Women in today's society face many obstacles. When disability is included in this, the difficulties to be faced become even more enormous. Although various resources are available, women with disabilities face higher rates of poverty, as well as various forms of discrimination. Struggling as a woman without disabilities is already very difficult, but when you add other factors, such as disability and poverty, the struggles become overwhelming. This is true in the story “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen. Emily overcame many obstacles with the help of her loving but brutally honest mother. Living with a physical disability changes a person's life. These people are despised because they are perceived as different. You see many different things, such as walking differently or not walking at all, speaking differently, equipment that needs to be used, such as a wheelchair, arm or leg braces/splints, or “slow physical development” (Olsen, 319). Being different from “normal” people becomes such a huge obstacle that many people with disabilities cannot overcome it. This starts with small forms of abuse, such as being teased or neglected, and eventually escalates into larger forms of abuse. According to Dena Hassouneh-Phillips, Ph.D. and Elizabeth McNeff, MPA:HA: The social stigma and isolation that often accompanies physical disability have reduced women's emotional defenses by lowering self-esteem and removing emotional and instrumental support from part of the others. Furthermore, disability has reduced physical defenses by limiting escape options and creating the need for assistance with essential personal care, opening up opportunities for women with emotional disabilities, ph…… middle of paper…”. Disability and Rehabilitation, 2009, 31(9), 693-700. EbscoHost. Network. April 18, 2011.Nosek, M. et al. “National Study of Women with Physical Disabilities: Final Report.” Sexuality and disability, 2001, 19, 5-10. EbscoHost. Network. April 18, 2011Olsen, Tillie. "I'm here to iron." Literature and the writing process. McMahan, Elizabeth et al. Boston: Longman, 2010, 315-320. Print.Summers, Will et al. “Ready, willing and able.” 2010. Qualityinfo.org. Network. 18 April 2011United States. US Census Bureau. 2009. Network. April 18, 2011 “US Data on Disability Income, Housing Costs, and People with Mental Illness.” 2010. World of the disabled. Network. April 18, 2011.Zitzelsberger, Hilde. “(In)visibility: Accounts of Embodiment by Women with Physical Disabilities and Differences.” Disability and Society, 2005, 20(4), 389-403. EbscoHost. Network. April 18. 2011.