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Have you ever felt excluded?
Chloe_Scope
Posts: 5,900Administrator Scope community team
Scope have released a brand new campaign!
Half of disabled people feel excluded from society and many say prejudicial attitudes haven't improved in decades. With research finding that two in five disabled people feel undervalued and disconnected from society, something had to be done.
Living with a disability can be incredibly difficult at times, but we would love to hear your experiences. Have you ever felt excluded from society?
By sharing every day experiences we hope to highlight areas where people feel undervalued and disconnected from society, but also what changes you believe need to be made.
Scope are focusing on five key aspects and want to promote disabled people living the life they choose. By sharing your story it will others to see they are not alone.
These areas include:
Have you experienced any inequality around the five key aspects? What changes would you like to see to society?
Let us know in the comments below!
Half of disabled people feel excluded from society and many say prejudicial attitudes haven't improved in decades. With research finding that two in five disabled people feel undervalued and disconnected from society, something had to be done.
Living with a disability can be incredibly difficult at times, but we would love to hear your experiences. Have you ever felt excluded from society?
By sharing every day experiences we hope to highlight areas where people feel undervalued and disconnected from society, but also what changes you believe need to be made.
Scope are focusing on five key aspects and want to promote disabled people living the life they choose. By sharing your story it will others to see they are not alone.
These areas include:
- Attitudes
- Work
- Public transport
- The right care and support
- Access to digital technology.
Have you experienced any inequality around the five key aspects? What changes would you like to see to society?
Let us know in the comments below!
Chloe
Online Community Officer
Online Community Officer
Replies
Is it so difficult to have a screen in hospitals like at a GPs office?
Sannie Nureeden
Theres lots of reasons as to why.
I feel excluded but my anxiety makes me exclude myself from daily life, if that makes sense.
@leeCal, not sure why your prayer posts disappeared but if praying helps you then I’m glad.
I'm sorry to hear that your posts have been marked as spam. I've looked into this for you and this should now be resolved.
If you live long enough, you can also reach this jolly question ......Do you think ANYONE wants any older person to stay alive?
Online Community Officer
Sadly, the chattering classes had/have attention span for only one idea at a time, and in those days, they were still belatedly considering themselves trendy original thinkers if they heroically stated they agreed with the 100% in u.k. who opposed race segregation in South Africa or southern u.s.a.
They could grasp that a fellow man (not woman) might be treated as an equal man in law, even with a different skin colour. Many M.P's were gay, so they could even, gradually, be brought to concede that homosexuals, too, might be considered equal.
Women, Disabled or Older People, might vaguely be assumed to be slightly similar to real, ( M.P.) humans, just as long as merely making empty statements that such people are equal won't make any difference to any M.Ps, their behaviour, their friends, or their wealth .
In other words, it was exactly like making meaningless proclamations about Southern U.S.A, or South Africa, from the unaffected safety of their own cosy Palaces in Westminster.
There is one equality, and it's name is Racism. Racism, alone, is enforced by authority, with criminal proceedings.
Ageism and Disablism will be encountered daily. The victim is required to become wealthier than the offending organisations, including government, in order to fund personal pursuit of every daily breach, through every stage of court and appeal.
Are premises, including shops and new housing, and stations, inaccessible, through steps and through wrongly adjusted door closers? Is planning consent for disabled/elderly hostile built environment still given, , all these years after the DDA? Alone, the individual must make every instance the centre of a personalised complaint, then sue the government, the council, half the shops, services and organisations in the country..
Is unecessary background noise, especially musac, poured over every BBC programme, especially any nature film? Does imposed avoidable noise make normal shopping and cafes intolerable to those with hearing loss, ptsd, autism and other conditions? Every individual is required to pursue legal enforcement, all alone, unfunded and unaided and without support or advice.
While old people are routinely described as 'a burden' ,depicted as rich, selfish, home-hogging bed blockers, is u.k. state pension the world's worst, and far below the minimum to sustain life? Are old people stereotyped and mocked e.g. in Mrs Browns boys, , or One Man Two Guvnors?
Are public and charitable services such as counselling available only to those who can journey to a particular building, instead of on the phone? Do medical providers use all available car parking for their own staff, not for disabled excluded potential service users?
Is it reasonable and proportionate that such a state of universal disablist/ageist practice is regarded as trivial by comparison to a perceived racial slur?
Sir Trevor Phillips, when Chair of Equalities, pointed out that "Disablism is invisible , universally practiced, socially accepted, and institutionalised, and, in its effect on peoples lives, is, in many ways, worse than racism. "
He could have said the same about Ageism, which is all of the above, plus, virtually, being encouraged as government policy and favourite fashionable habit of the chattering classes .
Andy Rickell of Scope wrote that disability organisations made a mistake by splintering, and a bigger mistake by not aligning with older people, because the overlap of interests is so great, and the numbers among the voting population are overwhelming.
