3 Dec: International Day of People with Disability

Written By Switchboard Vic

In conversation with Darcy (they/them), our QLife Volunteer Coordinator

How do you identify?
I’m white, trans, queer, class-privileged, autistic, mentally ill, and physically disabled.
 

What are the main challenges (if any) you’ve faced as a person living with disabilities in a world that still has a lot to learn about inclusion?
It’s important to acknowledge that my privilege, and in particular my whiteness, has hugely protected me from many of the worst injustices faced by disabled people. Despite this, I have still experienced homelessness; been long-term unemployed and faced financial hardship; received inadequate and negligent medical care; and have experienced harassment, bullying, and abuse. 
 

What does inclusion mean to you?
Inclusion means structural change. There is no inclusion without significant change to the systems that oppress all of us across a variety of intersections. Disability inclusion cannot be meaningfully separated from racial justice and Aboriginal sovereignty, LGBTIQA+ rights, bodily autonomy, and dismantling capitalism.
 

What are your thoughts about the changes (especially to workplaces) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Has this helped or hindered disability inclusion, and how?
I think it’s a small step towards inclusion in some ways. It’s been bittersweet for many disabled people to see working from home suddenly become an option when they’ve requested and been denied that option previously. It’s hard knowing that the main reason changes have happened is because of a threat to abled people, rather than a desire to include disabled people. I’m not ungrateful for the changes though! I also know that some disabled people have found that these changes have made things more difficult – some autistic people work better with in-person interactions and have really struggled, for example, and masks have made things incredibly hard for many D/deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
 

What would you like to say to other LGBTIQA+ people living
with disability today?
That we are stronger together and that being disabled doesn’t make you any less LGBTIQA+ or vice versa. That many important LGBTIQA+ activists are or were disabled. That it’s vital that we support each other. This means being intersectional in our approach and recognising that working class Bla( c)k and Brown disabled LGBTIQA+ people have done the bulk of the work, and that we need to make sure they continue to be included and centred in our movements.
 

What actions can non-disabled individuals take to show allyship to LGBTIQA+ people living with disability?
Recognise that we can be LGBTIQA+, that we have sexualities: don’t discount those of us who are non-speaking, who have cognitive disabilities, who have limb or facial differences or don’t appear normatively attractive.

Demand accessibility. Be loud and annoying and use your privilege to advocate. Ask about access at events, workplaces, venues. Consider not attending if they refuse to cater to basic accessibility needs. Pay disabled consultants to help make your work more accessible. Think about policy around event planning, interviewing and hiring, social media and communications – have you catered for a wide range
of access needs?

Give money to individual fundraisers and mutual aid organisations. Volunteer for LGBTIQA+ disability causes. Consume media by disabled people and understand that we’ve always been here, have always been part of LGBTIQA+ communities, and have been a big part of LGBTIQA+ rights movements.

Thank you for your time, Darcy.

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