Crip Camp – Review
I recently watched the documentary Crip Camp on Netflix. As a person interested in disabilities, I was eager to see it.
In many ways, this is two documentaries. The first is about the camp in the title, which was actually Camp Jened. The was camp for people with disabilities that started in 1951 but evolved over time in style.
By the early 1970s, which this documentary focuses on, the camp had a “hippie” feel to it. It was a place where people with disabilities could be themselves and be free from judgment.
The second part is the fight in the United States for equal rights for people with disabilities. We think of equal rights in terms of gender and race, but the fight was just as difficult for people with disabilities. It is a part of history that many people are ignorant of. The link to the first part is that many of the people involved were campers from Camp Jened.
I found the documentary extremely moving and enlightening. It was at times even funny. The people involved had strong personalities.
There is swearing and some frank sexual comments. There is also some graphic footage from an institution. Those scenes were difficult to watch.
Crip Camp is a documentary that everyone needs to see. People with disabilities are the largest minority and yet they still struggle for equality. Laws may have approved but attitudes are still mixed.
I encourage you to take the time to watch it and consider the experience of people with disabilities even now.
