From Ableism to Unableism in Society.

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Whether you’re familiar with the term ‘ableism’ or not, it’s crucial to understand and address it. By improving our workplaces, environments, and society, we can create a more inclusive and equal community for all. This is not just a goal, but a call to action for each one of us to contribute to this societal change.

Why do I bring this up?
I have been a deaf community worker for two D/deaf with disabilities for a long time in Hamilton. Today (Sunday, August 18th), I took a Deaf with cerebral palsy and speech impairment for his grocery, shared lunch and shopping. The first stop was KMart at the Base, Te Rapa, and our experience was absurd. I noticed many shoppers pushing and cutting in our way when walking past us, and they did not see this disabled person’s disability. Only a handful of shoppers noticed and politely said sorry to us after discovering his disability. So we could pass them, and I moved this chap to the sideway to allow shoppers to go through nicely. The checkout staff was great, as I explained to the staff because this chap told this staff, “We are Deaf”. This staff ushered me in the right direction to the checkout table, where there was another staff member instead of using the self-checkout technology. That was a great example of understanding us.

Our visit to Te Awa Base, a shopping mall, for lunch at The Latte Cafe inside the Warehouse Building, was a refreshing contrast. The service was excellent.

The next stop is the Woolworth, formerly Countdown Supermarket, in the Te Rapa area. It was more or less an experience inside Woolworth; most of the shoppers were pushing around without saying excuse me and overlooked our disabilities – note I have invisible disabilities, such as Deaf, Cervical spine disc degeneration radiculopathy, and disabled man has physical disabilities, which show cerebral palsy than speech impaired and deaf. A few shoppers recognised us and walked along us where there was room to pass along. We could not hear the trolley wheel approaching us when we turned left or right to the next aisle. One disadvantage is that no mirrors or shelves are reduced height to allow us to see someone approaching. We are always cautious when turning left or right without crashing into someone. The training checkout was tremendous, and the disabled man told her that we were deaf. She accepted and continued to scan the grocery products. At the end of the payment, she asked if one of us would like Disney Promotion cards, and he needed to know what they were for. I asked him if he would like it; I did not need it, so I asked the lady behind us if this shopper would like some. We gave the promotion cards to this person. It is an act of gratitude.

I’m thinking about the Minister of Social Development, Whaikaha, and the Government’s announcement of the shocking, disheartening news for everyone with disabilities across New Zealand last Thursday, August 15th, 2024. Note Whaikaha is a Ministry of Disabled, and it is the first time a new Ministry under the Government was created by the Disabled people two years ago.

The Government is more or less an “ABLEISM” improvement, and the politicians are more or less authentic in their understanding of disabled people in society. I know most of the Ministers have a disabled family member in their own homes. Their role as politicians remains under the Government rather than a household /family role in their community, which proved tricky when serving in Parliament.

In the next post, I will explain hindsight and how to reverse it from ableism to unableism.