Disability Allyship #1

Let's celebrate disabled people.

Hi there and welcome to my first ever Substack newsletter… exciting stuff right? And thank you so much for signing up - I’ve got twenty-something subscribers since launching this a few days ago and your support means the world to me.

[Image: Liz Wright is a white woman with a brown bob hairstyle and wearing an orange, green and aubergine patterned sleeveless blouse and black skirt. She has a short right arm that finishes at the elbow. She is standing in front of a brick wall.]

*Let’s get some housekeeping out of the way: firstly, if you find this newsletter helpful, please share on all your socials, email it to friends, etc, secondly, you can follow me elsewhere as well, on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin (I’m not on Tik Tok yet, frankly that platform scares the pants off me). Also, if you would like to book a speaker or consultant on all things disability, ableism, inclusion, accessibility, etc, pop me a line here - elizabeth@elizabethwright.net

---

#Thought - Why this newsletter? Why now?

I was in a meeting the other day for one of the magazines that I edit, and our creative director said, “well, disability is quite sexy at the moment, so we’re doing this at a good time.” (I am paraphrasing this a little - Sorry Priya!). Now I am not one for going with the crowd, and I don’t believe that equity, inclusion and diversity should be based on what is “cool” right now, because equity, inclusion and diversity are really about fighting for the human rights of marginalised groups of people, and that should never be trend-based. But it got me thinking, does Priya have a point?

(Photo by Ian Schneider)

[Image: Two people looking down at a pavement where the words “passion led us here” is written. One of the people is wearing shiny gold flat shoes and the other is wearing navy sneakers.]

And if disability is becoming more of the “cool kid” trend-wise, then shouldn’t we disabled people leap on the bandwagon to ensure that disability awareness and inclusion stays on-trend forever? (And is accurate, based on lived experience, and intersectional). Because at the end of the day, disability is my life, it is many of my subscribers lives, it is the life of many of the people you work with, live with, socialise with. Disabled people make up over 15% of the global population, and it should be discussed, represented, and included.

Which is why I want to support non-disabled and disabled people alike in becoming better disability allies. I am working constantly on my own allyship (because disabled people can be laterally ableist - I’ll explain that one in another newsletter), and this newsletter will be me sharing my journey, experiences, and of course tips and advice on what you can do to be more inclusive and welcoming of disabled people in your own life.

All in a non-judgemental way.

---

#Action - Camel Case

I imagine that a lot of you are on social media. I imagine that a lot of you use hashtags on social media to promote your work, find community, and participate in pop culture discussions. And I imagine that many of you do your hashtags like this:

#idomyhashtagslikethis

The issue with hashtags like this is that it makes it incredibly difficult for many disabled people to read the hashtag. Why? Because many disabled people use screen readers to read content from the internet. And when the hashtags are all lowercase it makes it impossible for the screen reader to interpret what is being said. People who use screen readers include:

• Blind or partially sighted people

• Dyslexic people

• Chronically ill people

• People who find it easier and more enjoyable to read with a screen reader

So what is an easy solution to this, to make your social media posts more inclusive? Use camel case for all your hashtags. Camel case is simply ensuring that you are capitalising the first letter in all your words. Let’s do the above hashtag in camel case:

#IDoMyHashtagsLikeThis

*And the irony is it makes the hashtag a lot easier for anyone to read.

---

#Mood - Let’s celebrate disabled people…

Over on Linkedin there is a campaign running - #ThisLittleGirlIsMe and today I decided to take part, because frankly, we need to acknowledge where people have come from, both the good and the bad. Here is what I wrote on Linkedin:

[Image: a toddler squinting in bright sunshine is in a pool wearing a swimming ring.]

‘This little girl is me.

She was about 2 years old in this photo, the pool had just been put in the backyard, and she couldn’t get enough of the water.

Born in Sydney, Australia, the doctors who delivered her didn’t hold any optimism or hope for her future. She had been born with limb difference, half her right arm and half her right leg is missing, and on her left hand she’s missing a finger and her thumb and one of her fingers are joined together.

From the very start of her life her parents had to fight for her equitable inclusion in society… quite a revolutionary act in Australia in the 80’s. This included taking on the NSW education department to get her into mainstream schooling.

This little girl loved life, she loved school (even with the little and big hiccups that came with a school not prepared for a disabled child), and she loved swimming. She believed in herself before anyone else did…

For this little girl, in her swimming ring, would defy her doctors expectations and go on to win a silver and 2 bronze medals at two Paralympic Games.

She would go on to gain 1st class honours at university and 2 masters degrees. She would go on to become an international keynote speaker, disability and diversity and inclusion consultant and campaigner, an editor of three disability led magazines…

This little girl would dare to take on the world and insist that disabled people are valuable, worthy and belong in this world.’

—

Oftentimes I have to remind myself of everything that I have achieved, not “despite of my limb difference,” but despite of living in a world that disables me through physical and attitudinal barriers. My parents were the first people in my life to celebrate me and believe in me, as I was, as I am. They were the ones that taught me it is important to fight for my rights, to fight for my joy of living.

This is why it is important that we celebrate disabled people, celebrate the richness of experience that disability is. The more we look at amplifying disability joy and disability pride, the more we can shift that negative narrative away from pity, sadness, and tragedy.

---

#News - Strictly Come Dancing

As with a lot of people in the UK, I am addicted to Strictly Come Dancing. What I love about strictly is how inclusive and diverse it is. In this season of the show we have Rose Ayling-Ellis, a Deaf actress who plays a Deaf character in the UK soap EastEnders, dancing up a storm. By having Rose on the show she is tackling two very important aspects of allyship - she is wonderful representation for all Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and she is also smashing stereotypes around dance, music and Deafness.

(Image from BBC)

[Image: Rose is standing with her dance partner, their arms around each other. She is grinning and he is looking at her. She is wearing a sparkly pink tassle dress and he is wearing a pink floral shirt over a white singlet top.]

What I love about seeing Rose on Strictly is the way she explains experiencing music and what that teaches the wider audience. Just because we experience music the way we do doesn’t mean that it is the only valid way to experience it.

Are you cheering for Rose every Saturday night?

---

Please feel free to comment, let’s keep the conversation going.

And please feel free to share on your socials, through email, etc.

Also, do let me know if there is anything in particular you would like me to discuss or look at, am always happy for suggestions.

Also check out the magazines I edit - Disability Review Magazine, Not Your Monolith, and Conscious Being.

Lets together make this world a more inclusive, vibrant, and wonderful place where disabled people can be included and thrive.

Liz x