blogging against disablism day

http://blobolobolob.blogspot.com/2006/05/blogging-against-disablism-day.html

May 1st 2008

There is a full list of blogs at the link above and i will try and write something later myself, but for now i will add a few choice quotes from other peoples blogs today.

from 'my amusement park'

A few weeks ago the driver of the X28 bus refused to let me board, because I could not safely board backwards on the lift. Although New York City Transit policy says we can board either forward or backward, this bus driver wouldn't allow me to board forwards.

When I insisted, he called a supervisor, and we waited.

The other passengers got off to get on another bus.

As they came out, they formed a line. Their eyes were full of hate. Many cursed me: "You selfish b----!"

I was crying.

They blamed me for the driver's refusal to let me on. I was making them late to work.

and then from 'a tedious delusion'

"With a city of such friendly, accommodating folks, you would wonder why the topic of ableism would even matter to me. Why would I have something to say about phobia and prejudice against the disabled, discrimination based on disability, and oppressive climates in which the disabled feel unwelcome or unwanted?

Few things really strike me. One, I don't ask for helpful help and I don't need it. But when I do ask and need help, I don't get it. Help comes on able-bodied terms, not mine. I'm reminded of a South Park episode in which a disabled teacher in an electric body-chair runs out of battery power in the middle of the street. Incapable of communicating, those around her ignorantly ask if she needs assistance, getting angry when she doesn't (hi, she can't) respond. When I deny someone's ignorance masked as chivalry, they get upset. They run away."

lilwanutbrain writes about how she feels when people introduce their children saying 'he/she's ADD' and so forth:

When did it become acceptable to introduce our children by their physical and/or mental capabilities? When did it become the norm to define our children by a condition? I can't think of any moment in a polite and civilized society where we would treat another adult this way.

"Hi, I'd like you to meet my friend Betty. She's a toe fungus!" Blech.

Our youngest son has a lot of wonderful and unique qualities. He has sparkly blue eyes, an extremely literal and quirky sense of humor, and has an extensive memory for even the smallest of details. He likes mashed potatoes. He doesn't like bare feet, even his own. He also has autism. It doesn't define him as a person. It's not who he IS. It's something he HAS.

there were also comments about unemployment:

After leaving school I attended university and landed a Joint Honours degree, yet somehow I've been out of steady work for nearly 8 years. I'm only called for interview if I don't let on that I have a profound hearing loss. It's funny how quick they call me - suddenly I sound employable!

On one occasion they lacked caution and told me I couldn't have the job (working with computer files) because I was unable to answer the phone - even though this wasn't mentioned in the advertisement. I thought it was only about data input and filing, which would have been fine for me, if rather dull.


There's some really good stuff to read out there today, so go have a look and learn something - it's really made me think, and feel bad about every time i have been around a disabled person and felt uncomfortable, and not known what to do (if anything) i think reading and finding out how not to alienate and offend huge sections of society really helps. Although the uncomfortable feelings are... uncomfortable... but they are worth having if you seriously don't want to go around being offensive. just to be aware and to think not everyone has it so easy but still has to get on with life and has the right to be treated just as well if not better than everyone else, understood and respected, not pitied and treated like children. /long scentence

community disability

so i'll start with a definition: what does 'community' even mean? I do like defining things on this blog, and i can't help thinking this word needs a definition. so off to google it and see what happens, and then i will give you my thoughts.



google tells me: "a group of people living in a particular local area; 'the team is drawn from all parts of the community' " this definition is probably best, for the purposes of this blog. I'm not going to sit and fuss over it's otherwise impossible definitions, as that's waaay to sociology for this blog, and people will fall asleep.

Now when i hear 'community' i hear it as a positive word - it was used all day long by our ex PM, he LOVED it. 'doing things for the community' and all that. but then i started thinking, who's in and who's out? who is in a community, and benefits from the things that are done 'for the community' ?

I'll try and clarify my little irks: the other day at work, we were building a board walk, and i took some YP along to do their community service. in the pre-work talk, it was explained that people would use this, and it was something nice for the local community. one of the kids then asked 'but what about people in wheelchairs?' - well obviously, they can't use it, the walk is only accessible by stairs.

without wanting to undermine the cool work that people do for the community, it struck me at that point that by 'the community' they mean 'the community of able bodied people'

this got me on to thinking, how much other stuff done 'for the community' is done whilst excluding some parts of the community? there was no sign up saying 'no disabled people allowed' but then, there didn't need to be. they are excluded with no apology, no thought, no worries. it's just something that's not for them. i felt ashamed, ashamed that it took a child to raise that question and to care about it, when there were plenty of adults present who should know better? i noticed the problem, and said nothing. i didn't want to offend. maybe i need to start offending? that's not a maybe actually, i do need to start.

i wouldn't want to start telling people what to do and what to think, but i see no harm in calling it what it is, at least just to MAKE PEOPLE CONSIDER how they might be excluding people before they start what they are doing. perhaps we should start calling things that they are: 'community project A, able bodied people only' - or 'community minus able bodied people get-active project'

maybe put up the odd sign 'this walk is not accessible to disabled people, we do not want you here, you are of little importance, please go somewhere else'

this has turned into a disability rant. good. also please see my google image result for community, of a bunch of little people standing.