NorMal

My friend, Thea St. Omer, presented her documentary film, NorMal, yesterday at the Palace Theater -- a work in progress. Thea interviewed multiple people about their definitions of disability and also whether they thought they were a person who lived with a disability. The pastiche of perspectives from individuals who represented the true diversity of our American culture invited the viewer to process what they were hearing in their own ways and come to their individual conclusions.

For me, I left thinking that abnormal is normal, yet we all work desperately to hide this. Every individual interviewed was a testimony to the ways we construct ourselves to societal expectations that are ridiculous and plain stupid. Instead, we should be slowing ourselves down to appreciate the gifts provided by each and every one of us.

The thought-provoking documentary made me think deep and hard and I felt very fortunate to have been invited to this screening!