Desiring Disability
Examining the Social Construction of Transability in the News and Social Media
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11275633 |
|---|---|
| Authors | A Santinele Martino (0000-0002-2270-3482, University of Calgary, corresponding author), Jordan Parks (University of Calgary), Kendyl Kilpatrick (University of Calgary), Melissa Miller (0009-0001-7514-0353, University of Calgary), F Wang (0000-0003-2479-1276, University of Alberta) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-14 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Deviant Behavior (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0163-9625 • E-ISSN: 1521-0456 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01639625.2026.2631589 |
| OpenAlex | W7130644168 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 20 |
The concept of transability, also referred to in medical discourse as Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), remains a contentious subject, eliciting strong public and professional reactions. This study examines the media and public discourse surrounding a recent case in which a 20-year-old man in Quebec voluntarily underwent the amputation of two fingers. Using qualitative content analysis, we analyzed 15 news articles and three Reddit threads to explore the ways in which this case was framed, discussed, and contested. The findings reveal that news coverage predominantly framed BIID as a psychological disorder requiring medical intervention, emphasizing the “healthy” status of the amputated fingers and reinforcing a biomedical perspective. Public reactions to the case, particularly in online forums, were overwhelmingly negative, with many commenters condemning the procedure as unethical, comparing it to self-harm, or linking it to broader ideological debates, including transgender healthcare. A minority of voices supported the procedure as a harm-reduction strategy. This paper contributes to the growing scholarship on transability by highlighting how media narratives and online discussions shape public understanding of bodily autonomy, disability, and medical ethics. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between medicalization, identity, and individual rights in contemporary healthcare debates.
News media · Social constructionism · Social media · Disability Rights and Representation · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
Shifting the discourse on disability
Transability
How dare you pretend to be disabled?’ The discounting of transabled people and their claims in disability movements and studies
Needing to Acquire a Physical Impairment/Disability
Narrative Construction of a Ruptured Self
Transabled women lost in translation
The Study of Boundaries in the Social Sciences
Normal/Deserving Citizens and the Transabled Other
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |