Diversity and disability
The Quaker Disability Equality Group remind Friends of the need for further work on removing obstacles put in the way of inclusion
We have all been called to examine diversity amongst Quakers in Britain. We trust that the call for particular attention to race and age diversity will not preclude consideration of other axes of diversity.
My faith doesn’t have anything to say about why people have impairments. It doesn’t tell me there is some special value to disabled people that makes up for their limitations. It tells me that we’re all equally valuable, rich or poor, healthy or ill, mobile or not – and that society has failed to accept and reflect that. It tells me that I, and hopefully we, should be trying to change society to allow everyone the fullest possible access to the things people take for granted, and for that matter everything they don’t take for granted as well. It tells me that there’s a fundamental injustice in a society made by unimpaired people for unimpaired people, just as much as a society made by men for men, or by white people for white people.
- Sam Barnett-Cormack 2017
The Quaker Disability Equality Group (QDEG) is a Quaker registered body that works to make the Religious Society of Friends an inclusive community, where all can serve and participate equally, irrespective of impairment and disability. QDEG arose from a concern in 2004 of a small group of Friends in West Scotland who were distressed by the lack of understanding and commitment amongst many Friends to make our Society more inclusive, and to put into practice our testimony to equality, valuing every member and enabling them to participate as far as possible in our work, worship and outreach.
After many meetings and prayerful discernment, the concern was taken to Area Meeting and then to Meeting for Sufferings, who gave it their blessing and support, leading to the establishment of the Quaker Disability Equality Group in 2008. How far have we progressed since that first concern? Sadly, Friends still experience barriers, physical and attitudinal, to their full participation within our Society.
At an event run by a Quaker-affiliated group it was suggested that ‘as the spiritual effect of something would be reduced by making the activity accessible to wheelchair users (among other people), then it was OK not to make it accessible, and anyway the law in this country isn’t strong enough to oblige people to make everything accessible’. Back in 2004 West Scotland Friends had said that we should not concentrate solely on the law, but should treat everyone as equal in the sight of God, remembering our testimony to equality.
During QDEG’s 2017 AGM, Friends identified several unresolved disability issues. The ones particularly relevant to Friends are that we are too reliant on the written word, that inclusion is rooted in compassion and concession rather than rights, and that it is difficult to access participation in protests and demonstrations.
What benefits one person may well benefit others. Many of us don’t necessarily think of ourselves as having access needs. For example, during preparations for this year’s Yearly Meeting Gathering, the suggestion of having speech-to-text on the main screen or on a larger screen than previously was not taken up. Consequently, some people were unable to find seats near enough to read the screen or were limited in their choice of where to sit in the hall because of the position of the screen. Clearer speech-to-text would benefit a much greater number of people than those who consider themselves disabled.
We encourage Friends to examine all aspects of diversity in their Meetings. Sometimes what helps one person hinders others but we can use our business method to seek ways forward in unity. We may encounter difficulties but we will grow together.
Correction (5 June 2018): In the article by the Quaker Disability Equality Group (25 May), reference to 2017 should have been omitted. The Group had recommended, before the 2017 Yearly Meeting (YM) Gathering, having speech-to-text on a large screen, and again before YM 2018. This was not taken up on either occasion. This year Friends were still limited in the choice of where to sit at YM. While putting speech-to-text on phones and tablets was welcome, ‘clearer speech-to-text on the [main] screen would benefit a much greater number of people than those who consider themselves disabled’.
