The Right to Self-Determination in Care

Sor Juana fought against others controlling her intellectual work and defining her value; disabled people similarly deserve control over decisions affecting their care and bodies. Self-determination in care means disabled people—not doctors, family members, or institutions—deciding what treatments, supports, and accommodations they need and want. It challenges medical paternalism that treats disabled people as passive patients rather than active agents. It supports personal assistance services where disabled people hire and direct their own support rather than accepting institutional care. It honors disabled people refusing unwanted interventions and choosing unconventional paths. This right is foundational to justice and dignity; Sor Juana's intellectual independence models the autonomy disabled people deserve in all domains of their lives.