Who is erased from collective memories of “rehabilitation” and "care"? This article explores the role of memory work in the construction of professional legitimacy, drawing on feminist theory to examine how practices such as naming, gendering, and disabled rage serve as mnemonic hegemonic tools to assert power of people with disabilities (PWD) and other historically marginalized communities. The analysis reveals how the rehabilitation profession strategically curates its history, erasing systemic harms such as eugenics, exclusion, and exploitation, while framing its work as inherently benevolent. Using insights from feminist and queer theorists like Sara Ahmed, Hortense Spillers, and Susan Stryker, the article connects these mnemonic practices to broader systems of patriarchy, capitalism, and ableism. I argue for a reimagining of "care" as a transformative and inclusive practice, disentangled from these oppressive frameworks. This article challenges rehabilitation professionals to confront their complicity in historical and ongoing oppression, encouraging a praxis grounded in accountability and justice. The paper concludes with a call for scholars and practitioners to engage critically with memory work by amplifying marginalized voices and resisting hegemonic narratives to create more inclusive and ethical professional practices. Examples from feminist and queer theory illuminate pathways for advancing this transformative agenda.
