Friday 18 April 2014

Celebrating Difference

So why, you may ask, did I choose to create a Blog link up which celebrates difference?  Because recognising and embracing difference at all levels is our biggest line of defence against prejudice.



Several years ago I wrote:-
There is much written at the moment about the Children, Schools and Families Bill, Child Protection and parenting choices. What most of you reading this or any other Blog today might be unaware of is the potential impact across all society that this Bill might have had if passed (and still might have if Labour are re-elected and have a second attempt) which extends beyond how you choose to educate your children. It challenges something totally fundamental in our society. Not only does it challenge the right parents currently have to choose how their child is educated but introduces an unpalatable advance of the erosion of individual choice and independence to be and live as we choose. 
The CSF Bill which has largely been dropped due to pressure from Home Educators who not only objected to State interference in their right to educate their children as they see fit but also pointed out the obvious - that a HE child is no more or less "at risk" than any other school educated child, all of whom have long periods of time at home. The unfortunate Khyra Ishak was indeed deregistered from mainstream schooling but was not, by any stretch of the imagination Home Educated. But suspicion is the child of ignorance and choosing a path for your family which is in any way different from the vast majority should not leave you open to prejudice. Yet Ed Balls has stated he fully intends to "provide proper protection to home educated children" if Labour are re-elected.
There is a veritable industry that exists to "safeguard children" now which must therefore justify its existence on a daily basis. So deep is the desire to prove themselves at every level this "protection" system is trapped looking for cases and fitting individuals into their preconceived moulds. There is no room for uniqueness, for unorthodoxy, God forbid you do not choose to or are unable to tend towards the mean. This offers up a perfect opportunity to convert misunderstanding into accusation.

This is a constant battle fought by parents of disabled children, those with mental health issues and those with invisible disabilities. So vast and complicated is the framework in which support is or is not available that if there is not an immediately visible, convenient niche in which to slot your family (either inside or outside that framework) then you invite suspicion and intervention. Instead of training health professionals, social workers and other front line workers to respond to individuals on a case-by-case basis we are trapped in a system where government frameworks and policies constrain free, rational thinking and financial accountability has been stretched to require self justification at every level. In our case we have a very able, but clearly autistic child who does not fit the mould of expected outcomes for education and behaviour management. Consternation and lack of alternatives precipitated enquiry and accusation because there wasn't a tick box for our family.

April is Autism Awareness month. But being aware is sometimes not enough. We need to be aware, and familiar with difference. Because familiarity banishes fear and misunderstanding, from which grows prejudice. The Disability Discrimination Act of 2010 defines disability but does not familiarise disability. As a species we seek familiarity and sameness, and are naturally suspicious of difference, but this does not have to define us.



The modern world needs to learn to celebrate individuality, in a current time frame rather than persecuting those with something unique to offer society. We are taught to recognise and remember those who were "different" in history and we are learning, slowly, to recognise apparent "deviations" from the norm when faced with large groups. Religious toleration, racial and social acceptance are goals many aspire to if not reach but still, in the twenty first century it is still socially and politically acceptable to seek and root out, to stigmatise, persecute and victimise that which is unfamiliar and alien. It seems we have learned little and increasingly offer ourselves up to be judged by supporting continued and increasing State intervention in our lives. Without individuals and individual ways of living we might just as well enter a Brave New World and admit defeat of the very essence of being human.

It's time to change.


24 comments:

  1. I believe most responsible parents can make the right choices about their children's education and upbringing. I suppose the problem arises when some parents cannot make that choice, and the Government has to intervene.

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    1. Yes... assuming "the Government" has a balanced, sensible view - which sadly they often don't :(

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  2. I agree entirely ~ "time to change". Lovely post.

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  3. Great post, well done for being and voice and for helping to make that change x

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  4. I would love to live in a world without prejudice and full of acceptance that each and every one of us is different. x

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  5. Great post! I completely agree with you on the point that we should learn about differences and accept them not persecute them. We're all different people, either with disabilites or not we're still valuable human beings. We all deserve respectable and different approach from others as every case is different!

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  6. Great post and its good that you are making people aware of this.

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  7. You make an interesting point about awareness and familiarity and I think the media can really help with the latter.

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  8. A wonderful, well-articulated post. I think too often it is too difficult for parents to do the right thing for their children, which most inherently know, because of a lack of knowledge and/ or understanding, and usually bureaucracy which challenges even the most talented professionals to see beyond the pile of paperwork.
    Respect, acceptance and support are the traits which most in Government seem to lose first.

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  9. I'm so with you on this. I don't really have anything useful to add as we're only just beginning to make our way through this minefield, but I really appreciate you sharing your insight.

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  10. A wonderful, well argued post. It seems to me that the powers that be are hell bent on a one size fits all policy and that's never going to work. Using their common sense seems to be actively discouraged. Actively sharing stories about our differences, invisible illnesses etc is a great way to knock down the walls that these policies are creating.

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  11. This is a fantastically written and well thought out piece. It's become very apparent to me (since my eldest started school last year) that our family will.always be 'different'. We don't have a tv for example, which most kids just can't get their heads around. My daughter is on a heavily restricted diet because of food intolerance,and I've been challenged on my decisions by everyone from my husbands parents to her teachers. Ignorance is one of my biggest bug bears, but is so prevalent in society at large.

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  12. A lovely post. Things do need to change that's for sure

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  13. Such a good post and you are right on the money - we are told what disability is or isn't, in the view of the Government - a problematic road to go down in itself; but we are not familiarised with disability, or taught to embrace it, or celebrate it. Well done for writing this.

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  14. Great post! Individuality is so important and acceptin everyone for who they are is such an important lesson for children to learn x

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  15. I agree that individuality is important and often schools are there to out our square pegs in round holes.

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  16. I would love my children to grow up in a world where there are no prejudices - we should embrace our differences x x

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  17. I do think the world has moved significantly in the right direction in recent years and people are more readily accepted for who they are, but more change is needed!

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  18. well done you for highlighting this! x

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  19. Great post, I hope that when Amelia is older people accept everyone for who they are! x

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  20. Excellent post. I'll share this on my FB as I have a few friends who have autistic children x

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  21. brilliant blog post . i work with autistic children x

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Many thanks for taking the time to comment, I really value your responses.

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