A review by mozbolt
Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This was an informative and frank read addressing ableism in general but also the way in which social pressures push disabled and neurodivergent people toward an expectation of "normalcy" through technology. Shew pushes against the narrative that tech such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, hearing aids, etc. are solutions, defining them as tools instead. These tools do not always work in the way that able-bodied people think, and I learned much about the amputee experience and the nuances, discomforts, and social issues they present, especially in a world that is not built for people with disabilities. This book helped me address my own biases as an able-bodied person, and also provided more context about neurodivergence that felt empowering. One of the best things I read in Shaw's essay on neurodivergence was that taking away stimming (an often stigmatized action such as rocking, flappy hands, etc.) silences the way autistic and other neurospicey folks "gather, process, and express information." This is a form of oppression that can be "silencing, deadening, and reducing." Shew also highlights the ways in which disability can be an asset, especially in space, asking readers to look at the uses that physical limitations on earth could be useful in space, such as ostemy bags. She makes the rather humorous statement that pooping can be such a pain in space, but if everyone had ostemy bags, they wouldn't have to worry about the nuances of evacuating their bowels in space lol. She also made the point that there is more disability in our future, especially in the wake of climate change causing natural disasters and changes in wildlife behavior, meaning spread of physical disability and disease. There are so many things that able-bodied people (myself included) miss at times because it isn't talked about. Or rather, the voices in science are those of able-bodied and neurotypical individuals and teams who are still not consulting the perspectives of those impacted by disability. Hearing others' perspectives is so important as we move more quickly into an uncertain and at times, frightening future. Also, this book was short and well-sectioned so I found it to be accessible and easy to follow.