A very good friend of mine today told me about a radio phone in on Three Counties Radio that literally shocked her to the core. A phone in where people were agreeing that disabled people who make a lot of noise or potential disruption in society shouldn’t be allowed where “normal” people go and this includes on holiday, public transport, restaurants, etc.
I haven’t listened to the entire show as I know it is too close to home and will upset me too much but I was wondering if anyone else had heard it this morning?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0443brl#play
I literally have nothing to say. The fact we are evening discussing whether disabled children should be allowed out in society is disturbing and archaic. Why should someone I have never met tell me where Jude can or can’t go. Why should someone I have never met dictate how we should behave in society anyway??
This connects well to my conversation yesterday about our terrible day with the idiotic teenager laughing at Jude crying in a park. THIS is the type of attitude we are constantly fighting against and having to face on a daily basis. And if we don’t miraculously face it one day, we still fear that we do so and thus have constant anxiety about going into public arenas.
Please give me your thoughts. Listen from 1.09ish for the initial woman who told a disabled child to be quiet in a restaurant – fair enough, if it was seriously annoying I agree that children should be taught how to behave in social settings. What is disturbing is the lady from 1.18 who is clearly insane.
She suggests that people going out and spending money for a nice evening shouldn’t have their evening ruined by disabled children or people being a bit different. She says that if she had a disabled child then she wouldn’t go out and put herself in these situations BUT HOW DOES SHE KNOW THIS!?! Would she stay in all the time?
At 1.21 she even says we shouldn’t take our disabled children to nice restaurants and that there are plenty of places “geared” for families such as ours. For instance MacDonalds. I wouldn’t step foot in a MacDonalds and I’m proud to say that Jude hans’t either but she also isn’t sure whether we are worthy of the likes of Zizzi or Jamie’s Italian so I’m not sure where we could go and eat because we have been to both of these and survived the experience! This woman states we aren’t good enough for more expensive places because the ambience dictates quiet and relaxation.
Clearly she has no comprehension of any learning disability. I know children who will freak out because they are “lively” environments such as McDonalds. That constant murmur of noise is enough to drive some autistic children insane. Perhaps they would be better suited to an “ambience” that is calmer and quieter but sadly, yet again this proves how uneducated a lot of people are and how sadly, we are not welcome.
What do you think? A x
Oh this is infuriating. As someone who grew up everyday of my life with a severely disabled disabled brother I am insulted. I didn’t notice the staring and comments growing up it was only when I spent time with him as an adult I really noticed it. It made me feel uncomfortable and why? There is no reason I should, my brother, your son, anyone has as much right to be out in public, in a restaurant or at the park, anywhere as anyone else! That’s not to say if he kicked off I wouldn’t perhaps take him out of the situation for his sake and everyone else but I certainly wouldn’t stop him going places. I doubt very much she would be saying this if the boot was in the other foot. Xx
I agree. I will never stop Jude going anywhere he wants, no one has the power to define how people should or should not behave in public spaces. It just highlights how much work there is still to do in regards to disability acceptance x
I can not believe what I have just read! I’ve grown up with my brother who has severe learning disabilities and I have a son who’s autistic and I wouldn’t stop taking my son out to public places because his not a ‘normal’ child and at any time could have a melt down. I think this person needs to get a life and stop being so judgmental.
Hi there. I agree, it’s been on my mind ever since I wrote that article yesterday and I just can’t believe that people think they can decide where and in what capacity other people can present themselves. Really upsetting.
Some people are just idiots. That’s all I can say.
A well written post!
#SundayBest
Agreed. I’d like to go to a restaurant void of morons like her.
I have read the article and that made me sad and this phone in must have been to a new level. What I found about the story was it compared the child in question to her child with type 1 diabetes. Being a mum of a boy with asd and type 1 I could not believe how she got a comparison out of it. It’s sad that today we are still fighting to get accepted xxx #sundaybest
Ugh, how awful! There was some terrible tabloid story going around the other day saying that it was distasteful for ‘normal’ children to play with dolls with disabilities… As though these two types of people are mutually exclusive and should be kept segregated. Humanity is diverse – that’s one of the most wonderful things about it. x #sundaybest
Exactly. It’s scary to think that many people genuinely believe some are more important than others. A x
People are bloody idiots! And that woman is just a d *ck! Whenever I go on a train it is packed with loud people. Whenever I go to a restaurant there are loud shout people. Are they all disabled? I think not. So what are they saying, if you’re disabled you must be quiet but if you’re not then you can be as loud and rowdy as you like?! People only get arsey about noise etc when it is a child or a disabled person; it pees me off so much! Thanks for linking up to #SundayBest x
That’s very true. I’m pretty sure you can’t dictate what people do with their own lives so who are we to tell disabled people where they can and can’t go. Makes me slightly nervous for my sons future if I’m honest. A x