top of page

Bryony Doran 
September 2017

The China Bird

Disability, Deformity, and the Aesthetics of Beauty 

There are two main themes of The China Bird: society's perception of beauty, and society's perception of disability.

​

Society’s perception of beauty even today falls within the very narrow band of the acceptable norm. The artist, Angela Lapper, who was a thalidomide baby, born with no arms and very small legs, influenced my attitudes towards disability and beauty. 

 

Late one night I watched a TV documentary of her work and saw the casts she had made of her body. I was so struck by the beauty of her form that I began to see beauty in a totally different way and from it drew inspiration for a strand of the story in my novel.

 

Society’s perception of disability, especially with regard to sex and sexuality, is often to regard those with disability as asexual. This issue was first brought to my attention when I read an article about a group of disabled men in a care home in France. The men informed the staff at the home that they wished to have a sex life. After much persuasion by the men, the staff finally agreed to wheel them down to a caravan in a lay-by half a mile from the home, where the men knew that two prostitutes operated. When the families of these men found out, there was a big outcry and newspapers published articles, saying what bad taste is was, and how irresponsible the staff were. It was not seen as right or proper that these men should be allowed to have sex... (for more, see my blog - coming soon!)

​

​

bottom of page