Scope trying to attract attention to a few aspects is not as good as united lobbying for a Ministry of Elders, Disability, and Equalities, with a prime purpose of making all Equalities Equal. Therefore, if a person can expect the police to attend to an incident when someone uses a racist insult, s/he should equally expect it to be a police matter when s/he is badly treated, unable to access goods or public or private services, segregated into 'care' ghettos, or social 'apartheid' .
A legal 'remedy' which is blatantly impossible for the Discrimination victim to exercise, is no remedy at all, thus in breach of national and international human rights law.
Power is heady. Power is invariably liable to be abused, normally with self righteous victim blaming by the power abusers. Those in power to control funds and services can only be human, therefore can only reassure one another they have a perfectly good system. It is 'their' system, so it must be right.
If inconvenient beggars for help go and fall off the conveyor belts, those beggars are themselves to blame. If supplicants don't grovel gratefully, they deserve refusal. If they cannot fit any of the rectangular tick boxes, they are wilfully, deliberately, failing their obligation to comply, and must be harshly punished.
@Debbie finds it unreasonably difficult or impossible to access services due to unlawful failure of service providers to adapt to meet the needs of excluded service users or potential service users. Agraphobics, claustrophobics, and many other disabled groups are directly discriminated against. Other older and disabled people are indirectly discriminated against because their carers are untreated, due to not being able to leave them .
Recent radio 4 journalists, investigating Charity, have described how Advocacy service charities are swallowed by what are, in effect, quangos. Syphoning all available funding, the quangos become the undercutting contract winners, ostensibly providing the bare minimum statutory obligation 'services'. They comply with whatever the paymaster authority demands. Instead of helping, often with experienced volunteers, they tick boxes restricted to what the L.A. wishes. If the social service team chooses to refuse help to those who don't beg pleasingly, and don't fit neatly on the limited number of conveyor belts, then they are excluded from help, or hope.
Incidentally, the t.v. programme 'impossible engineering' has invented the wheel, for people being left out due to hearing loss.
But, foreign language translation is considered to merit priority funding, out of sheer terror of the word 'racist' (only in u.k., not in other countries including e.u.)
Meanwhile, nobody fears the word 'disablist', because the law is officially unenforced. Therefore, who could be bothered even to publicise the two, cheap, smartphone apps. ? One is to make deaf people safe from traffic, by translating sound to a vibration warning. The other is to end exclusion by providing instant translation of conversation into text, so everyone in a group can be equal.
I used to be a husband and father, played sports and organised teams at different places, such as pubs, and was always right in the middle of things. Up until recently I was going out with other healthy people but few would chat much with me, I guess they thought it might be catching. Now I cannot go out at all and feel so much worse.
The systems in place are supposed to provide help but again I am excluded because I am considered a troublemaker because I don't accept poor support without creating a fuss. Thanks to Mental Health, Orthopaedics, Social Care and GP surgeries I am now alone and sat if front of the TV 24/7 and my only visitor is a cleaner that I pay to come round. Even my family now excludes me from what they do and have done so for 3 years or so, despite my having some mobility until the last few months.
It is disgusting that we get treated so badly (when we get help at all) and are left to sort out everything for ourselves.
TK
Then along came the big banking crisis and all of a sudden every phrase uttered by politicians and headlined in the press which mentioned 'disabled' or 'chronic illness' also included the phrase 'benefit scrounger'. Link the two often enough and you end up with the situation we're in now.
Even sympathetic members of the public believe that all disabled people claim benefits and at least 20% of disability benefit claims are fraudulent, no one believes that a disabled person could possibly earn enough to buy their own car, many people in my (other wise very safe) area no longer display wheelchair stickers in their vehicle to avoid consequent vandalism, I've been abused as a scrounger for claiming free prescriptions (which I get because of a health condition, not because I'm on benefits) and I've been told that someone who can walk from the rear of the car to the passenger seat obviously only uses a wheelchair because they're lazy.
Even the people who are supposed to help are no different. My previous GP is the direct cause of some of the damage to my spine since he repeatedly told me there was nothing wrong with my back and it was all in my head. When my husband paid for me to be seen privately, it turned out I had three fractures, one of which had damaged the nerves going to my right leg so badly that I have never been pain free since. I've been passed between various hospital departments all my life because I have a list of issues as long as your arm to the point where I was asking if the latest health professional wanted highlights or the full top to toe, and as soon as the list went beyond 3 or 4 problems you could see the disbelief in their faces. It's taken 56 years, but I've finally been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos, which explains every single one of those problems. It's of no comfort to know I was right all along.
For anyone who is just reading the first and last paragraphs, I can summarise by saying I'm sick to death of being treated like a second class citizen by the majority - I have to say, including some disabled people, and having to fight over everything from access to trains, planes and ferries to being able to use the self-checkout in the supermarket, so do I feel excluded? I can't remember what being included feels like.
