A Rheumatoid Descent into Villainy
From 19th-century fairy tale illustrations to Disney’s global empire, rheumatoid arthritis has evolved into a visual shorthand for evil—a medical condition transmuted into moral metaphor that resonates today.
Ole Kristian H. Heiseldal
Ole Kristian H. Heiseldal teaches literature at Hartvig Nissen School in
Oslo and lives with rheumatic disease himself. He serves as a peer
support volunteer and journalist for the Norwegian Spondyloarthritis
Association, regularly observing how cultural narratives shape public
perceptions and personal identities of people with rheumatism.