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Paper Short Abstract:

The Independent Living movement in Sweden are using counter-narratives to highlight society's shortcomings when it comes to accessibility for persons with disabilities. How can this counter-narratives be seen as a powerful tool to unwriting ableism? And are the narratives modern disability folklore?

Paper Abstract:

The Independent Living movement in Sweden (their name in Sweden: GIL) has done a number of notable happenings over the years. To name a few: Cripple crap wipes, Fuckers who function, Retard beer, Said by retards (https://www.gil.se/gils-kampanjer/). They are always public, and they often receive a lot of attention both publicly in the city and in various media. The Independent Living movement are also good at using social media to spread their message. What these happenings have in common is that they put up a counter-narratives who questions societies inaccessibility for persons with disability. In for example “Said by retards” short Instragram-films was posted to turn concepts about disability upside down. Or as they write themselves: “Who are the real retards?” In this way, they actively create their own stories that have the possibility to become powerful tools to retract, or rewrite, such things that have been inscribed into society. It becomes a possibility to reshape, but also create another opportunity for who is represented. In this paper I want to argue that this counter-narratives becomes modern disability folklore that can be powerful tools to fight ableism. But how can these counter-narratives be seen as a powerful tool? And in what way are the narratives unwriting ableism? A possibility to answer these questions, is to consider these counter-narratives as modern disability folklore. Or as an Folklore Activism (Kodish 2011).