SUITX by Ottobock’s Post

This happens all too often to people with disabilities, especially those with an invisible disability. We recommend the post below and our own Best Practice on this topic: https://lnkd.in/dkHWG8WA

Are you watching the Paralympic Games? Are you inspired? We should all be inspired by the extraordinary athleticism of our Para-athletes. However we need to also be mindful that we aren't using images or footage of disabled people to make ourselves feel better about our own lives. When we look at images of disabled people and objectify them, it is known as "Inspiration Porn", a term coined by remarkable disability advocate, Stella Young. It happens when non disabled people look at disabled people and think or say 'well at least my life isn't that bad' or 'if they can do it with no legs then I can definitely do it'. These ideas and statements signify the comparison between disabled and non disabled people and reiterate this idea that disability is a bad thing, and disabled people lead mediocre lives. I'm here to tell you that my disability is not bad. It is a beatiful part of my existence. When you look at me, by all means be inspired by my achievements, but don't be inspired by the fact I can achieve day to day tasks like mopping my floors. That is not inspiring. Simply living with disability is not inspiring or remarkable. Living with disability is part of the human existence. So let's get back to marveling at the elite athletes currently competing at the Paralympic Games! International Paralympic Committee #inspirationporn #disabilityawareness #disabledisnotbad #imnotyourinspiration In this video I was interviewed by Lauren Orrell for Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia, this is an edited version of the full episode also featuring Madeleine Stewart, comedian and producer & fellow Australian Paralympian Carlie Beattie

Headlines this morning report new World Record holder in the Women's 50M Freestyle is being bullied for "faking" her disability. As many of you know disability symptoms can fluctuate - one day an individual may use a walker or crutches and the next they may need to use a wheelchair. So, I wanted to dig deeper into what is required by International Paralympic Committee to verify someone's disability and the below is what I found. 🏊♀️ Paralympians must share medical documentation - this includes medical history, diagnosis and relevant test results. 🏊♀️ Physical Assessments - Classifiers test muscle power, range of movement and limb deficiency. (similar tests are given for athletes with vision or intellectual disabilities) 🏊♀️ Sport Criteria - Each sport has its own minimum impairment criteria that all athletes must meet to be eligible to compete. 🏊♀️ Interviews and observations - athletes may be interviewed and observed during training to ensure accuracy of classification. It appears this is a pretty rigorous process. Let's lean toward believing someone when they tell us they are disabled, especially if that disability has been well documented. Christie Raleigh Crossley | #DisabilityInclusion #DisabledAndCapable #ParalympicGames

Paralympics ‘Thought of the Day’ - Day 6 It’s amazing to see plenty of ‘first time’ and accessibility best practices, but the reality is, the everyday infrastructure is still not built with accessibility in mind… - when Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson had difficulty getting off the train when the schedule changed slightly… - not all traffic lights have sound system to help those with visual impairment - lack of closed captioning or BSL provided for broadcasting of all, if not key, live events (such as the recent Leader debate during the election…) And many more… We need Inclusive design in everyday practices! Because when you ‘Solve for one, Extend to many’. For example, Closed captioning / subtles are being used far more than helping people with hearing impairments watch TV or follow a presentation. This also helps those whose are not a native speaker of that language, audiences to understand someone with a heavy accent, following along on TVs placed in loud environments like airports and public places or allowing someone to watch TV while their partner sleeps… Michael Vermeersch we need your expertise!!! https://lnkd.in/gCew2SEk https://lnkd.in/gAkqcgC2

Welcome to another Thursday Thought! 🌟 Today, let's delve into the Paralympics and its impact on the disability movement. The Paralympics showcase the incredible athleticism of disabled athletes, highlighting their capabilities and challenging societal perceptions of disability. This visibility can inspire pride and drive positive change in how disabled people are viewed and treated. The focus on elite athletes can sometimes overshadow the everyday experiences of most disabled people. The portrayal of Paralympians as "superheroes" can inadvertently set unrealistic expectations and perpetuate the notion that only extraordinary achievements are valued. Moreover, the Paralympics often receive less media coverage and funding compared to the Olympics, reflecting ongoing inequalities. What are your thoughts? #ThursdayThoughts #Paralympics #DisabilityAwareness #Inclusion #DisabilityMovement #Realism #VisibilityMatters #InclusiveSports #Equality #Community #EverydayHeroes ID: A single finger pointing upwards towards the text "THURSDAY THOUGHT..." followed by "The Paralympic Games" against a plain blue background.

