Amy Purdy
Status
Amy Purdy is a participant in the 2014 Paralympics games in Sochi for para-snowboarding. At 19, Amy was diagnosied with a particular rare case of bacterial meningitis, she went into septic shock, which later led to ampuation of both her legs below the knee, and the loss of her spleen and kidney, doctors gave her a 2% chance of survival. Amy has won three back to back World Cup gold medals. She has became the top-ranked para-snowboarder in the world. Amy is also a model, actress, motivational speaker, and a licensed massage therapist.
Values
Amy Purdy's values have been changing her whole life. Her values started off as everyone else's values as a young person, trying to look nice and caring about what other people think. When she lost both of her legs and her values changed from what others thought about her looks to how others see her a para-snowboarding competitor. She strives and tries to achieve success in para-snowboarding way more than her beauty.
Sports as a Subculture
Socialization
Amy Purdy went through socialization when she first lost both her legs. She learned to be a part of a new group, people with disabilities. She used norms and learned what is right and wrong to do, and interacted with people with the same problem as her to be where she is today. She is now at the top and was the main reason para-snowboarding was added to the paraolympics.
Sochi Olympics
In the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia para-snowboarding was added to the events in the paralympics. Amy Purdy took home the bronze medal in para-snowboarding.
Social interaction/ Competition
Amy Purdy has been influencing people all over the world for a long time now. She has motivated many people with disabilities to pursue a dream of there's, and nothing can stop them. Not only has she influenced people with disabilites, but also people without disabilities, she has taught thousands of people everywhere that any dream is possible.
Symbolic Theory
There are many symbols attached to Amy Purdy and the paraolympics. Amy Purdy is a huge symbol for people with disabilities all around the world. She symbolizes that you can do anything despite whatever happens to you. She is also a symbol to all women, because she is doing snowboaring, she is a model, an actress, and dances.
Reflection
In this project I learned who Amy Purdy is and all she has overcame to get to where she is today, and all she has done to be the person she is right now. I also learned a lot about the paralympics, before this I never actually knew there was a paralympics. I have gained a lot more respect for paralympic athletes after doing this project.