One of the best things about fanfiction and fanart, and just these personal worlds we have in our head is that we can create headcanons and personal thoughts for how we think the world functions which in my opinion is super neat.
Mass Effect is very near and dear to my heart particularly for how inclusive it is, especially in terms of things like disability and tackling social issues. It's imperfect of course, but as a disabled person myself, what's perfect? I think it's simply more important that you try. Strangely enough, my Shepard is disabled and though I've been disabled my whole life, I've never been brave enough to make a disabled character that was like me until now!
These are just some of my personal headcanons and you're of course, totally free to disagree with them. Now, onto the post!
------
Turians in general don't have a concept of disability in the same manner that humans do, and it at times, causes great confusion especially in their relationships with other races, particularly humans. It's stated in the codex entries:
While turians are individuals with personal desires, their instinct is to equate the self with the group, and set aside personal desires for the good of all.
This would dramatically change how they'd both treat, and interact with the disabled amongst them.
Unfortunately, human culture as we see it in the game seems to have progressed medically, but perhaps not socially. Given, that Joker is called slurs repeatedly, and automatically assumes when he speaks to Shepard in ME1 that he's seen as less competent due to to his Vrolik's Syndrome as a pilot, even though it has little impact on how well he does his job.
(We really only see the lens of disability through Joker, the Mindoir Survivor, David Archer, and it's vaguely mentioned with military members with PTSD such as the cult leader etc.)
Turians in general value strength and discipline, and it's clear in both their military structure and how they think of the greater whole, rather than just the individual. Given also, that Turians boast the best and most powerful military in the galaxy, I believe that becoming disabled in either training or in active duty is commonplace.
As such, accommodations for disability in Turian society are seen as mandatory, and a right, as opposed to discretionary. Ramps and elevators in buildings, military outposts, and generally every building in Hierarchy space is required.
Turian science also is one of the most advanced when it comes to accommodations for various disorders when it comes to mobility aids, relying on combinations of cybernetics, exosuits, and other training and uses. (In the original concept art for Saren, he also was disabled, using a biotic cane to walk)
Rather than discharging disabled soldiers, Turians will simply accommodate them to ensure they are still able to serve the hierarchy in some way. Those disabled in action often later become advisors, serve in research and recon bases, and advise generals and captains on the best course of action.
In fact, it is relatively uncommon for high ranking Turians in the Hierarchy military to not have some form of disability be it scars or cybernetics, and mobility aids, as such signs of disability are seen as markers of experience and a willingness to "die for the cause" as the Turian anthem proudly states.
This also ties into why Garrus is so reluctant to fix his scars, as Chakwas states in ME3, as it's seen as a mark of his bravery.
As such, disability isn't seen as something shameful or "less than" in Turian society, but simply a fact of life that must be strengthened or built around, rather than something hidden away. Most turians view disability as an inevitability, something that eventually occurs in some way for everyone.
Next post I'll go over the social and emotional models of disability for Turian culture and how this works within their society.
tangentwithtanner
baratheonpilled
titsay
amandla
germansingergirl
snowghoul
gracieabrams
