Disability as a Way of Knowing

Sor Juana's intellectual work was shaped by her specific social position and constraints; her perspective was not universal but particular and powerful. Similarly, disabled people bring distinctive ways of knowing the world—born from navigating systems not built for them, understanding embodiment and limitation deeply, and developing creative adaptation and resilience. Disability studies scholars, artists, and thinkers produce unique insights about access, justice, time, community, and human variation. Rather than erasing disability or treating it as mere obstacle, this concept honors disability as epistemology—a standpoint from which valuable knowledge emerges. Incorporating disabled perspectives enriches any field: medicine, ethics, technology, urban planning, psychology, and arts.