These authors have conducted research on people with learning difficulties with an emphasis on getting people's personal stories. Using the personal history of one woman with learning difficulties as an example, the authors interrogate the "presumption of incompetence" which they maintain is generally held by professionals by specifying a "deficiency perspective" and then a "capacity perspective". The first emphasises the person's seeming lack of skills while the second delves into the gender and disability based assumptions held by the professionals when they perceive individuals as being incapable. Keyword: Professionals