I to was annoyed to see the TV air time given to showing a teenager cleaning
a toilet - rare as this must be - when there are so many things happening
that I want to know about that do not even get referred to on the news.
(Prince William and his gap year).
I did not see the Sports Personality of the Year event because I am not in
the least interested in sport - well perhaps slightly more than I am in the
Royal family - not the Royle family (UK comedy TV show) who can sometimes be
entertaining. And I have at least heard of Tanni Grey Thompson, indeed I
watched her with the paralympic heroes (sic) on Question of Sport (BBC) a
couple of weeks ago.
The inaccessible platform is typical of disabled people's exclusion be it in
sport, art or any other area of life. I understand that disabled people's
sports will usually constitute different events - which is another issue.
I do not know if Tanni complained - but I haven't come across any report of
this if she did.
What I want to know is are any of these high profile disabled people going
to join in disabled people's calls for acceptance and inclusion on an equal
platform?
If high profile disabled people accept inferior treatment without complaint
then I think this gives permission for event organisers to continue to
exclude disabled people. They may really think it is acceptable, they will
justify it with the knowledge that "Tanni the paralympic hero was here and
she didn't complain."
Like many disabled activists I have had the excuse that 'no other disabled
person has complained' given to me loads of times when I have complained
about poor access.
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