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Some time ago on this forum someone from outside the UK asked (rather naively I thought) whether the DDA had eliminated discrimination against disabled people in Britain. As I recall it, the implication was that such legislation COULD eliminate discrimination, and had in fact done so in some places (the US??). My insinctive response was that all anti-discrimination legislation does is make that discrimination illegal; it DOES NOT eliminate it, but it does make us (able-bodied society) ACT as if it were being eliminated through our adaptive responses to it. Bob Williams-Findlays post indicates precisely how this happens... Real anti-discriminatory change is, I fear, a very long way off - but worth the struggle. Tony Fagan >>> Bob Williams-Findlay <[log in to unmask]> 08/09/04 9:39 AM >>> I agree with most of Linda's general argument, however, I think the issue of the role of the Access Officer in a City Council such as Sheffield needs expanding upon. In my small City, I have been informed that our Access Officer sees her role as advising local businesses on how to get round the DDA! The fundamental issue here isn't about Officers being useless but rather the ideological positioning of them. Despite all the hype surrounding the DDA and it's framing in so called, "Civil Rights", the reality is that we haven't broken free of the paternalism which underpins this type of social policy and the practices which flow f`rom it. The idea that 'economic power' among Disabled people could impact as well as the 'Pink Pound' I believe to be questionable. The form of social oppression Disabled people experience requires us to address issues which involve, but not necessary determined by economic factors. In many ways, the "economics" associated with "disability" maintain rather than helping to liberate Disabled people from social oppresion - the 'special needs industry' plays an active role in our segregation. Access Officers, I believe, merely reinforce the status quo at an ideological level - they do not operate from a Civil Rights agenda - they merely negotiate the Council's ability to comply with legislation. Bob Williams-Findlay ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.