The panel explored the ongoing issue of how the ‘invisibility’ of people with disability in public life, not just in the media but in mainstream everyday life, stops action on crucial issues, such as abuse and neglect.
The panelists talked about frustrating encounters with the media, who just want the “disability story this week” and present complex structural and systemic issues through age-old stereo types of ‘disability as tragedy’ or ‘disability as inspirational’.
Criticism of describing people with disability as “vulnerable”. One claims it’s insulting. Another says “that’s why [advocacy] gets funded”.
— VCOSS Live (@VCOSSlive) September 2, 2016
They also discussed the tension in language used, terms like ‘vulnerable’ that politicians and funders often use and how this perpetuates the experience of people with disability as “other”, and undermines notions of self determination.
“I work in the family violence sector,” said long-term disability advocate Tricia Malowney from the floor. “It’s time we stopped using language like ‘abuse’ and ‘neglect’ – it’s ‘violence’…..Using language like that enables segregation.”
Jax Jacki Brown said she prefers the term activist than advocate and uses art and performance to be humorous, engaging and provocative. She laments the decline of direct action, “One of our advantages as people with disability is that we unsettle nondisabled people when we gather and when we protest,” but was mindful that physical protests rely on people having the health and access to be involved. Jax elaborated further on this theme in her post session interview with Marie McInerney.
Personal stories are at the core of advocacy for Reinforce president Susan Arthur, who also runs the Powerful Parents Self Advocacy Group for parents with intellectual disability, many of whom have had their children removed.
The session also heard of the risks to systemic advocacy. Mary Mallett painted a bleak picture where fewer peak bodies are now recurrently funded and there is growing competition for both funds and attention within the disability sector.
Quantify the gap in advocacy and fund it! Simple! #SDAC16
— George Taleporos (@drgeorgethecrip) September 2, 2016
She drew attention to the recent campaign by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) to stop Newstart payment cuts, a huge issue for people with disability.
“We actually need to get all other systemic advocacy players to take disability issues on board and be putting them at top of their priority lists,” she said. Hear more from Mary in her interview with Marie McInerney.
Tips from Australian Red Cross social media manager Isabelle Oderberg on using social media and dealing with traditional media were shared. The main takeaway is to understand the limitations of leaner newsrooms and give the media all that they need to cover a story.
Let’s see how long the non-disabled white man can talk for, so far twice as long as any of the other speaker. privilege in action #SDAC16
— Jax Brown (they/them) ♿️🏳️🌈 (@mxjaxbrown) September 2, 2016
Further information on topics relevant to the discussions in this session include:
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DARU is auspiced by DAV and VCOSS with funding from the Victorian Government Office for Disability
