Princess of Ableism ("Queer Eye" 2)

Warning: This article mentions the term “special needs” many different times

The next episode of Queer Eye I want to talk about is season 6 episode 7 titled “Snow White of Central Texas”.

The description of the episode on Netflix is “The overworked founder of a rescue organization for special-needs animals is so busy taking care of others that she doesn't make time for herself.”

The first thing I want to address is the huge effort to avoid the words “disabled” and “disability”.

A common euphemism they use is the term “special needs”. It’s actually said around 14 times in the span of a little over 50 minutes.

Another euphemism that’s said is “superpower”.

To me, that’s completely dehumanizing.

I know there are superheroes - people with superpowers - who were born on Earth, but I personally don’t see them as human. If anything, they’re superhuman.

Instead of viewing us disabled people as equal human beings you speak about us as if we’re in a whole different league.

I understand superheroes or people with superpowers are seen as more superior than “normal” humans - they’re seen as automatically better than people without superpowers. I understand this can seem like nondisabled people viewing disabled people as these amazing beings, but I see it as poorly disguised pity and devaluement.

We’re human beings. Being disabled doesn’t make us less than.

If someone feels bad for us and sees us as lesser human beings, that’s something they need to address and work on within themself.

Also, superheroes don’t even actually exist. On the other hand, disabled people do. We are human beings who exist in the world. People need to learn to accept that.

The ranch’s motto is “Rescue animals rescuing children”.

…why? Someone being disabled does not automatically mean they need to be “rescued”. Seeing a disabled person and automatically viewing them as someone who needs rescuing is incredibly ableist.

After the hosts arrive and are getting to know Jamie (the episode’s hero), Antoni gets emotional seeing some of the animals. He says, “These animals are so pure. They haven’t done anything wrong to anybody.”

You mean like every animal?

The only times I see animals attack - or do “something wrong” - is when they’re trained to or they’re protecting someone or something they care about.

Calling these animals pure because they’re disabled is a problem.

Jamie really acts like a savior and victim the entire episode.

She talks about these disabled human beings and animals needing her help.

At one point, early on, she says what she does is 24/7. She says that there is “no way to have this many animals and this much special needs without somebody needing me at all times”. Poor her for treating disabled people nicely and with respect (sarcasm).

I know she was struggling at this point, but there are non-ableist ways to express that.

I also understand she may not have liked asking for help at this point, but there are volunteers at this ranch (Jamie said so) so it’s not just her. She was not alone in taking care of the animals.

At the very beginning of the episode it is mentioned that the ranch is for “special needs” children and adults.

But that’s the only time disabled adults are brought up. The episode continuously talks about “special needs” animals and kids.

And, even then, the episode mostly focuses on the animals at the ranch.

The children were brought up many times during the episode but it was really only when Jamie talked about what she does for “special needs” kids. I fully believe Jamie brought up the kids only when she could brag and talk about the “amazing” stuff she does. So she can look like this amazing person - this nondisabled person that “saves” “special needs” kids.

Near the beginning of the episode, in her interview before the hosts arrive, Jamie says it’s “literal magic” when you see a blind child petting a blind pony.

This is a rhetorical question - unless Jamie wants to answer it herself: why is a blind child petting a blind pony “literal magic”? It’s a disabled human being petting a disabled animal. Why is it magical to see a person interacting with an animal?

Is it that you don’t see the blind child as a human being?

For a moment, at the beginning of the episode, Jamie talks about her son who has Autism. When she talks about her son, who’s name is Jackson, she says “extra needs” rather than “special needs”. I think this is quite interesting because when it comes to kids that aren’t hers and animals in general, either “special needs” or “superpower(s)” (instead of “disability/disabilities”). When it comes to kids that aren’t hers, she is not hesitant to infantilize and devalue disabled people.

I personally believe “special needs” (and “extra needs”) is not just ableist but also completely incorrect. Disabled people’s needs aren’t “special” or “extra”. We all have the same needs, it just looks different from person to person.

I have a specific example I love to use. (Context needed: I am a non-ambulatory wheelchair user):

Say I’m in a building with a nondisabled person and we both need to get to the 2nd floor. The nondisabled person can use the stairs to get to the floor. I, on the other hand, can’t and I have to take the elevator.

Both mine and the nondisabled person’s needs are the same (get to the 2nd floor). The execution of the needs - how the nondisabled person and I take care of that need - looks different.

During most episodes of Queer Eye, quotes are shown on screen between scenes. One of the quotes in this episode is, “We cannot cure the world of sorrows but we can choose to live in joy. - Joseph Campbell”.

I have a couple things I want to say about this specific quote in this specific episode:

1.) To me this quote is ironic because Jamie is being ableist and therefore adding to sorrows and harming disabled people and our community.

2.) Disabilities are not sorrows - people that push that narrative are part of the problem.

Disabled people can be happy and sad, we can have good days and bad days - just like nondisabled people.

Disabled people can be proud to be disabled and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with that.

Trying to “rescue” disabled people and play savior is a problem. It does WAY more harm than good.

Jamie admits she has 170+ animals, only 60ish of which are “special needs”. If you have a farm made up of disabled and nondisabled animals, why focus on and talk about only the disabled ones? If it’s supposed to be a ranch of disabled animals, why mention the other animals?

Throughout the episode, it is mentioned many times how the disabled kids recieve healing from these animals.

How do you know or why do you assume these kids need healing? Jamie talks about how some of the animals come from abuse. The humans are just “special needs”.

Someone being disabled does not automatically mean they need healing.

The thing that most upsets me is not once during this episode does ANYONE point out the ableism happening.

For people and a show that preach inclusivity, that’s ridiculous.

( P.S. The hosts letting ableism (both internal and external) continue when they work with and help other people is NOT OKAY. You are contributing to harm against our community.)