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Post by Banker on Jun 11, 2012 4:53:33 GMT 7
Australian attitudes towards people with a disability are still largely negative, a Social Policy Research Centre project has found. The project, which investigated public attitudes on disability, was commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The review of Australian and international literature found that younger, more educated people and those with a personal familiarity with disability have more positive attitudes; people were more comfortable dealing with disability than with psychiatric illness; negative attitudes of both teachers and students are a barrier to inclusive education; and employer misconceptions stop people with a disability or mental illness gaining employment. Co-author, Associate Professor Karen Fisher, said the most significant finding was the lack of understanding of the impact these negative attitudes have on people’s lives. “There is a research gap in this area,” she said. “One of the reasons that change is slow in Australia is because we are not acknowledging that our approach is piecemeal.” The report found that New Zealand and the UK have more strategically invested in campaigns to change attitudes and conduct regular surveys to measure the change. The introduction of the ABC’s online forum, Ramp Up, last year is an example of where Australia is also making positive moves. The project concluded that strategies to change community attitudes are most effective when they include policies on three levels; personal, organisational and structural. Associate Professor Fisher said awareness and personal contact with people with disability needed to be encouraged, as well as communication in employment, education and health organisations and that policy and legislation needed to be revised. “It is also crucial that people with disability are included in the design and implementation of policies and that those policies are sufficiently resourced to reinforce positive attitudes towards the disability experience.” www.unisaustralia.com/attitude-overhaul-needed-on-disability/ |
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Post by aussieinusa on Jul 21, 2013 11:57:48 GMT 7
I know this is an old thread, but I thought it might be worth talking about some of the negative assumptions people make about us due to our disabilities, since the article doesn't get into what the specific attitudes are.
I'm in the 'lucky' position of having hidden disabilities, so if I've only just met someone or only ever spent short periods of time with them, and haven't told them about my health difficulties, they don't know about them. So I get to contrast how I'm treated by people who know, and by people who don't... and I 'pass' well enough that sometimes people I've just met start spouting their prejudiced views about people with disabilities from me. So these are the prejudices I've noticed:
1. "You're all just lazy and don't want to work". People have said this to my face a few times, not realising I'm one of 'them'. They get a polite explanation of the amount CL has spent on audits, and how few actual 'bludgers' they've found. And a big glare of two. I always feel like asking them if they always blindly believe everything they read in the paper or see on TV, though.
I also get the 'lazy' one in a variety of other ways. e.g. If I have to sit quietly in a corner while other people are working, most treat me like I'm a waste of space. If it comes out that I'm not really working, I start getting asked pointed questions. Even among people who know why I don't work, they often treat me with much less respect than when I was working.
2. "When you have it so good on welfare, why get a job." Usually following the comment above. Hahahahaha. Welfare = having it 'good'? Clearly they have no idea what the welfare payment amount is, versus average rent, since they think we sit around eating bonbons and being fanned with palm leaves all day, or something.
3. Slightly stupid. If all someone knows about me is the extent of my physical issues, they treat me like I have below-average intelligence. That isn't the case.
4. Eugenicist attitudes / "disabled people shouldn't have kids 'cos it decreases the quality of the human race and their kids will be a burden too" / "even if your kids are 'normal' you won't be able to look after them". Can't print my response to this; makes steam come out of my ears.
5. Perpetual children. Apparently my conduct as a PWD is exactly like that of a child (because sometimes I have to get people to do things for me that 'able bods' take for granted being able to do for themselves) so I should be treated like a child. Even though I'm a grown woman with no intellectual disabilities, and can quite capably handle the vast majority of adult situations.
6. Asexual. Apparently PWDs having sex at all is the kinkiest of kinky things, and even people who loudly proclaim their own non-mainstream sexual tastes often go 'ew!' about it. Maybe it's related to the one above; if they don't see us as full adults, maybe they think our adult relationships are paedophilic.
7. Fine for others to control your life. Possibly again related to #5... I've been in a bunch of situations where people close to me make major life decisions for me, without asking me what I think about it. And nobody says, "hey, maybe you should ask your wife/daughter/friend if that's what she wants"; even people who would generally point out to a friend that their partner is overly controlling.
8. Annoying. Boy, do some people (even people who are supposedly not prejudiced) get soooo annoyed when I do things slower than they expect. But apparently pushing me to hurry up when they know full well that I physically can't isn't prejudice; I'm in their way so that justifies it.
9. Understandable to abuse a disabled partner. Because our disabilities put burdens on our partner, well if they snap and do something abusive to us, well it makes sense right??
The lazy / don't want to work / stupid ones probably have the most impact on work and study situations, but in any social situation the others come into play from time to time too.
Anyone want to add other disability-related prejudices they've encountered?
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Post by Banjo on Jul 21, 2013 13:39:47 GMT 7
When we started the forum Banker and I headhunted other websites for members.
