Sociology in the Global LA Community hroughout history and around the world. people with disabilities have often been subjected cruel a inhuman trea ment. For example, e early twentieth he disabled were frequently viewed as subhuman crea es who were menace to vociety. As one result, ma state legislatures in this country passed compul sterilization laws aimed at hand capped people." In lapan more than 16,000 women with disabilities were involuntarily sterilized with government approval from 1945 to 1995. Sweden recently apologized for the same action taken against 62,000 of its citizens in the 1970s. treatment Today, such blatantly hostile h disabilities has generally of people ivom way to a medical model, which views the disabled as chronic patients Increas- however, people concerned with the ingly, rights of the disabled have criticized this model as well. In their view, it is the unne essary and discriminatory barriers presen n the environment- both physical and at e way of people titudinal that stand disabilities more than any biological limitations do Applying civil rights model, hasize that those with disabili- activists emp ties face widespread prejudice, discrimina tion, and segregation. For example, most voting places are inaccessible to wheelchair users and fil to provide ballots that can be used by those unable to read print