I published a vlog about this very topic a few months ago at tbe start of the pandemic. At that point this was focused around the widely reported issue of disabled people and their families being asked if they would sign a DNR order should they contract covid-19. This has been one of the key indicators since the pandemic began that the lives of disabled people have suddenly are of a lesser value.
However since them the subject has escalated and became all the more controversial since the death of George Floyd in the USA. In my opinion the death of Floyd should not of happened in the way that it did...No-one deserves to have their neck knelt upon until they fall unconcious whether you are black, white, asian, whether you wear glasses or have pink hair...Okay the last two examples may seem as if im trying to be flippant about a really serious issues but i 'm really not.
Racism should not be tolerated and shouldnt even exist is our society to be tolerated. Everyone is equal and should be treated as such...Black lives do matter but so do the lives of disabled people.
Last night was this years live final of Britains Got Talent, a programme that has very much been caught up in the black lives matter campaign in recent weeks. The dance troupe Diversity took to the stage in the semi finals of BGT with a dance routine to illustrate the events of 2020. The routine saw Ashley Banjo take on the role of George Floyd while another member of the troupe took on the role of the police officer kneeling on his neck.
In my opinion this wasnt an accurate illustration of the events of 2020 or of the pandemic but rather of one event and even then it could be argued that Diversitys dance routine is only of how the media potrayed the situation. Given that after this episode was aired BGT received 24,000 ofcom complaints, i'm not the only one who had concerns around Diversitys dance routine.
Being one of the many disabled people who was asked whether i had or would consider having a DNR put in place i can reliably tell you that being asked that question was a shock and i quickly refused to consider it.
For me it just puts things into prospective...Have any of us seen a dance routine highlighting the fact that disabled people and their families have been asked to sign DNR orders?...i think we all know the answer. (i'm not sure how a dance routine around DNRs and disabled peoples right to life would be choreographed but hopefully you understand the point im trying to make)
Aleshia Dixon also wore a BLM necklace during the Britians Got Talent semi final. To be honest i wasnt that observant and didnt notice till it was pointed out to me. Apparently River island brought out a similar necklace that sold out with in a couple of hours after it launched. Has anyone saw a DLM necklace (disabled lives matter)or an ALM necklace (all lives matter)??
As i wrote this blog i was watching the BGT final and black comedian Nabil Abdulrashid took to the stage with his act for the final. In his semi final act Nabil included the subject of racism and black lives matter in his act. This resulted in more controversy for the show as ofcom recieved another 733 complaints and Nabdil himself also received death threats
During the BGT final Nabil didnt shy away from the complaints and thats where i will give him some credit. I take a similiar approach to disability with wheelchair stickers like 'pair of legs for sale hardly used!' If you cant laugh at yourself, who can you laugh it?
That said i totally understand why people would be offended by both Nabils approach to racism and my outlook to disability. This blog wasnt to criticise BGT...it was a way of highlighting that disabled lives matter, infact all lives matter
