What is What

ABOVE: An excerpt from the film Forest Gump. The main character, Forest, is chased by bullies and runs away while shedding his braces. The scene is a touchstone for the entire film in which Forest, a mildly developmentally disabled adult, lives a life full of romance, adventure and prosperity while blissfully unaware of his dumb luck. I am thankful not to have seen the film Forest Gump as a young child with braces on my legs who also ran from bullies.

BELOW: Bill Shannon in braces 1976. The example of Gump serves the dominant narrative of overcoming and rising above physical disability by becoming able-bodied as opposed to the reality of the majority of disabled peoples lives which involves incorporating, accomodating and living with a disability.