It’s time to be blunt

Forgive me if you struggle to accept criticism, but I’m speaking to all disabled people now – especially if your time zone fits on GMT. This is getting ridiculous.

Right now, the system we’re using to try and toughen up for an ideal world of equality isn’t working. In the UK, I already see signs that discrimination could more often occur for any people who deserve greater human rights in our country.

I also I believe disability rights fall from the equality club more than any other types. The truth is that despite making up a huge percentage of the population, what continues to fall from our grasp and be badly damaged is barely seen by those around us. We rarely spread enough word of our issues in the aftermath. When other people hear what we have to say its generally just forgotten about when so many other political problems are mentioned in much more depth shortly after.

I’m sure people are all now sick and tired of talking about December’s election results too. Most people I know aren’t so happy about it. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying we’re massively responsible for what has happened. However, did disability-related issues often arise in discussions between opposition parties in the run-up to the UK’s general election?

I don’t think so. And that’s why we need to stand out. We need to start shining brighter so we can get into the eyes of others – after we pick ourselves up and push ourselves forward.

Looking to light a bright fire

Despite trying to become a useful member of our community, I can’t help but feel recently unseen by so many disability rights advocates. However, I do believe I’ll be embraced by our people eventually. I respect myself and many other disabled people too. But, right now, I believe we need to reorganise our lives.

Changes need to take place. And, as I’ve already indicated, I want us to become a stronger force that feasts upon the attention of others.

Although disabled people’s organisations should be operated by disabled people alone, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with interacting with others who aren’t disabled either. In fact, getting their attention is going to be a useful part of a process I want us to complete.

So, for a little while, I think I’m going to be working in a disabled people’s organisation of my own. But that’s okay – I need to do a little research and look forward to a new year ahead.

It’s time to talk to a lot of non-disabled people about our lives. Friendly ways find good people, and I’m going to find out more about how others perceive the disabled community. I speak with non-disabled people and know a lot of great individuals who don’t deal with our issues.

These people obviously don’t object to what we need, and they understand why we want them too. We need to collaborate with them on a more regular basis. But speaking with them now and again as friends isn’t enough. We need something new to help us stand out in the crowd.

Going solo

I can’t help but believe our independent attitude only seems to be pushing them away. More often than not, we need to start shaking hands with these people, and offering them more information from a unique source.

And why will they read it? Well, along with us, a lot of people also crave to eradicate our Conservative government. If we tell them that looking at something will build a bigger force against austerity, I guarantee, a lot of people will want to know what it looks like.

It can tell them about why we’re often as talented as others. It can tell them why we work harder to harvest new success. We deal with personal problems that so often stay silent, and only toughen us up to do jobs in the future. If they understand more about how society so often shows us the door, they’ll only start reading more about our issues, and supporting us when they arise as well.

I’ve recently spoken to some non-disabled people about my wishes to make us a bigger and more powerful community of disabled people. They love the idea of it, and why wouldn’t they? If they’re not disabled, most people know somebody with a disability. My non-disabled friends only wish to see an end to austerity. We should be friendly with them so they can help slide our volume higher and let us shout louder than ever before.

Don’t be bothered by the ugly

Although those who couldn’t care less stand out more than others when disability’s involved, these types of non-disabled people don’t exist as much as we perhaps thought. Disability is a huge subject to understand, but if we offer people information about our social issues, those who support equality will be happy to stand by our side with more understanding in mind.

22% of the UK population is disabled. However, it took me quite some time to come across and learn about the social model of disability. It’s not something they teach in schools, and I didn’t learn about it until I approached the GMCDP myself less than two years ago. Plus, nobody has ever recommended that I joined Disability Rights UK, who are supposedly Britain’s largest disabled people’s organisation at this moment in time.

When speaking out about something new to look at earlier, I have an idea in mind that’d help a lot of people – including the disabled. I won’t talk too much about it now, but please, be patient. A central location is already lingering within my mind.

In the future, being disabled will cut you the main key to confidently speak out about disability when needed. But remember – right now, we’re only being too quiet. It’s clearly time to make a change, and as we close to start a new decade, new social enterprises will surely appear in the not-so-distant future too.