The following excerpts were
taken from an online newsletter, written by Disabled people for Disabled
people. If even we can’t get it right, what are the chances of the mainstream
press understanding the issues around barriers and the Social Model understanding
of disability?!
‘A teenager has triumphed
in his A-levels after refusing to let his cerebral palsy hold him back at
school … ’
I would suggest that it’s
not his cerebral palsy holding him back at school but the barriers that exist
within our educational system that created a lack of access for him!
‘A Welsh woman has overcome [her]
disability to win an award for her painting skills ...’
Again, it’s not her ‘disability’ that is
the problem. It’s the barriers within society that she had to overcome in order
to demonstrate her true potential!
A young Welsh student
speaking about the poor access to university classes, libraries, bars and
leisure facilities on campus said: "I knew that because of my disability I
would have less choice … to [be able to] decide on the right university.”
Altogether now … It’s not
because of her ‘disability’ that she has less choice. It’s the barriers that
exist within our higher educational system that prevent her from a full and
active participation!
Remember - WE are not the
problem. The BARRIERS that exist within our society are the problem.
We are Disabled by these
barriers within our society, be they physical or environmental, attitudinal,
concerning information or communication, or are institutional, organisational
or administrative. All of these barriers conspire to rob us of our human rights
to enjoy full and unlimited access to our society and the right to participate
fully in its continuing growth and development.
WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM!
Got that?!
Comments
Lowvisionary
/What a great tonic for a Monday morning! This cartoon takes me back to school a very long time ago! While the social model is not the answer to everything - It can't prevent me from ignoring friends in the street because I don't see them - It nonetheless is an extremely useful tool. And no-one should ever buy into the 'despite the disability' stuff.
Tony Walsh
/I am a passionate advocate of the social model and a believer in the approach that it is society which has created the barriers that are experienced by Disabled people. That said....I have been struggling with the critique of the social model being offered up as of late. I am aware that there is a recent approach which argues that once we achieve utopia and the world and his best friend become fully accessible with a change in attitudes etc, Disabled people will still experience barriers to full participation and inclusion due to their impairement. This critique does make sense to me although I would argue we arestill someway off from achieving full equality and the majority of the barriers experienced are external to us.
OK So I sit here and I wonder how society is involved in my chronic pain please explain what barriers within our society, be they physical or environmental, attitudinal, concerning information or communication, or are institutional, organisational or administrative? None of these barriers conspire to rob me of my human rights to enjoy full and unlimited access to our society and the right to participate fully in its continuing growth and development." The pain does this. The social model has created a fear of metaphoric language and language is full of metaphors, we think metaphorically so we have a problem.
WE ARE THE PROBLEM!
Crippen
/And Lady Bracknell ... calm down my dear and go and have a cup of tea. People will get it in the end, even those born in a handbag!
Crippen
/er ... sorry Richard, you're going to have to give us a clue!
richard downes
/I saw a fabulious programme on the beeb this morning called saints and scroungers.
Guess who was who - the disabled person or the disabled person?
sanda
/P.S. Wonderful cartoon. And the comment about "different from" how we were "before", leads me to comment that
I am not "impaired", I am disabled.
My art process via how I think and create is the same. I compensate (e.g. do things
as can, changing some media because I can not do several of the art media I worked in before my various disabilities.) and adapt. I cope.
It is very difficult to maintain a feeling
of self-worth in societies where physical
"able-bodied-ness" has value, particularly if young. But, it's got so many contra-dictions: the young are not treated well, nor with respect, just the image of youth has value. Best to be rich, chuckle.
Lady Bracknell
/Oh, for pity's sake!!!
I am sick to death of this utter nonsense about brave, inspirational cripples not letting their 'disabilities' (sic) hold them back.
The social model is not bloody rocket science: why do we have to fight every single, sodding day to get people to comprehend it?
As I said earlier today to a good friend of mine who has recently acquired an impairment, you will not grasp the equality issues while you continue to think of yourself as *less than* you were before: you need to start thinking of yourself as *different from* how you were before.
Take a look at the overall winner of the Civil Service Diversity Awards 2008 if you want to see the medical model in action: had I been judging those awards, his nomination would have been thrown out the moment it arrived. I'm sure he's a lovely chap, and everything, but since when did not having the use of your legs make your ability to pass an accountancy qualification in any way remarkable?
sanda
/You write on a favorite topic of mine, that was first brought to my attention in the mid1980s, by "Disability Rag" (now morphed into the online "Ragged Edge" in US).
The obstacles put in our way, literally and figuratively by society, are THE problem.
Society turns the problem "on us" (whether wheelchair access or other access for people with disabilities). This is a way of "blaming the victim". In the US, there is the myth of "rugged individualism" = if you are ill, or disabled, well, it must be your fault. (Ditto for poor.)
US society is unwilling to pay, so turning it on the individual is an avoidance. Lots of "brainwashing" via the media...
CFS/ME being the "PS disease", I will no doubt finish my comment and remember something later, sigh.
One add-on: As an artist, with a career of over 40 years (and disabled about half of my career), I have been against juried
art shows since the women's art movement in the US in the 1970s.
Art shows should be democratic and open, limited only by space. The comment quoted in Crippen's Blog entry about "overcoming her disability to win an award" makes me want to scream. Jurying is about the likes, dislikes and taste of the juror, not the art.
In the 1980s, I would write letters to shows for artists with disabilities, that jurying should not exist at all, and if the word "quality" is disappeared from
anything written about shows of art by artists with disabilities, I'd be real happy. Segregated shows (if they must exist) should be supportive and jurying is not supportive.
All aspects of art shows should be controlled by artists.
To make my point (and not have to listen to charges of "sour grapes", I was physically able to enter many shows in the 1980s - and pay the fees (art shows make money off entries, including any money prizes/awards are thus "gleaned") and rarely is there postage paid or insurance for the artwork. I entered many shows and won many prizes/awards. I entered mainstream art shows.
I only entered a few "segregated" art shows. Finally, there are some organizations, called "charities" in UK,
that USE artists with disabilities for publicity and fundraising. Some groups sell cards by foot and mouth painters, giving small payment to the artist. So, who is helping whom?
Barbara Fischlowitz-Leong
/People first language is so important-person with a disability, person with albinism, not an albino! How about a person with a learning challenge, etc. In th meantime some people with disabilities have been made to feel by family, friends and medical personnel that they are at a disadvantage, so survival techniques set in and people use their disability to their advantage.
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