Disability Pride Brighton 2017: Celebrate with Pride — Scope | Disability forum
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Disability Pride Brighton 2017: Celebrate with Pride

MikeBroderick
MikeBroderick Community member Posts: 235 Pioneering

This Sunday, the 9th of July, will see the launch of the first Disability Pride event in England - Disability Pride Brighton 2017.

It promises to be a great day out and a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and take pride in who we are as disabled people from every community.

poster for disability pride

Described by organisers as “a celebration for and of all people with disabilities,” Disability Pride Brighton was started by Jenny Skelton, as a positive response to an incident in which her daughter suffered disability discrimination in 2016.

There has never been a Disability Pride event in England before and I am sure you will agree that there is nowhere better than Brighton to hold the very first one. We are excited to be running our event at the same time and date as Disability Pride New York City as well as a similar Disability Pride event in Switzerland and Italy. - Jenny Skelton

There will be all kinds of good stuff on offer including music, street food, children’s entertainment, and a family picnic area - all delivered in an accessible environment, with a changing places toilet.

It will be held from 2:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m. New Road, Brighton BN1 1SD.

For more information, please see the Disability Pride Brighton website.

What do you think? Is this sort of event needed? Or is it long overdue?

Are you planning to attend this milestone event? Would you attend a Disability Pride event if it was near you?

Comments

  • Markmywords
    Markmywords Community member Posts: 419 Pioneering
    The intent is unarguably admirable, However, for me, that's as far as it goes.

    First, marketing it as "Pride" and the obvious attempt to associate with the Gay Pride movement. I don't see how that will be productive for either group.

    Pride can be seen as a positive or a negative attitude depending on the context. If the event is about influencing others then a better understanding of how it might be perceived is needed.

    What is it one is supposed to be celebrating and proud of?
    Is it being different when that means a body or mind that is more like a prison than a means of interacting with the world?
    Perhaps being dependent on others and the goodwill of society as a whole?
    Could it be having the opportunity to create yet another exclusive sub-culture to rail at the mainstream from?

    My position is that I'm not proud to be disabled. I'm not "inspiring" or "brave" or "humbling" to be bearing the unbearable. I simply have no choice. I suffer greatly every day and as far as I am concerned, a life spent alone and like that is a fate worse than death.

    That said, I do not want anyone's pity or do-gooding. Don't stand in my way, make value judgements on my life or try to impose your values on me. If you do then I am entitled to do the same to you.

    Changing public perception and what is considered to be acceptable behaviour would be wonderful. Hold a mirror up to society to force it see what it is trying so hard not to. I just don't think this passive-aggressive platform is going to be productive.

    Hey Society? We can't vanish even if we wanted to and tried. If the darker side of life bothers you then why not seek the truth and change so it doesn't? 
    You are able to change, we aren't!
    What options have you ever given us?

    Good luck to this movement, I wish it well. They don't speak for me though.
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    It is long overdue.

    Disabled people represent over 20% of the population, the official figure is 18% of the working age population, most accept this is under reported, and the depths the DWP will go to deny people are disabled is well documented.

    Most smaller and medium charities and non profits depend on disabled unemployed volunteers in various ways. Board members, volunteers, supporters. Much maligned by IDS, who prefers the parable of the Good Samaritan than the parable of the Widows Mite, because the first is rich. Of course the parables are stories, in real life the rich man wrecked the lives of the disabled forcing them to depend more and more on the widow's mite.

    But even those who cannot work or volunteer, they are as much a part of our society and its rich diversity and therefore to be valued.

    @Markmywords asks what it is that we have to be proud about, and I understand and respect his view. My question though is what have we to be ashamed about? If nothing, then why should we not celebrate our lives and community instead of hiding?

    While it is true Gay Pride started as protest today it is as much about celebrating differences within our society and attended not only by the LGBT community. The LGBT community is one of the most inclusive we have welcoming all who accept them, and as willing to support Black Pride and Disability Pride. Why would they not, many are not one or the other, but a mixture of two or even all three.

    Personally from this small beginning I hope in a few years to see more Disability Pride events around the country, making it more accessible. After all, the first Disability Pride event in the UK was in Dublin in 2014

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you @Geoark and @Markmywords for your feedback! :)
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • MikeBroderick
    MikeBroderick Community member Posts: 235 Pioneering

Brightness

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