I feel excluded from society period. My pain keeps me inside and I rarely venture out apart from appointments.
The NHS pain clinic I went I found patronising. I really did try for 2 years and got knowhere. Which was really sad.
With my health the only way I can see of working again is from home and online.
Since Ive stopped working friends have dried up, family events are harder as Im at an age where Im the mad Auntie. And I get tired easily. So my illness and diaabilities exclude me in one sense.
Im a part time wheelchair user and the diffrence in attitudes from when needing and not is horrific. People are either overly helpful or overly hostile when Im in the wheelchair. Ive had my chair kicked while queing, being pushed and going through a crowd of people and been commented on. Though people being helpful out weighs the hate, It stops me from wanting to use the thing that can give some freedom back. So I dont often go out even to the shops.
I cant believe the sheer hatred thats projected on to the sick and disabled in society.
So I feel excluded from society in many ways. Its actually a pretty deep question, I could go on longer. The answer is yes
That is what I miss is face to face talk. Just because I'm in a wheelchair it doesn't mean I can't have fun.
My hubby gave up work to be my carer and all I see now is my kids aged 14 and 25 and my hubby oh and my lovely doctor.
So yes I feel totally excluded and it's not a nice experience.
I have often felt excluded, especially by the NHS. I have fibromyalgia and ME which forces me to use a wheelchair and scooter. I also have severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I went from being an active police officer to being a shadow of my former self. Although my friends are brilliant, there are so many hurdles we have to face. Trying to get treatment for my PTSD is impossible - in fact, a lot of doctors don't even know what it is! I keep being told to take anti depressants, and I keep telling them I don't need them, as I'm not depressed! The mental health services in this country are appalling! Physically, I am told that there is no more they can do for me regarding my Fibro/ME, and I have to put up with the pain. When I am out on my scooter, every journey is met with being unable to pass vehicles parked on the pavement, and lack of dropped kerbs. I can't tell you how many times I've had to turn around, find a dropped kerb, and travel on the road. Terrifying!
100% felt excluded!!
My husband and I laugh about it now but at the time it really knocked my confidence. I don't really think my dad had thought about his comment. My wheelchair is now nicknamed "The Thing".
Just a thought, we three (at least) are not excluded anymore - we have each other and we have scope. Xx
I am so sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much and I can understand how frustrated you must feel right now, mental health services seem to be under so much strain and many members have talked about how long the waiting lists are to access any support.
MIND say:
Unfortunately it's very common to have to spend time on a waiting list before getting therapy through the NHS. While you're on a waiting list it might help to:
- Explore any alternatives to therapy which might help in the meantime.
Our page on facing and overcoming barriers to seeking help gives more suggestions.Some community and charity sector organisations may offer free or low-cost talking therapies. For example:
- Anxiety UK offers talking therapies for anxiety. There is a fee but they do offer reduced costs for people on a low income.
See our page on seeking help through the third sector for more information. Some charities also provide telephone listening and emotional support services. These are not counselling or therapy, but can be helpful if you need to talk to someone in between sessions.You can also contact @Samaritans who offer emotional support. They can listen to you and help you talk through your concerns worries and troubles. You can also call Samaritans at any time, for free on 116 123. If you don’t feel like talking you can also email them [email protected]
If you feel you are at immediate risk of harming yourself you can call 999 or go to your local Accident and emergency department for treatment.
Please take care, and I hope you get the help you need.
Senior online community officer
I have all my life felt like I was a 2nd class citizen. I have been ignored, under valued, name called, looked at like I have 3 heads and I have had to really fight to fit in where able bodied people take this for granted.
Recently at work I was sat at my desk one morning where I over heard my manager and her team leaders talking about Jeremy Beadle. They were mimicking his hands and laughing about his disability like it was acceptable to do so.
So after the team meeting I asked my team leader for a private chat. When we sat down to talk she could see I was mortified. I was shaking with anger and sadness, I had tears in my eyes and tried so hard not to break down in front of her. When asked what was wrong I explained what had happened and she kept saying sorry as she knew what had happened was wrong! I explained to her that if they had been talking about people who were gay or black etc that it would not be tolerated so why is it tolerated if you are disabled? She agreed it was wrong!
After I composed myself I went back to my desk to get on with my work. Shortly after I saw my team leader take the manager and other team leaders into a meeting room to discuss what had happened. When they came out nothing was mentioned. There was no apology and still to this day nothing, which upsets me daily to the point were I want to quit my job.
The above is just one time I have been unfairly treated, there has been many more in my life. What makes this whole situation ridiculous is that anyone can become disabled at anytime through accidents and illnesses. Everyone's children have a chance of being born disabled and still this madness continues! I have seen massive improvements over my life with racism, women's rights, gay rights, human rights and many more rightly so too but very very little with disability rights! What is going on? Something needs to give.........