Inclusive Practises

Blog 1 : Disability

Diability and race:

“Do we really want to tackle discrimination?”  “Racism is within in the system, it is inherently systemic.” Ade Adepitan

Adepitan A, talks about the intersection of his disability and race, and gives examples of being discriminated for being both disabled and of colour. Moreover he ends leaving the crucial point that discrimination is so systemic it isn’t blatent, and it is hard to prove, but does not mean it isn’t there.

These points seem so pertinent, like with racism, ableism is also inherently systemic, equal access to possibilities for education, entertainment, art, etc etc, would mean a society willing and wanting to tackle discrimination. However, I don’t think this is a society that does…. This would mean far too many born with privilege needing to yield the very power they were born into.

Friends and strangers: Deaf West Theatre.

Sara Novic (Deaf Writer): “ I can 100 promise that you learning sign language is easier than a deaf person learning to speak.”

Artist Christine Sun Kim discusses her journey into Art as a deaf woman, and the lack of access to (for example) art classes, because the institution wasn’t equipped (i.e. a lack of a translator).  She discusses that it is easier to be in the deaf community that within a deaf and non-deaf community sign language for the deaf community and the fear around being in a non-deaf community particularly with regards to how misunderstandings (in communications) can affect daily life. However, she goes on to say talk about the importance of integration and collaboration, and the importance of visibility when it comes to the deaf community. For example, her Captions of Sound project was particularly poignant.

“If we aren’t seen, we have no place to be.”: she ends stating this, which made me think of non visible disabilities: how can we represent and visible those with disabilities which are hidden?

Disability and `Gender.

Chay Brown discusses the lack of access for disabled people within the LGBTQ+ community, or moreover the need for more considerations and adaptations for people with disabilities at LGBTQ+ events. He discusses the intersections of his gender as a transman , and his disabilities, which I understood to be related to mental health.  

What these interviews highlight is the need for access and adaptation. Where possibilities may be available, there is no point if there are not adaptations or adequate access to them. They all highlight how, in general, society places the responsibility on the individual rather than the responsibility of the community to adapt and change. They also highlight that the intersection of disability with other factors such (for example) race, gender, or economic possibilities are complex. For example,  it wont be the same for a person of colour who has a disability as a white person of colour with disabilities, and here lies the complexity of inclusion, and the intersection discriminator factors which lead to the marginalization of some. Another point made clear is the need for visualization.

Whilst watching these, I was reminded of the Palestinian artist and comedian Maysoon Zahid who  states the intersections of her possible discriminatory factors, using humour she says: “I’ve got 99 problems, and palsy is just one. If there was an Oppression Olympics, I would win the gold medal. I’m Palestinian, Muslim, I’m female, I’m disabled, and I live in New Jersey.”

She also highlight the importance of representation within theatre. This, for me is particularly important. Within the performing arts representation is everything. It is a way to visibilize, but often those who are chosen to represent, may not have the best lived experience to portray a character. For example, from women being acted by men in Shakespearian times to, what we see more frequently- non disabled actors playing disabled or neuro divergent characters, or non muslim actors playing muslim characters. There are many reasons leading to this, for example lack of scripts be written (or lack of support for scripts being written) by minority communities, but also this comes back to education. If there is a lack of adequate access to performing arts training for the disabled (for example), the possibilities will be less. I could expand beyond the word limit on this, and I am only discussing this superficially, but this leads me to my next thought.

Training at UAL, and recruitment: I work as an associate lecturer (in performance) and as an admissions tutor. There is great pressure to hit targets: offer targets, conversion targets, intake targets, and within those carefully measured (by algorhythms) data to suggest how many of these offers should be contextual admissions. I.e. applicants who have protected characteristics, and applicants who, more often than not have less access to trainging. Here comes the tension point, and my rhetorical question, I believe for this unit. “How beneficial is it for the applicant to recieve an offer of a place, if there is not adequate infrastructure on the ground to support them through their time at uni? Are we really able to create, re-create and work with the individuals’ access needs. Of course we are able to, and of course we should –  but this requires a web of structured support that enables the students to thrive, without saturating the workload of the tutor or the disability and inclusion team.

Finally, this exercise has made me think further, as to how accessible the admissions process is for some, and how could it improve.

References

Video 1: Ade Adepitan gives amazing explanation of systemic racism, ParalympicsGB, 2020′

‘Video 2: Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” – Season 11, Art21, 2023′

‘Video 3: Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during UK Disability History Month 2023, ParaPride, 2023′

Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Colour. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241–1299.