<Dr Mike Wright (a clinical geneticist) and I (a sociologist)
are planning a research project, hopefully in partnership with RGA,
which would explore the social and medical experience of adults
with restricted growth..Tom Shakespeare>>
Amongst other things, I was involved in the British restricted growth
community at a grass roots level, at least, 10 years before Tom Shakespear
was born. I have read his work at an academic level. Over at least the last
10 years or something he has written many,
telling-it-how-it-is-going-no-where post modernism type articles for the
Restricted Growth Association newsletter. For a number of years he was
policy adviser for the Restricted Growth Association.
http://www.rgaonline.org.uk/ (Where?)
As we know he has made many appearances, "supporting our rights", on UK
television and so on.
Why has he chosen one of the most unpoliticised and unmotivated members of
the UK restricted growth community, discussion list, to Co-Moderate the
list? All emails have to "pass through" this Co-Moderator to access the
list - the gatekeeper. Very convenient, it seems.
As a consequence of this, many debates (small d) around diversity,
neuro-diversity, cultural issues, bioethics?? human rights, are stiffled and
discouraged on the list. Also, as a consequence of the strict moderation
rules, the current contributors are indeed a very powerful reflection of
the mainstream, elitist and paternalistic UK Restricted Growth Association
membership. His research is also in consultation with the Restricted Growth
Association.
No one seems to have the disability politics or power within the restricted
growth community to publicly (or privately on the list) question him, his
work, his ethical thinking or background, (and I don't just mean question
negatively) as anyone would with any researcher or question his position as
list owner of Shortlist, although it is evident that some members are unhappy
about the situation.
I have come a long way and have seen too much to let this one go.
Whose side is he really on? The oppressed or the oppressors?
Will his research help improve the lives of short people within the UK
or will it just be another piece of, self promoting, academic, rhetoric
rubbish, which doesn't go anywhere or change anything - again?
Liz Fetes
HRAaA
(there you go Tom am I still an embarrassment to the disability movement?)
My apologise to use this forum for this everyone and it doesn't please me at
all, but there was no other way to bring this issue regarding UK human
rights and restricted growth into political accountability and therefore
into an open forum.
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