ABSTRACT
I. Introduction [Individuals with disabilities are a discrete and insular minority who have been. . . subjected to a history of purposeful unequal treatment, and relegated to a position of political powerlessness in our society. . . resulting from. . . assumptions not truly indicative of the. . . ability of such individuals to participate in, and contribute to, society.2 These words form part of the findings and purposes section of the Americans
1 Ph.D. Henry R. Luce Professor of Biology, Ethics and the Politics of Human Reproduction, Wellesley College. I wish to thank Ruth Colker for inviting me to examine the lessons of critical race theory and feminism for disability theory and policy. The invitation, and our several conversations as I grappled with these questions, have proved very provocative and stimulating for me, and I can only hope that this essay captures some of what I have learned from our work together.
