I know that on occasions, some disabled activists can be seen or dismissed as just angry. But, have people stopped to think why people are angry or why they are shouting about inclusion and equality?
The truth of the matter is that disabled people get a bloody raw deal. I am employed, I am (relatively) successful and I have accepted (ish) my eyesight and I know how to deal with it (most of the time).
The majority of disabled people aren’t in this positon. We need a strong voice – but please don’t dismiss this as anger. Instead, see it for what it is, a reaction to the ever present inequality in today’s society. Where disabled people do not get the same level of treatment or respect as others in society do. Where disabled people:
- Are more likely to be unemployed. Government statistics from the Labour force survey show that in 2012, 46.3% of working-age disabled people were in employment compared to 76.4% of working-age, non-disabled people. There was therefore a 30.1 percentage point gap between disabled and non-disabled people, representing over 2 million people[1]
- Do not have the same access to the same facilities. For example, public transport (just have a look to see how few stations have full wheelchair access),
- Do not have the same access to books (I couldn’t find the new Harry Potter book as an audio book on Audible)
- Are broadly less engaged in society, statistics provided on GOV.UK show that disabled people are more likely to receive unfair treatment at work and remain significantly less likely to participate in cultural, leisure and sporting activities than non-disabled people.
Isn’t it about time this changed? Even in places you think would be accessible, we have to fight for reasonable adjustments. I think we could start off with one simple change. You can implement this at work, with friends, however you want. But trust me, this one simple change, would help me and hopefully other disabled people to just feel included. I won’t need to ask (or in the odd case shout!) to get something. When you organise an event, add a sentence like “if anyone has any reasonable adjustments they would need for this event, please get in touch”. Even if you are organising something for friends, this can still apply. Sometimes it is so much easier for me to meet people at the nearest station, or go with someone to the pub, because I will panic if I can’t find the people I am looking for there. I am not saying this will change the world, but something as simple as this could make a step in the right direction.
“ Be the change you want to see in the world”.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-facts-and-figures/disability-facts-and-figures
disabilityandme.net 