Exploring the widespread ableist conspiracy theory
Helen Keller wasn’t a real historical figure. She did not fly a plane or write multiple books; in fact, she faked it all.
This is what we call the Helen Keller fraud theory. It suggests that the distinguished author and disability activist Helen Keller faked all of her disabilities, making her a fraud.
This theory arose because many believed it was nearly impossible for her to have accomplished so much with her disabilities.
This bizarre theory has been circulating the internet for several years, starting from the hashtag #HelenKellerWasntReal, which trended on Twitter in early January 2020. Although many believe the fraud theory is fairly new, it has been around for decades.
At the young age of 11, Keller was accused for the first time of faking her illness after it was believed that she plagiarized a story she wrote called “The Frost King”.
She was then put on trial before the teachers of the school she attended, Perkins School for the Blind. She was not found guilty nor innocent but left the school permanently.
In 1892, when Keller was around 12 years old, Job Williams, the principal of the American Asylum in Hartford, Connecticut, wrote an article about the young girl, questioning the legitimacy of her disabilities and achievements. Williams titled the article, “Is Helen Keller a Fraud?” and was published in a journal solely dedicated to those who are hard of hearing or seeing.
As of today, many joke about the legitimacy of her accomplishments, but it has gotten to the point where children believe she wasn’t real, completely erasing her from history.
It’s not that the kids of this generation simply haven’t learned about Keller, but they refuse to believe she was an actual person.
Screenwriter Daniel Kunka, whose tweet went viral in 2021, shared that his teenage relatives had asserted to him over text that Helen Keller “was a fraud who didn’t exist”. This theory isn’t just a way to crack a joke at Helen Keller but has become deeply entwined with ableism to the point where we don’t recognize it.
Ableism plays into this damaging narrative that people such as Keller could never live their lives to fulfillment.
Keller’s life story, which is seriously undermined by the fraud story fueled by ableism, is proof that people with disabilities can lead a normal life.
There is no real definition of normal, so it’s truly up to anyone to define, but Keller accomplished more than any of us could ever imagine.
This theory highlights society’s tendency to underestimate the abilities of those who are disabled and their unawareness of it.
So yes, Helen Keller did fly a plane. She communicated through “hand talk” between herself and her interpreter, Polly Thomson, who relayed all instructions from the pilot to Keller.
The crew quickly became impressed by Keller’s ability to fly, reporting that the flight had been calm and steady.
This wasn’t the only time someone blind had flown a plane. In 2012, Katie Inman was 12 years old when she flew a plane in Florida with some assistance with takeoff and landing. So, rather than being skeptical of those around us, let us be open-minded to what each of us is capable of.
