I agree here. "Etiquette" as the rubric under which behavior change is
encouraged seems to buy into the idea that benevolence, good will and
sympathy will change disabled people's lives. Balderdash!!! Go with
your instincts Beth. Get the university to chnage policy and then write
newsletters announcing those changes, and hopefully admitting their
(the univeristy's) culpability in perpetuating discimination and
oppression - and announcing their wish to change longstanding patterns.
In the newsletters they can model appropriate language, present ideas
that reframe disability etc. Simi Linton
--- Laurence Bathurst <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hello Beth
>
> The whole idea of disability ettiquette sounds
> revolting to me. It
> makes the notion of social justice seem like some
> sort of concession.
> It also sounds like a guidebook on behaviour for
> non-disabled people
> when confronted with a disabled person. I think
> this is something
> that the average Jo/Anne will find 'PC' and
> something that insists on
> special (extra) treatment for people with
> disabilities. I am just
> responding to the concept rather than any proposed
> content but to
> me, I would prefer that people were aware of
> disability discrimination
> and how to interpret it.
>
> For staff at a University or any service, there are
> many bad practices
> that need to be addressed. Many issues may be
> addressed through
> research and consequent thorough reviews of policy
> and procedures
> and also through proper professional development
> events that not
> only make people aware of specific issues for people
> with disabilities
> but insist on what might be termed overall as
> 'cultural competency'.
> Not just disability awareness but *competency* in
> providing services
> to people with a disability
>
> > Hi everyone!
> >
> > A committe at the university where I work is
> designing a "disability
> > etiquette" brochure for the purpose of "educating
> temprarily
> > able-bodied people" about "dealing with people
> with disabilities."
> > At the risk of injecting bias into my inquiry
> to you all, I must say
> > that I am very nervous about this project and
> pretty much opposed
> > to it altogether. I am already in disagreement
> with much of the
> > language that is being used and also don't see
> how they will be able
> > to keep from making broad generalizations that do
> not apply to
> > individuals with particular impairments.
> >
> > I would most appreciate input/opinion/experience
> with this sort of
> > publication. Do you think ithis type of brochure
> is a good education
> > tool?
> > If not, why?
> > If so, how best to go about it?
> > How do you personally react when you read
> materials that describe
> > how people with disabilities "should" be treated
> by nondisabled
> > people?
> >
> > Thank you in advance for your feedback.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Beth Omansky Gordon
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Best regards
>
> Laurence Bathurst
> School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
> Faculty of Health Sciences
> University of Sydney
> P.O. Box 170
> Lidcombe NSW 2141
> Australia
>
>
>
> Phone: (62 1) 9351 9509
> Fax: (62 1) 9351 9166
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> Please visit the School's interim web site at
> http://www.ot.cchs.usyd.edu.au
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that
> life is serious
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
===
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Simi Linton
[log in to unmask]
212 580 9280 (phone and fax)
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