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Why would anybody want, even choose, to be disabled in order to feel whole and secure? In this fascinating and challenging report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, producer Kath Duncan, who herself was born without one arm and one leg, tries to understand why some people actually aspire to be like her. These "wannabes" are physically complete and able, but wish they weren't and will go to great lengths, even amputation, to achieve the body image they hold of themselves. Duncan brings us a moving portrait of her journey into a strange subculture. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
Links:
A New Way to be Mad
An article by Carl Elliott in the Atlantic Monthly
American Association of People with Disabilities
Find a job, know your rights, get the current news and enjoy the support of this non-profit organization.
Guide to Amputation
Join discussion boards, read the latest articles and search databases concerning amputees and prosthetics. Plus, learn the difference between friends and fetishists.
Surgical Questions Raised Over Amputations of Two Healthy Legs
A news article about a doctor who amputated limbs for individuals suffering from apotemnophilia.
Whole
Melody Gilbert's documentary film explores the worlds of people obsessed with becoming amputees.
Books:
 Amputee Identity Disorder : Information, Questions, Answers, and Recommendations About Self-Demand Amputation
by: Gregg M. Furth, Robert Smith, Foreword by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross 2000
A guide to understanding this complicated disorder.
 Coping with Limb Loss: A Practical Guide to Successfully Living with Amputation
by: Ellen Winchell, Robert H. Phillips 1994
Describes the surgery, rehabilitation, body image and emotional implications for amputees.
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