Cuerpos, capacidades, exigencias funcionales... y otros lechos de Procusto

Abstract

The so-called social model of disability interprets it as a social construction, but it does not present capability in the same manner. Usually abilities are supposed to be inherent to the body, whereas is overlooked that being able to reach certain set of abilities is an imposed normative fact demanded by our cultural life standards. This set defining abilities reflects accurately the abilities of what we call normative body. The reflection around the body, as a key sociocultural element, must question the essentialism in the attribution of such abilities, remarking that the first step to fall under medical and able-bodied gazes is, precisely, defining and assuming a previous set of body inherent abilities. As a way to deconstruct normative body we propose putting into practice an alternative gaze, far from the general belief in a majority and unique functioning way, that allows taking into account as well the minority and less frequent functioning ways. So that the reflection turns into a matter of respect to functional diversity, as an inherent condition of human body and human being, which results from recognition of all different possible functioning ways.