Then Barbara met Alan

Richard_Scope

The remarkable true story of the fight for civil rights in Britain for disabled people.

BBC iPlayer - BBC Trailers - Then Barbara Met Alan

Alex_Scope

I'm very much looking forward to watching this Richard, as it's not something I'm all that familiar with.

I wish it was taught in school as I think it would've helped change my own perception of myself, and of how my classmates thought about disability.

Alex_Scope

I watched it this morning, it was brilliant, and got quite emotional towards the end. I think because I was proud of the fight for change by the Direct Action Network and it's allies, and grateful that they were campaigning not just for themselves, but future generations of disabled people, including myself.

I was also saddened because the Disability Discrimination Act only came to pass as recently as 1995, when I was still very young.

There has been more progress over my lifetime with the Equality Act in 2010, but many of the barriers highlighted in the show still exist across the UK now, 27 years on!

How long do we have to wait before disabled people "have the right to inhabit every corner of society" as the real Barbara (played by Ruth Madeley) phrased so well?

I'd love to know if anyone else watched it, what were your thoughts?