I want us to clearly identify this for what it is – in my cultural reference, psychiatric profiling is no different from the blood libel that was manufactured against Jews to justify pogroms. I read stories about those times and am struck by the similarity in how people hunkered down, waited for it to pass, tried to reason with reasonable authorities, passed as gentile, strategized however they could to survive. A blood libel cannot be debated. Now in hindsight I hope that most people think the blood libel is ridiculous as well as offensive, but it was believed in its time and I’m sure there are bigots who still imagine this bogeyman in their fears.

I talked with two friends this week – I was saying that, now that the interpretation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is almost entirely secured, we need to pay attention to positive measures: what do we want to see in a world that is remade with no forced psychiatry? If a government said to us, “OK, we will repeal the mental health laws and get rid of commitment and forced treatment – what else should we do to make sure people have what they need and are not discriminated against if they have unusual thoughts or are experiencing serious distress or crisis?” – what could we answer?

Both of my friends had a strong reaction that focused on the depth of hatred we are experiencing under the current system, that can make us feel as if we ourselves are not worthy as human beings. It is hard to acknowledge this – to take in society’s libel and not be strong enough to shrug it off is one of the edges we can fall off and get libeled as mentally ill – especially if we are female. It makes me angry. It makes us angry. And we shouldn’t have to take it any more.

It’s not a weakness or a vulnerability – we are damn strong to survive what we have, and those who haven’t would find the same strength within themselves if they were put in our shoes.

Diese Woche redete ich mit zwei Freunden, ich sagte ihnen, daß jetzt, wo die Interpretation der UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention weitgehend gesichert ist, wir unsere Aufmerksamkeit nun auch positiven Maßnahmen zuwenden sollten: Was wollen wir erleben in einer Welt, die ohne Zwangspsychiarie neu gestaltet wird? Wenn eine Regierung uns mitteilt: "OK, wir werden die psychiatrischen Sondergesetze aufheben und mit Entrechtung und Zwangsbehandlungen aufräumen. Was sollen wir noch tun, damit wir sichergehen, daß Menschen haben was sie brauchen und nicht weiter diskriminiert werden, wenn sie ungewöhnliche Gedanken haben oder ernsten Kummer oder Krisen durchleben?" - was würden wir antworten?