In 1992, the United
Nations proclaimed the 3rd of December as the International Day of
People with Disability. According to the official website “each year the UN
announces a theme. The theme for 2015 is: Inclusion matters: access and
empowerment for people of all abilities.
There are also
three sub-themes this year:
·
Making
cities inclusive and accessible for all
·
Improving
disability data and statistics
·
Including
persons with invisible disabilities in society and development.
The annual theme
provides a frame for considering how people with disability are excluded from
society by promoting the removal of all types of barriers; including those
relating to the physical environment, information and communications technology
(ICT), or attitudinal barriers.”
I could go into a
long winded description about what all that means but I won’t. I’ll just say
I’m all too aware that terminology in disability is to intellectual. I only
wanted to promote what International Day of People with Disability is for 2015.
Now I can get onto my perspective on the day.
For years not
only did I pretend I also wished it didn’t exist. When disability is in the
public eye it is difficult not to feel it’s more to make able bodied people
feel better about themselves. In recent years though I have become more accepting
of the day. After all my journalism training did teach me any publicity is good
publicity. And generally on International Day of People with Disability the
focus is not on the struggle. I know when I think of the day I don’t want to
hear any negativity.
Given this I
decided to dedicate this blog to something very personal. That being how I feel
about being a quadriplegic. Many people believe that I am doing well with what
I’ve got but my life is of less quality. When faced with this situation the
same question echoes through my head. Where am I going wrong?
At these times I
wish I had my mate Michael with me. He would be an excellent character
reference. I can see him saying he was cool with it in high school and he
hasn’t changed since. Because he recognised this he made it his mission that I
won’t miss out. From insisting I go to the year 10 formal to ensuring I am well
fed when I’m at his place, to the humour that is anything but politically
correct Michael wouldn’t want me any differently. Nor would his long suffering
wife Michelle who always makes me feel I’m part of the family.
When speaking
about my disability it usually comes out that I adjusted to life with
quadriplegia long ago. The best part is always when I get asked questions. Once
people get past how fast is my wheelchair, I usually get asked thought provoking
questions. On one occasion I was asked “if I could have one physical ability, what
would it be?” I said it would be to transfer myself in and out of my
wheelchair. As I see it this would
allow me to schedule my life more easily as I would be less reliant on people.
I thought I had answered the question well although I felt it was an obvious
response.
The lady I
presented with thought otherwise. After everyone left she immediately started
teasing me continually saying you’re hopeless. I was enjoying this but I didn’t
understand what I had done. She said that it was in reference to how I answered
the question. She went on saying “that’s typical of you, giving an answer that
is practical to your life. You clearly have accepted your disability because it
didn’t even enter your head to say walking.” She said this with such conviction
that I consider it one of the best compliments I’ve ever had.
To highlight the
point, my disability is ingrained so deeply I can’t visualise not having it.
For example I can see people saying surely you would have liked to be a
wrestler. I would like to hand Sting his beloved baseball bat to help him win
the WWE title but that’s pretty much where it ends. Well I wouldn’t mind being
part of a wrestling promotions creative team, I couldn’t do any worse than the
WWE. But honestly if it’s a physical impossibility it’s not something I think
about.
And I have plenty
to reflect on to remind me my life is awesome. Like when I got my photo taken
with Hudson Leick (pronounced like) at Comic Con. When meeting her I said that
while many would be a fan because of Xena I was different. I said I had been a
fan since watching her on the short lived series University Hospital. She was disgusted
that I mentioned the show and asked why. She went on saying the show was
terrible and that she played the villainess sex pot. I smiled and said I remembered.
I proudly told her this meant she wore the best outfits. I then added that I
was a teenager when the show was on, which made her appealing. Without saying a
word she grabbed my hand and it actually felt like she pulled me close to her.
Seeing as how I feel like I get around in a immovable object I found this very
memorable. Sadly the photo of us didn’t do this justice. Still I like to think she
thought had a little charm.
And while there
is the enjoying life whether it be metal, comics or wrestling there is also the
ridiculously high standards. One of the highest being that life with disability
is not a lesser life. This gives me purpose, something we all need.
And let’s face it
a world without disability would be boring. We would all be the same and we
don’t want that. If International Day of People with Disability helps people to
understand that then we should all get on board,
Of course with it
having a festive feel I will wish Dale a happy International Day of People with
Disability. He will hate that I mentioned him but he knows where I’m coming
from. I’ll also give a shout out to my friend Alisha who is as idealistic as I
am. Her excitement about International Day of People with Disability is
unsurpassed. It’s impossible not
to think about her on this day as wherever she is, she will be making everyone
around her know how great life is. And that’s the real theme of International
Day of People with Disability.