I got a lot of shit like you describe, the most popular one was that we shouldn't be able to sit on a plane if we were really disabled.
It hardened me the f*** up eventually, I now have a few well tried stock replies to this stuff, some of which are quite rude.... but as I said, if a poor old pensioner can harden up, then let them as well.
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Post by baranghope on Jul 21, 2013 15:40:46 GMT 7
Until you have an permanent ailment or disability you do not comprehend it really. It is an experiential thing, I suppose, and those without that ailment/disability have zero comprehension of it unless it is so obvious it affects them immediately. So, if you have a couple of disabilities which are not apparent to others, you can either enjoy that invisibility or tell anyone up front. The former works better. Or get a prop like an actor. As soon as I put my cane in my hand people think, oh, he's lame. Or like Harpo Marx, if you are oversexed but mentally impaired, why not beep your horn?
Given your obvious intelligence aussieusa I would not let "them" totally frustrate you. It is only going to get worse it appears in this country, if the forces of evil, stupidity and prejudice gain power. Barbarians who call everyone else a liar, or bad, or dishonest are at the gate here. This may make your current issues seem minor in future. We can only hope that positive rationality will prevail over fear and prejudice and ugliness.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2013 16:24:52 GMT 7
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Post by fedup on Aug 13, 2013 15:01:36 GMT 7
1 July 2012 changes to indefinite portability of DSP
From 1 July 2012 DSP recipients with a severe impairment and no future capacity to work are eligible for indefinite portability of their pension. DSP recipients applying for portability under the 'severely impaired' provisions are required to undergo an assessment of their impairment and their future work capacity.
To be eligible for indefinite portability under this rule:
The recipient must have a severe impairment - that is, be assessed as having an impairment rating of at least 20 points under the Impairment Tables introduced on 1 January 2012, of which 20 points or more are assigned under a single table, and
the level of impairment is considered long-term - that is, the impairment will persist as a severe impairment (no prospect of significant improvement) for at least the next 5 years, and
the impairment will prevent the recipient from doing any work independently of a program of support in the next 5 years.
OR
The recipient is assessed as manifestly qualified for DSP under the manifest criteria in force at the time of assessment (these are the post-December 2002 criteria).
Except for a manifest grant, DSP recipients applying for indefinite portability under these provisions are required to undergo a portability assessment which includes the JCA processes. For a person to meet the DSP portability work capacity test they need to be assessed as having no future work capacity. This requirement will be met, if the JCA indicates that, based on the evidence and the assessor's professional opinion, it is unlikely that the person will have any capacity to undertake work in the open employment market at or above the relevant minimum wage in the next 5 years, even with interventions.
DSP recipients who apply for portability under these provisions while in Australia, are required to undergo a portability assessment before departure. Generally, those recipients who apply while overseas will need to return to Australia to undergo portability assessment. An exception to the requirement to return to Australia for an assessment will apply where a DSP recipient is unable to return to Australia because they have had a serious accident, or been hospitalised, before the end of their current portability period.
Act reference: SSAct section 1218AAA Unlimited portability period for disability support pension-severely impaired disability support pensioner, section 94(3B) Severe impairment
Policy reference: SS Guide 7.1.2.10 General Rules of Portability, 7.1.2.20 Portability Table
Where are hours stated? 0-2. 7-14. Etc. NOWHERE
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Post by fedup on Aug 13, 2013 15:04:32 GMT 7
The professional opinion of what? A LIER, a person with a CONFLICT OF INTEREST,like keeping their job?
Since when does an opinion over ride FACT?
Since when can a rehab counsellor or wet nurse over ride a Doctors or surgeons report?
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Post by tim2013 on Aug 13, 2013 20:13:43 GMT 7
since when has the tax paying hard working mob anything to say in government doings?
never had in past 2000 years in any form of society and never will be in the society form called CAPITALISM.
when you guys start looking at the bigger picture and switch off the TV and start informing yourself about the real facts. the internet is free and its all there.
stop being played like the fiddle. in this system you have two option:
being played or play them!
nothing has changed in evolution, before it was: eat or to be eaten.....
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Post by fedup on Aug 14, 2013 2:27:56 GMT 7
And what is your answer?
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Post by Denis-NFA on Aug 14, 2013 6:15:11 GMT 7
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Post by mick on Aug 14, 2013 11:45:30 GMT 7
since when has the tax paying hard working mob anything to say in government doings? never had in past 2000 years in any form of society and never will be in the society form called CAPITALISM. when you guys start looking at the bigger picture and switch off the TV and start informing yourself about the real facts. the internet is free and its all there. stop being played like the fiddle. in this system you have two option: being played or play them! nothing has changed in evolution, before it was: eat or to be eaten..... Yeah Tim what is your answer? |
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And I am bloody proud that I still can! 
