Today, 3 December, is International Day for Disabled People. We’re also about half way through Disability History Month. This day and month are not just an opportunity to celebrate disabled people and their achievements but a chance to reinvigorate the campaign for disability equality.
When the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)1995 became law 30 years ago disabled people, including our Disabled Members, celebrated. It was seen as a massive step on the journey to achieving equality for disabled people at work, in education and in wider society.
Ten years later the second DDA saw further progress and we began to believe employers would finally value the unique experience and skills that disabled people bring to the workplace.
Today, the progress we achieved has not just stalled it has reversed. The government’s plans to ‘change’ the disability benefits our disabled members rely on, opposition parties demonisation of disabled people as lazy and workshy and the media’s negative portrayal of disabled people as scroungers combine to make life harder for our Disabled Members.
As Disabled Members, in a union that is committed to campaigning for disability equality, we need to challenge that narrative. While we should do that all year round it is even more important on International Day for Disabled People and throughout Disability History Month.
Our Disabled Members are extraordinary, not because we are brave or heroic, not because we live with medical conditions or impairments and not because we are famous.
Our Disabled Members are extraordinary, not because we are brave or heroic, not because we live with medical conditions or impairments and not because we are famous. We are extraordinary because we overcome all the barriers society throws in our way to achieve our goals and fulfil our potential. It doesn’t matter whether the things we want to do are big or small the fact we have to break down those barriers to get to where we want to be means disabled people are extraordinary.
Celebrating their achievements is not only a great way of making our Disabled Members feel valued but a chance to change the negative narrative that all disabled people face.
It’s time we all took the chance to share our stories. Making it clear that being disabled didn’t stop you from playing a valuable role at work, at home and in your community, but that you had to overcome barriers to be able to do it.
And to get us started here’s an example of something I achieved this year. Being disabled did not stop me from becoming a Chartered Public Relations practitioner. I had to overcome a number of barriers to complete the assessment, which has been moved online since COVID, but I am proud to say I was successful and am one of only two people who works for my employer to achieve Chartership status.
Now is the time to let people know we are here, celebrate our achievements, change the narrative and breathe some life into the campaign for disability equality.
Angela Hamilton