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Disability Files

 To start 2025 I am going to open up my disability files and talk about my experiences and other topics relating to disability. 

Through opening up my disability files I will speak about person centred practice, amplifying the voice of people with a disability, disability and sexuality, the cultural impact of disability, beauty and disability, and much, much more. 

When you read the history of disability rather than just focusing on each specific disability it is important to see the individual person in the centre and to focus on things like choice, rights, and empowerment. 

In my early life there was a 'fix it' approach to disability. We have to make the disability better rather than empowering me and other people with disabilities to lead the life we want to live. 

Last year was the twentieth year of me delivering disability education to the community. In that time I have encouraged the community to take a holistic view of the person with a disability's life. To take into account things like family life, social life, culture, spirituality, and sexuality. 

When you take a person centred approach it's important to look at what a person might add to their community. For example, I personally am a husband, son, uncle, and artist. I also am very socially active politically and spiritually. 

While you have to take into account certain aspects of my disability you cannot forget to take into account my family, community, and country's culture. 

If you are going to assist someone to live a person centred life; you have to check your baggage at the door. 

Different families, communities, and cultures will have different attitudes and approaches towards disability and you must not let your biases impact the support you provide to an individual. 

An example from my own life is as follows: I have a number of crucifixes and framed prayers around my home and I have had support workers in the past that have disrespected my religious beliefs. In an effort to be funny one of my workers pointed to a prayer and said "I know that one. Give us this day our daily beer." I understand he was trying to be funny but just one look at my home and anyone would know I take my faith extremely seriously. 

Now my family are extremely proud of their Dutch culture and one time I had a support worker that refused to feed me sauerkraut and rookworst because "that is gross". I was not asking her to eat it. I was asking her to help me eat it. Literally her job and might I add there was no medical reason for she couldn't help me with the task. In my opinion the only time it is appropriate to question someone's culture or lifestyle choices is if you personally are at risk or the person you are supporting is at risk and unaware of it. 

Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world except for First Nations people every Australian is an immigrant. 

So when you are working from a person centred approach, it is crucial to create an environment that is welcome to cultural diversity. 

When you are working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds it is important to realise that different cultures around the world have different attitudes towards disability. 

For example in some non-Western countries people with physical deformities may be revered as manifestations of local gods and yet in other countries people with disabilities may be seen as carriers of sin. 

In my own life I experienced this when a physiotherapist told 9 year old me that I had cerebral palsy because my parents were sinners. 

In Australia it is important to have a balance of empowering people to live an active life in their community and respecting cultural differences because while you are supporting people you do not want to alienate them from their culture or communities. 


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