Only full-time chair users get to compete?

[Banazir]

The national pageant, established in 1972, is open to women ages 21 to 60, who utilize a wheelchair, or in this case a scooter, for daily mobility.

In a conversation with a member of the national board, Lee said she was told she could enter future pageants when she is more qualified for the title.

"That’s the image we want to portray of disabled people?" said Lee, noting the lift in her van, the ramp and adaptive equipment in her home, right down to the lightweight dishes in her kitchen.

http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/local_20451592.shtml

Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin was apparently stripped of her title once someone took a picture of her standing up and she mentioned she stood up in her classroom. Despite the fact that she'd mentioned this when entering and they'd said "no problem". This is trivial compared to a lot of disability news, but it reinforces the stereotype that disability (and wheelchair use) is all or nothing. I wonder whether FDR would've been disqualified for something like that because he stood for some photographs.

There's a discussion on another DU board here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=2965030

[papau]

1. Excellent point you made re "nothing in there about "can't ever walk."

Rules:
1. A U.S. citizen between the ages of 21 & 60
2. Utilize a wheelchair for daily mobility
3. Marital status is not a consideration
"nothing in there about "can't ever walk."

[tubbacheez]

2. Not a fan of pageants for any group. But yeah, there's injustice here. nt

[pop goes the weasel]

3. stop doing that!

Sharing my thoughts, that is. First thing I thought of when I heard about this earlier was FDR. Maybe we should take the wheelchair out of his memorial after all, if it's going to be all or nothing.

The idea that some women who are always in wheelchairs would have their feelings hurt by seeing a picture of the pageant winner standing is ridiculous. I've never known a person who always uses a wheelchair who would think people who can stand up some but use a wheelchair mostly aren't wheelchair users. What about the resentment that people who use electrical wheelchairs might feel toward people in self-propelled chairs? Why, I bet we can imagine all sorts of resentments that just don't exist.

[pop goes the weasel]

4. oh, and now that I look at the article some more

It appears that this is just the state director getting back at Lee for disagreeing over the filing of some law suits. Me-ow!

[NMMNG]

5. I thought the decison was tacky

I applaud those who fight for rights for the disabled, particularly since I work with individuals who have disabilities. However I find it hypocritical that those who denounce the 'nondisabled' for discriminating against the 'mislabled' (what they like to call themselves) turn right around and do so to one of their own because she is "not handicapped enough".