I agree with Paul. Being disabled as nothing to do with ability. I do
own my impairment which is a positive part of my identity but I do not
own the oppressed that is forced onto me. I have the ability to do
anything I want in my own way. Society refusal to accept my abilities is
the issue.
As someone who went to Seattle in 2000 at an big Individualised Funding
Conference and say the transatlantic divide, I refuse to accept it is
merely geographical divide.
The social model, with all its faults, is a cornerstone of what was the
UK disability movement and now the basis of disability policy and
thinking in the UK. The replacement of WHO first definitions with pure
social model definitions can only lead into the logic of disabled people
or people with impairments has being grammatically correct regardless of
location and thinking. I acknowledge at took me a few years before I
understood and began living the social model, but I was 19/20 with no
academic background in disability.
In the UK, the current thinking is anyone who uses PWD or disability
awareness training (although impairment literacy is starting to be
possible) is obviously not aware of their job or even pretending to
understand. OK, many disabled people in UK do use PWD but are often
oppressed into an medical model way of thinking.
Unlike words like physical challenged, special or less able, I do not
want or need to pretend being disabled is anything other than oppression
and not something needing sugar coating. My impairment, cerebral palsy
or cp, is a neutral identity tab similar to my weight, my eye colour, my
penis size!
I do think this 'we are people first/ argument is wrong. The whole point
is we are not allowed to be people ever. Society has disabled me and
refused to let me and my impairment exist freely.
You may argue this is geographical semantics, I just argue that is
grammatical accuracy for anyone who works within a social model
perspective.
--
Simon Stevens
[log in to unmask]
Tel: +44(0)24 7644 8130
Fax: +44(0)870 133 2447
-----Original Message-----
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Darke
Sent: 17 July 2002 20:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: 2003 logo
people do not have disabilities (it is not a pathological thing); we are
'disabled' by society, thus we are disabled people - what we share is
not a pathological feature rather we share an experience of constructed
social processes that exclude, discriminate and abuse (segregate etc.).
such is life
On Wednesday, July 17, 2002, at 04:39 , Mary Ennis wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> Here in Canada, the consumer movement has worked long and hard to
> change the
> language, to put the individual first and foremost instead of
> following a
> label. I'm really curious as to the reasoning behind your request for
a
> name
> change to the European Year?
>
> Mary
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark Priestley" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 1:05 PM
> Subject: 2003 logo
>
>
>> Hi
>>
>> Just to let you know that I managed to persuade the people at
European
> Year
>> of 'People with Disabilities' to produce an alternative UK friendly
>> logo
>> titled 'European Year of Disabled People'.
>>
>> They haven't put it on their web site yet, but they sent me one when
I
> asked
>> for it.
>>
>> EYPD Team
>> EurO&M
>> 22 rue de la Putterie
>> B - 1000 Brussels
>> mailto:[log in to unmask]
>>
>> http://www.eypd2003.org/eypd/eypd/logo/logo_2.html
>>
>> Best Wishes
>>
>> Mark Priestley
>> Centre for Disability Studies
>> University of Leeds
>> LEEDS
>> LS2 9JT
>> UK
>>
>> tel: +44 113 343 4417
>> fax: +44 113 343 4415
>> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>> http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies
>>
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>
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Dr Paul Darke [log in to unmask]
Outside Centre Limited
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Compton
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West Midlands
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Mobile: 07949 625482
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