u201d, it reflects the stigmatization of and assumptions made towards people who are disabled with becoming ‘invisible’ as an outcome (Dasilva).<\/p>\n
How disability is portrayed in the rhetoric of horror in Couser\u2019s Signifying Bodies<\/em>\u00a0can be linked to promoting the “invisibility factor” because\u00a0disability is shown \u201cto be shunned or avoided\u201d (DaSilva, Couser 34). It perpetuates the act of aversion towards those who are disabled (Couser 34), creating the type of separation DaSilva experiences (DaSilva). As well, Couser displays the \u201cinvisibility factor\u201d through his summary of Ruth Sienkiewicz-Mercer\u2019s I Raise My Eyes to Say Yes,<\/em>\u00a0which explains her time in an institution, despite having no mental limitations and her eventual freedom (DaSilva, Couser 42-44). By this event, she is invisible in the way that assumptions about her disability are made without further investigation and despite communication efforts, she is not understood until later (Couser 42-44). While DaSilva is outright ignored, Sienkiewicz-Mercer is neglected, both experiences are examples of how people with disabilities are given less of a presence\u00a0in society (DaSilva, Couser 42-44). In conclusion, to eradicate this \u201cinvisibility factor\u201d, society has to follow “the rhetoric of emancipation” that Siekiewicz-Mercer uses in her story (DaSilva, Couser 44). It focuses on addressing and dispelling stereotypes and marginalization towards those who are disabled (Couser 44-45), as well, people must be open to understanding disabilities and not fearing them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Works Cited<\/p>\n