The reason I did not select a particular piece for this response is because I had something I wanted to say about a theme I saw in all of these readings. The interactions between those with disabilities, disabled/able-bodied relationships, and able bodied relationships, are treated as if there are different requirements to love. I understand that certain steps need to be taken to ensure the safety or comfort of your partner, but I don’t think there has to be more complications then that to it. In regards to Tom A. and Tom B., in “The Smallest People Alive” they loved each other, but were going to be separated; because they could hurt each other, which seems like a cheap excuse to keep them apart. They’d been with each other 20+ years. I think that the thought of them being together made the manager uncomfortable; because she couldn’t see the reasons why they would be so attracted to each other. In Mollow and Mcruers book, the first paragraph bugged me; because not everyone sees physical traits as the primary reason they are attracted to someone or a reason at all for that matter. Love is what you feel for someone, and looks or even how someone processes things shouldn’t change how someone feels if they are in love.
My point in this rant is that there isn’t one or two ways to like someone, and we shouldn’t be using what we use to evaluate if someone is attractive as the default when referring to others; because in most cases it isn’t true.
