Doco-drama Then Barbara Met Alan

Leo_Aces

Hello  everybody, so I recently did a radio interview about the doco- drama “ Then Barbara Met Alan”, shown on BBC iPlayer. I just wondered if people had seen it and what you think of it?

For anybody who hasn’t heard about it: the program shows the lives of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworh; founders of DAN (Disabled People’s Direct Action Network) and the fight to have the first Disability Discrimination Act passed (1995). The program shows the struggles of campaigning and how the activists took on the ITV Telethon, due to the exclusion of differently abled people.

Give it a watch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0015p4q

Alex_Alumni

Hi @Leo_Aces I have watched it, and commented on a previous thread, but I'll share my thoughts here too: 

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 from the DDA!

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?

What did you think of it?

Leo_Aces

Apologies @Alex_Scope, I didn’t see that there was already a thread about it !

Alex_Alumni

That's quite alright Sometimes they easily get lost, it just means the forum is busy and full of activity!

Leo_Aces

@Alex_ScopeWould it be ok to share the review I wrote for the radio? 

Alex_Alumni

You are more than welcome, I'd love to read it

Leo_Aces

Interview I wrote about the doco-drama: Then Barbara Met Alan: 

“Nothing About Us Without Us”, a powerful slogan used to communicate that policy change and creation should always include representation from members which the action directly involves. Used in the Disability Rights Movement during the 1990s, it’s the saying that most stood out to me when watching the doco-drama film; ‘Then Barbara Met Alan’

These words rang true on many levels. It’s refreshing to see a historical dramatisation with a cast of actors with different abilities being embraced and being unapologetically visible, Showing familiar scenarios that many of us have experienced having different abilities, such as being talked down to and having our autonomy overlooked. The relatable, intimate scenes between main protagonists’ Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworh; founders of DAN (Disabled People’s Direct Action Network), being shown on a mainstream channel is so empowering to see.

This is a must see for anybody interested or affected by Disability Discrimination and Rights; the trail blazers that have led the way, the real struggles that people with different abilities face and the work that still needs to be done to make our environment truly accessible to all. 

Alex_Alumni

I agree, a lot of scenes were really empowering to see on mainstream TV. And as you say, there is work that still needs to be done to change attitudes around disability.

Better accessibility is not just a benefit for disabled people, but it's good for non disabled people too. Often the best accessible design is there without us really noticing. If you think about power steering in a car, many, myself included take it for granted, but driving would be much harder without it! 

Access isn't something that's a 'nice to have', it should be part of the design of something from the very start, perhaps then when it is absent more people would notice.

Leo_Aces

Exactly @Alex_Scope, there is not really a down side to making our environment accessable. Nowadays the designs of outside spaces and buildings are able to be both attractive and include all accessability features, without huge extra costs