During my time at Mount Holyoke, my definition of diversity has constantly been evolving. Mount Holyoke women come from a wide variety of social, economic, cultural, national and religious backgrounds. Recently my definition expanded to include physical diversity as well. Not just in terms of body weight, but height and able-ness too. I often joke with friends about being “vertically challenged,” especially when needing to reach high places or when playing basketball. Standing at five feet tall has definitely given me a different perspective on life. I think it has not only forced me to be a little more outspoken than others, for fear that my petite size will have me lost in a crowd, but it has also helped me realize not to let physical appearance dictate how I view people. Body image is an important topic in considering how women are viewed in media and society. The size of bodies, boobs or behinds often dictates how people view us: not just men, but other women too.

But I often take for granted that no matter how fat or skinny or short or tall I am, my body works pretty well and I can walk up four flights of stairs or speed-walk across campus in pouring rain without much trouble. I realize this as I remember the first time I met my friend Alexander. Alex is a sophomore at UMass and is in my film production class on Thursday mornings. Alex, who has cerebral palsy, has limited mobility of his arms and legs. And although he can walk with assistance, he uses a wheelchair to get around. Sometimes it is hard to understand him when he speaks, but he is one of the most observant people in my class. Alex met with me one Saturday to do some film editing. We went to Rooke Theater to use an audio editing program in the computer lab, but when we got there I quickly realized that Rooke does not have an elevator and is not wheelchair accessible, especially to the upstairs classrooms where the computer lab was. I felt embarrassed and frustrated that I couldn’t use the upstairs computer lab with Alex and that I had not realized it earlier Alex was disappointed, but did not seem to mind all that much.

At UMass, Alex doesn’t run into too many problems with accessibility. It’s a public university that is able to accommodate students of all mental and physical abilities. But what does that say about a place like Mount Holyoke? As a private college, our disability services office on campus works with students with mental and physical needs and ensures our compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It made me think about what kind of students we could be including as part of our student body if buildings were more accessible to intelligent young women who happen to have physical disabilities. While many buildings have elevators, many older buildings on campus, like several dorms and Rooke Theater, are not. But if there is anything that being a Mount Holyoke woman has taught me, it’s engaging myself with people who see things differently has been one of the best parts of my learning experience. If Mount Holyoke isn’t wheelchair accessible, those women cannot be a part of that discussion. Renovations or none, what kind of social community could Mount Holyoke have if we included more physically disabled women in our population? What better way to educate ourselves than to include women who, whether they get around on crutches, a wheelchair, or two feet, embody strength and brilliance both inside and out?

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