if you had just read the title of this blog without actually reading the blog post you might have thought something along the lines of 'really??? is someone really going to rant about something that is just meant to be a fun new way of creating a cartoon representation of yourself?' Well...I hope you won't view this blog post as a rant but I am going to tell you what the options within the new Facebook avatars highlight...
Sitting (in my wheelchair ironically) creating an Facebook avatar one afternoon in lockdown, I can honestly say that initially I didn't give much thought to the fact that the options within the avatar app didn't offer the option to add a wheelchair. I was thinking more that creating the avatar would pass 10 minutes of an afternoon in lockdown...Let’s be honest in the last 3 months or so we have all developed techniques and ways of passing our days and at that moment that's all creating my avatar was. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't allow my Cerebral Palsy to define me and due to this, as much as I rely on my wheelchair, to me it's just wheels. That said, after giving it further thought and through having various conversations, I found myself thinking 'why shouldn't there be an option to add a wheelchair or to represent other disabilities in the same way there is the options to represent different ethnicities, and culture as well as a sticker illustrating diversities in sexuality?' if it was an option to include a wheelchair or any other appropriate representation of disability, then at least disabled people would have the choice as to whether they want to include it in their avatar. As it is there is no choice, in the avatar world disability does not exist whereas other people from other minority groups can choose whether they want to illustrate their race, culture or sexual orientation in their avatar. It could be argued that if other minority groups weren’t included in the avatar options, this exclusion would be highlighted quickly. Is disability not important enough to include?
Before this seems like it's turning into a rant, it's important to say that I don't think that Facebook app developers consciously decided to exclude disability representation within the avatar options. I do think this has been a genuine mistake on Facebooks part. However, let’s put it into perspective. Within the option available there are 10 body shapes and 17 different types of eyebrows to choose from. I was impressed that these allowed me to make my face and hair look like me even down to, what has become known as my trademark of my crazy coloured hair...53 sticker and prop choices later there is no option to add a wheelchair though. There is however the option to put the avatar of your adult self into a pram with a dummy and you can choose from 20 lipstick colours! This really does put it in into perspective!
As with any other challenge I face due to my disability, I found a way round this but the point is, I shouldn't have had to, especially in a world where inclusion is key in ensuring everyone has the same opportunities and no-one is disadvantaged. I enlisted the support and artistic talents of a colleague, who through the use of Doodly software, created me my very own unique avatar that you see below complete with a wheelchair :-) There is also a video below that we created and premiered on this weeks In Control Scotland's Webinar Wednesday.
It may only be an avatar but the message matters...inclusion matters so let's send the right message
