The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

"Ableism" is becoming more commonly used in UK activism and resources simply because it is more well-known online, and so it's often easier to just go 'yes, fine, that'.

"Ableism" is becoming more commonly used in UK activism and resources simply because it is more well-known online, and so it's often easier to just go 'yes, fine, that'. There are specific reasons why I only use "disablism" unless I absolutely *have* to use "ableism", and in fairness to the person being corrected, they were presumably going with the term I was using.

In a nutshell, 'disablism' fits better with the social model of disability (which is, very roughly, that disability is the state of being encumbered by society's *reactions to* and *lack of provisions for* your impairment - it's not perfect (some aspects of some impairments/conditions pretty much can't be solved with accommodations etc) but it's about the best model I've come across) and to my ears 'ableism' implies that we're being discriminated against due to our lack of ability - i.e. that on some level it's down to a flaw with us that we should just get on and fix, and/or that it only applies to people who aren't 'able' (and thus that someone who is physically disabled but also has, say, excellent workplace skills and is able to keep working isn't 'really all that disabled' and doesn't face discrimination on that basis). (Obviously this isn't what is usually meant by the term, however, it's worth noting that I've encountered a fairly large minority of US disability activists who do, apparently, think that UK disability activists are a bunch of whining ninnies who should bootstrap our way out of chronic illness and mental health problems and such...)

This post explains better than I can before 9am http://lisybabe.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/disablism-vs-ableism.html

(Okay, now to go and read the rest of the thread!)

I mean, I'm all for positive language, but the fact is, there *are* quite a lot of things I can't safely do, and it's exhausting having to constantly prove this just to be able to afford to feed myself and my kid, just because I happen to also be smart and able to write the odd thing semi-coherently on the internet.

For example, a lot of people I know who can't comfortably stand at length in ritual have stories about at least some of the following:

1) Rituals which went on forever (hours), when no advance warning or alternatives were given for that.

2) Shaming comments toward people who either (appropriately, i.e. using the designated cutting out or other method) removed themselves from the ritual or who took steps necessary for their wellbeing, like sitting down.

3) Rituals in which 'you can sit' meant 'you can sit on the edge of the circle and look at people's backsides while being unable to hear or see what's going on'.

4) Rituals in which much was made of sharing in the energy, and how people who couldn't dance could sit on the edge and do.. something, but there was no real guidance about how to do that and/or it involved having skills (like ability to participate more complex drumming and a drum) that not everyone has or has that day.

5) Pressure to help with setting up and cleaning up (sharing in the work matters! But a lot of people can't necessarily do a physically challenging ritual for their body *and* do those things immediately before or after)

6) Someone's appropriate (and non-disruptive) self-care leading to them having to justify themselves or their needs to one or more people whose business it isn't, and/or have an extended conversation about their health issues, what stuff they've already tried, explaining that no, the thing your sister's aunt's piano teacher's cousin swears by isn't a good choice for you.

And that's before we get on to...

• Rituals that only provide material in print with no alternatives for large print or electronic review in advance (for people who are visually impaired)
• People who rate "atmospheric lighting" over the ability of people in the circle to lipread (or refusing to provide scripts and long text pieces in advance, because 'that would ruin the experience)
• Ditto, people who don't realise that things like bonfires are wonderful atmosphere, but are very difficult for people whose eyes don't do well with bright lights.
• A whole host of issues for people with hearing impairments starting with poor enunciation, and continuing to assumptions that everyone who has a hearing impairment knows ASL and that's the solution. (Many people wth adult hearing loss don't, but would benefit from advance text materials or being able to stand in a specific place.)
• Unnuanced flat statements about mental health or ongoing medication of any kind meaning that someone can not be considered as a student in a group  (and despite your comment I cut, these statements are still up on a number of group websies, or turn up as soon as someone expresses a mental health need, even if it's currently being treated and is reasonably stable.)
• The tremendous number of events that still take place in spaces inaccessible to people who use mobility devices or can't manage stairs (or where the only bathroom is up or downstairs, etc.) Or are only available if you camp. Or can get over uneven ground to the ritual site.

And on top of all that, there's a lot of just plain ignorance about how to make things more accessible - a lot of people are willing to be educated, but someone has to do that educating, and people with chronic health issues already have plenty in their day.

Anything I'm missing?

The idealized antiquity thing has a cousin that I find very off-putting; namely, the "My family has been pagan/witchy/practicing the Craft for eighteen-thousand generations and therefore my thing is better than your thing and I'm going to look down on you." I ran into this early on here, and the person doing it was pretty much told to take their superiority complex and go elsewhere, but it still came across really badly.

And I can totally picture bows to no god berserker t-shirt guy. He probably has a beard and a tribal tattoo and forgets leg day at the gym and has a super fragile ego.


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For rituals, the info that I think is a useful bare minimum is:

• When the site opens.
• When activities begin.
• What the basic layout is (i.e. 100m on rough ground to ritual site but there's no hill or whatever.)
• Are children allowed? If so, are there any limits or things parents should be aware of? (open fire, nearby hazards, lots of quiet meditation planned, etc.)
• The basic plan for the ritual.
• That there are some seating options on rocks or what to do if you need to bring a chair.
• About how long the planned ritual is expected to take (it's fine to say "We expect it to be X but ritual lasts as long as needed" - but there's a big difference between 'expecting 45 minutes' and 'expecting 3 hours' for many people in terms of planning)
• Whether there are plans for food/etc. after (if you are planning to go off to a palce that serves, let people know about accessibilty there, if potluck, whatever notes about making that accessible like bringing ingredient cards/packaging)
• When people need to leave the site (in case they need to arrange rides / mobility services / etc.)

Since you're out in the open, if there's any obvious allergens might also be helpful (nearby fields with known plants, known things like poison ivy / poison oak / nettles / other plant contact issues might be good to note as well.)