Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies

Crip Feminist Trauma Studies in Jessica Jones and Beyond

Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies (2019), 13, (1), 75–91.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/jlcds.2019.5
Language
English
Pages
17

Abstract

The article argues for a crip feminist trauma studies framework by developing its methodologies theoretically and in the practice of interpreting the Netflix series Jessica Jones. Synthesizing recent work in crip feminism and mad feminism, and locating “trauma as possibility” through Clementine Morrigan’s analysis, the article establishes the theoretical framework of crip feminist trauma studies. It shows that Jessica Jones inhabits the politics of trauma as possibility and of mad feminism (Mollow), and shows that and how “we need each other” (Mingus). The series indicates the possibility trauma holds, or what is possible when we know we need each other and we act like we need each other. Indicating the (popular) cultural value of Jessica Jones as a series, the article shows the necessity of a crip feminist trauma studies methodology as part of a larger body of disability studies work, as well as its contributions to feminist and gender studies. Thus the article engages two emerging interdisciplinary fields (feminist crip and crip trauma studies frameworks) in order to argue for crip feminist trauma studies.

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Rakes, H.