In my state, Victoria, plans to return to the office have been foiled by a second wave of Covid-19. While the circumstances in Melbourne are extremely difficult, I must admit “normal” has not been my bag for a very long time.
The disability civil rights movement has many distinct narratives, but the prevailing themes are of community, justice and equity. As with every other civil rights movement, the fight for disability rights is one that challenges negative attitudes and pushes back against oppression. But it is also more complex.
What do you really need to know about disability? If you’re not disabled yourself, and don’t have a child, spouse, brother or sister, or parent with disabilities, how knowledgeable and up to date on disability issues are you expected to be?
Under this new housing model, multiple apartments in a complex are built with features such as reinforced concrete for wheelchair hoists, voice recognition technology to open blinds and doors, and accessible bathrooms. There’s also a concierge with an on-call support worker to assist residents when their own carers clock off. Residents can choose their own support workers and use their NDIS funding to pay them.
Justine Martin, 49, and Karen Dare, 40, who both have multiple sclerosis, met in Melbourne in 2015. Sharing the condition has allowed them to be open with each other about their bodies – and their dating experiences.
How often do you see a person with a disability reporting the news or telling their own stories? The media frequently reports stories about people who live with a disability, rather than allowing people to have their own voice. So how do we change that?
Deciding who is and isn’t disabled, who does and doesn’t deserve accommodation, is complicated. Most efforts to distinguish fakers from “real” disabled people usually do more harm than good.
Jasmine Jarvis, interviews PhD Candidate Jerusha Mather as she discusses her PhD journey in medical & biological sciences, her motor function in adults with cerebral palsy research, why having cerebral palsy made her stronger, and the importance of inclusivity in STEM research.
Just like designing an accessible website or face to face meeting, a bit of planning and consideration is all it takes to make your online meeting accessible. This short resource will help you make your online meetings more inclusive.
For many Australians, looking for work involves preparing resumes, cover letters and interview questions, but for people living with a disability you can add discrimination and managing low expectations to that list as well. Research shows many people with disability are choosing self employment, with one group creating tools to make businesses more inclusive.
“Many organisations will have a disability action plan and pay lip service to it saying that the support is going to be there, but when you actually try to access it then you are discriminated against or dismissed,” she said.
The move towards driverless cars isn’t just a chance for people to relax at the wheel. It’s an opportunity to revolutionise personal transport in a way that offers life-changing benefits to people with disabilities.
A conversation between Harvard Law School’s first deafblind graduate and the world’s first blind newsreader covers everything from advocacy to finding friends and dancing.
The toolkit has resources for frontline workers and 1800RESPECT counsellors who now provide improved support to people with disability who are impacted by violence and abuse. The Toolkit is a result of the Disability Pathways Project, which aimed to improve responses for people with disability who have been impacted by sexual assault, domestic and family violence.
Coronavirus is knocking down barriers that people with disability have been fighting a lifetime for, and it’s benefitting everyone.