X Paralympics Winter Games, will be celebrated in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia between March 12 to March 21, 2010.
How can inclusion of people with disabilities become a reality if the tools of social change that are less radical such as sports still have “separate but equal slogan?”
The media are promoting the notion that the Canadian slogan of the 2010 Olympic games: “I believe “promotes Canadian pride, As well, as the idea that the games will encourage children and young people to start thinking of aiming for their Olympic dream.
Nobody thought of how children with disabilities might feel, when they see no one like them in the various competitions.
The Paralympics will only begin March 12-21 in Vancouver; almost a month after the Olympics. That is separate, but will it be equal? Will there be an equal ceremony with TV and media coverage?
It is ironic that when the games were accord to Vancouver, the mayor then was a person with disability. Call me nut, but after 30 years of advocacy, I thought that in my adopted country, that prides itself with generosity, inclusion, and acceptance of diversity, things would be a little different. Last night, I felt that these were empty words. There were also other forms of exclusions but I will limit this e-mail to the current topic.
Now, I am not necessarily advocating that athlete with disabilities compete with non-disabled athlete. However, what would have been the harm in having athlete with disability enter the stadiums with their non-disabled peers? Then having the Paralympics continue on March 1, Not to mentioned that it would have saved money to the host city and promote inclusion at least in the ceremony?
What would it have been like? I hope to see that happen before I pass away. I was not always a passionate sport fan in part because of the exclusion that I always felt as a child in this area, both as a disabled child among non-disabled peers. As well as a girl in Italy in the 1960 in Ostumi the segregated institution that I lived in practiced exclusion there, it was exclusion based on gender. Boys could play soccer, I the girl could not. In my mind sport was, and is an element of inequity . Last night, as I watched the game’s opening ceremony I wondered are there children with disability wondering why they should believe?
Maria
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