... In the Jewish culture, disability was looked upon as being ungodly and those who were disabled were repaying for their sins. There were many negative references to disabled people. In the Old Testament, it stated that disabled people could not become priests. Most disabled people came out at night to avoid being looked at and ridiculed. However, this made people think of them as freaks. Disability was stigmatised and many disabled people were segregated from society. 'The idea that giving charity was a way of achieving God's grace led to pitying or patronising attitudes towards disabled people, and the founding of institutions to care for the less fortunate away from society gave rise to unwanted segregation.' (British Film Institute 2005) In the Middle Ages when the plague came about it was thought that disabled people were sinners or evil people who bought the disease upon society. They were rejected and persecuted ...

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