Perhaps the biggest challenge people with a disability face is the attitude of society. People with a disability are often viewed as victims of circumstances, who are deserving of pity. People with a disability do not agree. They want to see changes in attitudes so that all people with a disability can participate as valued members of society in all aspects of life.
When we talk about change, most people think of changes in access arrangements – which is important. But the change needed is about more than simply access.
Simple changes in how we communicate can make a significant positive change for many people with a disability. For example, when creating a PowerPoint presentation, the size of the font, the colour of the background and the colour of the font can all have an impact. Black font on a white background (as on a printed page) is one of the worst formats for a multimedia screen, but is the one most commonly used. Yellow font on a blue background is considered to be the most accessible – though this still isn’t best for everyone.
A person with a disability is first and foremost a person, and our challenge is to look beyond the disability and see the person.
A few years ago The Salvation Army changed the name of SAFE, The Salvation Army Fellowship of Endeavour, to ‘Enabled’. The new name was suggested by members. Changing the name reflects that we no longer see members as deserving of pity as they endeavour, but we see them as fully enabled members of The Salvation Army. We want to embrace what members can do, to recognise their gifts, qualities and skills. You see, it’s more than just a change of name – it is a change of emphasis and attitude.
The question for each of us is: What are we doing in our day-to-day lives to ensure that people with a disability feel they belong?
From the very first chapter in the Bible, we learn that God created all of us in his image – we are all included in his creation.
‘Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”’
(Genesis 1:26-28)
Look at yourself in a mirror. What do you see?
As you look at yourself in the mirror, reflect on the fact that you are created in the image of God.
EVERYONE is created equally in the image of God. We should celebrate this as well as our individual qualities, gifts and skills.
