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ELSA Speeches and Presentations...Besides stuttering, there are hundreds of other disabilities that are unknown, unseen or even unaccepted. As long as our disabilities are not acknowledged as being disabilities, sometimes not even among other disability groups, there won't be help, research or laws protecting us. Instead of being ashamed and try to hide our disabilities we should be proud of being the people we are, despite, or maybe even, thanks to our disability. But people who stutter will hardly speak for themselves. Many will hardly speak at all. And people with stomach disease, people who cannot read or write, people with psoriasis, people with allergies, and people with other hidden disabilities, what do we know about them? Are they here? If not, why not? 2003 has been the Year of People with Disabilities. The blind were seen, the deaf were heard and the immobile mobilized. But the unknown are still unknown. The unseen are still not seen. And the silent are still not heard. The impact of the Year is not coming to an end, it brings a new beginning. A new start where all disabilities find a place, a face and a voice, with focus on the diversity of disabilities, our needs and our strength to make the invisible visible and to give us all a voice. We too need to be seen. We too need to be heard. Our proposed demand for political action is therefore: To acknowledge, include and consult ALL people with disabilities i.e. to also make the invisible visible. Don't talk about us. Talk with us. Thank you. |