Relatively recently, scholars have begun to direct attention to identities based on
physical and mental disabilities. Low (1996), for example, explores the experiences
of college students with disabilities. Her interviews show these students’
enduring dilemma, the desire to be perceived as “normal” while at the same time
having to negotiate a disabled identity to deal with the various barriers to academic
achievement. Many of the tactics they use to accomplish one goal conflict with
accomplishment of the other.
Charmaz (1995) explores identity struggles imposed by severe illness and
shows, in contrast, how people adapt their identity goals to respond effectively
identity tradeoffs sum to a surrendering to an identity as ill. Although Charmaz
characterizes this as relinquishing control to the illness, at least one theoretical
model suggests this is a way to exert secondary control, ceasing a fight to achieve
an unachievable identity (Rothbaum et al 1982). Consistent with an increasing emphasis
on identities as mutable and contextually sensitive is Charmaz’ observation
that these identity struggles are rarely a single journey; rather these individuals
experience many iterations of these identity struggles.