by Simon Stevens
A visit to the Gay Pride celebrations can inspire people with disabilities to feel comfortable about who they are
Last month, I attended the Gay Pride march in London, which is a wonderful event. Disabled people who wish to attend the march have a safe area near the front and it's a great celebration of who we are. I always wear a pink helmet and a pink T-shirt that says "Proud Gay Spaz". If I could I would have a pink wheelchair harness for next year.
The event captured my imagination and got me thinking about impairment pride. I have always been very open about my impairment and, for example, the fact I wear nappies to avoid accidents. In the same way gay people celebrate their identity, I would like to be able to celebrate my identity to a point where it is comfortably challenging. It is now possible to buy T-shirts and stickers with funny and positive messages on disability which do just this.
In this context, I was looking on eBay and found a company which sold reasonably priced custom print adult onesies - T-shirts with crotch poppers to hide your nappy, which are great in the winter. So I decided to order one with the message: "As a drooling spastic, I am wearing my nappy with pride". It arrived and looks just like a very smart polo shirt. I am planning to wear it at the next Community Care conference, but the question is are people, like social workers, ready to be confronted with this level of pride?
It seems that it has only been in recent years that the term nappy has been acceptable in terms of adults and people still use the dreaded term "pad", which I hate.
While Scope was absolutely right to change its name from the Spastics Society, the term has now been reclaimed by people with cerebral palsy to create this new positive identity and was seen with the one-off comedy "I'm Spazticus".
While the language of impairment pride may be slightly confrontational and uncomfortable to social workers and other professionals, is this not part of the power shift which is occurring as disabled people and individual impairment groups find their new voice in society and develop new relationships within the social care field?
When I feel comfortable wearing my onesie, I plan to have more with different messages. It is important to feel comfortable with who you are and be able, in many ways, to share that with others.
Simon Stevens is an independent disability trainer and consultant
Hi Simon;
Just found this post, and what a great idea! I need a t-shirt like that :-)
I agree totally with your hatred of the "pads" thing - every time I have a carer say that, I hear behind it a sort of "well, this is all a bit embarrasing and you should hide your disability behind nice clean words that make you sound like a patient, not a person".
Personal pride, celebrating individuality is fantastic, and now I won't just wear my nappy with pride - I'll get a t-shirt and shout about it :-) Thanks!