Hard bodies: exploring historical and cultural factors in disabled people’s participation in exercise; applying critical disability theory

AbstractThe popularity of the Paralympics co-exists with persistent exclusion of disabled youth and adults in community sport and recreation programmes around the world. This study explored the experiences of disabled people in sport, fitness and dance, drawing upon a range of participants’ perspectives from Paralympic athletes and professional dancers, to those who’d never engaged in physical activities. We asked participants about the range of psycho-social factors that intervene between a disabled person and a workable, enjoyable fitness regimen. Insights emerged into factors that encourage enjoyable physical movement for some, and factors that discourage or prohibit this for others. Analytic tools of Critical Disability Theory were applied to penetrate stereotyped conceptualizations of disabled people, taking a long view into the history of disability discrimination and exclusion. An example is the concept and (English) word, ‘fitness’ used during the Eugenics Movement to dismiss the worth of disabled...