It is classified into two separate models: one is the medical model and the second is the social or cultural model. The medical model of disability is something to be cured and that only affects the individual and not others around them. The social or cultural model of disability occurs when the issue of disability is not a problem of the person, but of society. Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, author of "The Politics of Staring: Visual Rhetorics of Disability in Popular Photography," explains on page 56 how disabled people have been stared at and thought of differently since the beginning. They were thought of as freaks and monsters that were just there for the entertainment of people to laugh and watch. It is crucial to study disabilities for American culture so that people understand that disabled people are normal people with feelings. This will allow Americas to get a sense of what people with disabilities face. A great example of a time in American history where disability was a concern to society was during the 19th century. Disabled people were cast aside to perform in circuses, sideshows, and to be gawked at in museums. They were not welcomed into society because of their appearance and behavior. The movie Freaks did a great job of showing how people of the time thought about disabled people. People today should study disability so as not to repeat history and make people feel disabled