Global Disability Inclusion, LLC is currently highlighting some of the companies that are supporting the Paralympic Games. These companies have also created marketing communications campaigns that feature people with disabilities. It’s not surprising that Toyota Motor Corporation is on the list. Toyota has created some exceptional commercials in the past few years, including a memorable 2021 ad that featured U.S. Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long. (I will include some examples of Toyota’s ads in the comments section.) As I learned in the Diversity and Inclusion in IMC course at West Virginia University, marketing communications campaigns that feature people with disabilities are not that common. In fact, in 2021, Nielsen reported that while about a quarter of Americans had a disability, people with disabilities were featured in only about one percent of primetime TV ads at the time. (I will also include a link to this research in the comments section.)  This is something that needs to change. The Nielsen article explains that including people with disabilities in marketing communications campaigns can positively impact the business. However, the article also emphasizes the importance of portraying individuals with disabilities authentically. If you get a chance, you might want to check out some of the other examples that Global Disability Inclusion is sharing this week. Note: I used AI to help write this post. I wrote the first draft and then improved it using ChatGPT and Grammarly.

After a survey revealed that more viewers watch the Paralympics to see people "overcome their disabilities" rather than to witness elite athletes compete, Channel 4 responded with a powerful campaign. This video is a part of Channel 4’s powerful new campaign, which aims to shift the narrative and spotlight the athletes' incredible sporting achievements." Rather than showing the athletes “overcoming their disabilities”, the film depicts Paralympians taking on and overcoming forces such as gravity, friction and time – the impassionate elements and unchangeable forces of our world – that make no exception for any athlete, regardless of someone’s disability. This campaign stands out for several key reasons: * It reflects genuine community insights. * It promotes true inclusivity. * It embraces bold and creative ideas. * It addresses societal attitudes towards people with disabilities. Most importantly, it shifts the focus to the athletes themselves, not their disabilities. Athletes are exceptional, period. #DisabilityInclusion #WeAreBillionStrong #SDGs #AXSChat #BillionStrong

“With 100 days to go until the Paris Games, the IPC’s Andrew Parsons says it is vital for disability rights they are the best ever.” “We’re talking about the 4,400 athletes living in the village, but we also want to be able to influence positively the lives of 1.2bn people with disability,” Parsons says. “We have the feeling that persons with disability have been forgotten in some of these international debates. If you see some other movements, and we applaud them all, [those related to] gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation have moved a lot, while the persons with disability have been left behind. “The pandemic has shown us, if you see the number of persons with disability and the kind of health assistance that was provided to them even in very developed countries, the policies that were designed to be very inclusive were not,” says Parsons, who does not have a disability. “Sometimes you don’t see persons with disability in those top discussions [and this is] fundamental to design the policies that will lead to real inclusion.” “I believe we have the best platform to help change that because, if you think on sport, politics, culture, whatever, the Paralympic Games is the only event of global impact that puts persons with disabilities centre stage. That’s why we understand the responsibility we have. “In September, the United Nations will host its summit for the future to look again at its sustainability goals. In this critical moment wWe have the Paralympic Games as a platform one month prior to it. It’s a very good opportunity that we don’t want to waste.” Paris 2024 - Comité d'organisation des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de 2024 International Paralympic Committee #Paris2024 #Paralympics

Fabulous story about disability inclusion and the difficulty or impossibility of one setting to fit all. As you read this, pls also consider athletes with an intellectual disability who are locked out of the Paralympics so gave set up their own event. So what’s the answer ? The answer is lots of settings and choices and ongoing evolution to keep pushing inclusion along and simultaneously respecting the human right of people to gather with their tribe in any settings they want. This story also shows the problem with the label “segregated”. Not everything segregated is bad -we all do it. A feeling of “belonging” is what’s key to inclusion and any setting that generates that is on the right track.

Will you be watching the Paralympics? What is your reason for watching? Channel 4 recently commissioned research that showed nearly 60%of people said they watch the Paralympic Games to “see athletes overcoming their disabilities” whereas just 37% say they watch the Paralympics for “exciting sporting competition." Nana is a disability advocate which is driven by his personal experiences and his passion for making a difference in the lives of those with disabilities. He believes that the Paralympics provide an opportunity for disabled athletes to demonstrate that they can compete on the same level as able-bodied individuals. Despite the societal tendency to view Paralympians as "superhuman," the event highlights that athletes with disabilities are equally capable. Having a disability doesn't make someone superhuman—it simply means we compete in sports with different challenges. Channel 4's Paris 2024 Paralympic Games campaign challenges patronising attitudes using it's "Considering What?" theme which is a good move away from the previous "Superhumans" theme. We'll be watching the Paralympics with the same vigour that we watched the Olympics as there are always many lessons to be learnt from the world of sport that can be transferred into organisations. #Paralympics #Inclusion #Disability