A Critical Reading of Connie Panzarino's The Me in the Mirror .
Connie Panzarino's "The Me in the Mirror", an autobiographical account of her life as a writer and activist born with a rare disease known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is an inspiring story of one woman's struggle for survival and achievement. However, from the point of view of women's and disability studies, inspirational studies are not by themselves particularly significant. This paper will argue that what renders Panzarino's work noteworthy to students and professionals in this field is her repeated transgressing of societal taboos surrounding women and disability. As will be seen, Panzarino's focus on her body as a site of resistance - in particular, her assertion of her sexuality as a disabled woman - informs her theoretical critique of the associated constructs of patriarchy, ableism, racism and homophobia. 5.5 pgs. 7 f/c. 2b.
