Rethinking Disabilities Exhibition on display in Labatt Hall

Rethinking Disability, an exhibition by KUCSC’s VP Student Issues Dominique McKee, aims to promote awareness around King’s about the diverse ways in which accessibility, or lack of it, impacts inclusion of people living with disability or mental health conditions. The photos and descriptions on display in Labatt Hall portray a wide range of settings including environmental and social dimensions of inclusion and exclusion in every day life.

McKee’s exhibit extended and developed the research work of students in the Disability Studies course with Pamela Cushing, professor of Interdisciplinary Studies. The course aims to enhance people’s imagination by moving people past thinking about disabilities and mental health only in terms of barriers and problems. Students who live with disability have many gifts to offer as well.

The exhibition of student research showcases both positive examples of access around London, such as closed captioning in movie theatres, and ways that society is not always designed for access of diverse minds and bodies. The student researchers offer alternative ways of rethinking disabilities by deconstructing negative conceptions.

“Through this exhibition, we explore historically the meaning of disability in order to contemplate how the term should be understood today and how our society ought to change according to this conception,” states McKee.

Designed to create a space for King’s students and faculty to connect with the experience of individuals living with disability, the exhibition encourages playfulness and keeping an open mind.

Past events at King’s include a performance by Ill Abilities, speaker series and documentaries.

For more information on forthcoming KUCSC events, please visit kucsc.ca/events/

Students interested in King’s Disability Studies courses, please visit www.kings.uwo.ca/academics/disability-studies/