Reconciling these two models requires moving away from the idea that they are opposing forces. Instead, we should view them as complementary layers of a single human experience. The medical model identifies specific physiological or neurological realities that often require treatment, medication, or physical aids to manage pain or functional limitations. Ignoring these realities can be harmful. If a person needs a prosthetic or insulin, the medical diagnosis is a tool for access, not a definition of their worth.
However, the social model must dictate how society reacts to those diagnoses. Stigma occurs when a medical condition is treated as a personal failure rather than a mismatch between a body and its environment. We bridge this gap by adopting a
