Occupying Space and Disability Politics

For many years I have been a activist furthering the cause of Aboriginal rights. Giving speeches at Invasion Day rallies, writing letters and generally flying the Aboriginal colour in all things I do. I am not Aboriginal. My stepfather is and I have been in his family for 44 years but this still doesn’t make me Aboriginal. I can be an ally but that does not give me ownership of community or belonging. I am on the periphery.

For many years I have been an activist furthering the cause of the LGBTQI+ community. I did phone banking during the Yes campaign, I had signs and stickers on my car and on my home. I attended rallies but I am not LGBTGI+. My friends are and I was their bridesmaid but this doesn’t make me LGBTQI+. I can be ally but that doesn’t give me ownership of rainbow flag or belonging. I am on the periphery.

Since birth I have been disabled. I have Arthrogrophosis multiplex congenita. I was integrated in to mainstream schooling. I had no community, I had not allies. I had no belonging. This space is the space that I have membership too. I am disabled, I have a very visible disability. I am not on the periphery. I have ownership of community and belonging but it took me a long time to find my own space, my own community, where I could be an activist in my own right. I am not a pretender, I do not feel like a phoney and I can be certain that I can occupy this space in my own right with pride. I belong.

I am an interpreter for the deaf, I have been signing since I was 17 years old. I have worked with Deaf in school and in community, I have attended Deaf functions and I have Deaf friends. I am not Deaf, I am an ally.

Although we have disability in common. I am on the periphery. Like all the other groups LGTBQI+, Aboriginal and Deaf, we have so much in common with subjection and discrimination, violence and abuse that is inherit in a minority group of difference but still I can not claim ownership or membership to this group.

This is not my space to occupy but I can be an ally and know my boundaries. Key point boundaries, we need to know when we are over stepping boundaries.

How is it that when a community becomes strong and proud and more socially accepted, belonging and occupation of the space occurs? Is it ‘jumping on the bandwagon’? It’s like a fashion statement to be ‘in’ this space. How do we stop space being occupied by too many allies or pretenders taking the voice of those that have the right to the space? How do we regulate ourselves in this space to be strong and be the voice for ourselves. How do we stop ourselves being corrupted?

I need to be mindful that I do not speak for all others with disability, I am a self advocate and can talk to what happens to me and in that it must have happened to others with the same or similar disabilities. I need to remember there are other voices and I need to give them space to talk and be heard. We all need to be mindful of not dominating the space and casting a shadow on others.

When I was at uni my lecturer in a sociology subject describe to the class the Crab Theory, that is:
If you collect a bucket of crabs none of them can escape by crawling out because the others keep pulling them back down. We as disabled people need to be mindful of this. We are stronger together.

Now that I have belonging and I have found my place, my place is to stand by the side of all the others and listen and be heard. I am not a pretender. Those that occupy the space with me are from a diverse group with much intersectionality. We can take membership from all groups but we have the commonality of ‘disability’ whatever that is.

We are stronger together when we are mindful that we all have a story and a voice and share our space respectfully and understanding boundaries.