Trying to get to Clapham

Why is it when you’re in a wheelchair and you get on with life that people think you’re an inspiration! Inspiration for what, dealing with issues I have. That’s not inspiration that’s just life and we all have issues to deal with. Some big and can seem horrendous, others small but still not any less relevant. So please stop telling me I’m an inspiration. I’m just that bloke to coin a legal phrase from my law training trying to be the man on the Clapham Omnibus.

Or I would be if I could get on there and that’s the problem. The above terminology came from a law case, and is used to represent those who are normal and just your day to day average person. I’m no different or I want to be treated the same. However its society that makes me disabled, not my disability itself. If I can’t get on the bus, which is considered normal practise does that make me a lesser person?

When you think of Equality, and the definition of discrimination, you find that it’s defined in law by the words being treated “less favourably”. When discrimination occurs I can no longer be the man on the Clapham omnibus, or even get to Clapham, I’m not allowed to be Mr Average and therefore I’m made to feel like a lesser person. 

Now disabled people don’t want to be treated better or want people to be sorry for them, like me they just want to get on with life and enjoy being part of society. I want to be able to do all the things that able bodied people do. To me that’s not an inspiration but someone trying to get through life like everyone else. No one likes being treated less favourably. Like when all your friends go out and you’re not invited. 

It’s really frustrating that in 2017 with the Equality Act being 17 years old, we as a society can still treat people less favourably. Everyday i see access issues, polices and processes which discriminate. Often it feels like no one cares. So when you see in the news that a Paralympian had to wet herself or people with disabilities had to go to court so they can get on a bus and be allowed to travel the same as everyone else. Why is it news at all? It feels like society is saying oh that’s dreadful, but then crossing the street and walking on.

Things have gone backwards over the last 30 years authorities think of equality as a tick box exercise, the Equality and human rights councils responsibilities have been severely cut back. Even those who want to try and get justice are thwarted by lack of resources and cuts in legal funding. At every step people with disabilities are being failed. Is that really fair? What’s the point of law, the courts and the justice system if we are systematically being failed. It’s not enough to win the odd case, congratulate ourselves and then just carry on.

What we need or I think we need is proper enforcement of disability legislation or enforcement of any form of discrimination. Until we all take it seriously, discrimination will continue and I’ll never get to sit on the bus or meet the guy in Clapham. That’s all I want, the choice to do as others do.