Disability future
Hello,
It’s already the end of Disability History Month and I’ve been thinking about this year’s theme, which is disability in children and young people.
Mostly, I’ve been thinking about how we make the world a better place to grow up disabled.
In fact, I’m increasingly convinced that nothing else we do as activists or advocates really matters if we’re not also directly helping today’s disabled kids and teenagers and those who will come after them.
After all, there are so many problems that specifically affect young disabled people. From school bullying to the collapse of SEN provision, from the lack of wheelchairs to the horrifying fact that disabled kids are much more likely to end up in care, the youngest members of our community need us.
The question then is how best to help them. To be honest, I’m not sure I know what the answer is here, and I’m really not sure that what I’m doing right now is anywhere near the right track.
Which is not to say that I don’t think writing about disability is important; I passionately believe that it is. Good representation is crucial both to helping disabled people feel seen and less alone, and to challenging harmful stereotypes. In the long run, it’s one of the most powerful ways of changing things. I truly believe that, and I intend to keep writing about disability for as long as I can put words on the page.
All I’m saying is, the long term isn’t the only scale we should be operating on. What about the short term, what about now? What can we - what can I - be doing to make a difference for disabled kids today, tomorrow, this month, this year? This is the question that’s been rattling around in my head for the past few weeks.
As I say, I’m nowhere near having a coherent answer. But I think any attempt to do something has to be boots-on-the-ground. I’m increasingly drawn, too, to the idea and value of community building (yes, I’ve been inspired by all the queer events I’ve been going to!). I’m hoping to use the Christmas break to have a little think about what this might look like in practice, and I’ll let you know what I come up with in the new year.
Disability history is vital, fascinating, empowering. But if it asks anything of us, it is to look to disability future, and make it so much better.
Onwards in the fight, my friends.
Lucy
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