Sofia Tawast, opened with a simple question: what is disability? The audience was puzzled by this, because some of them have never thought about it. Around 16% of the world’s population is disabled and is still treated as an exception. The word disability is still considered a taboo itself. With this summit, the Finnish journalist, writer and educator introduced disability as a social concept and debunks the “inspiration” rhetoric around disabled people’s everyday life activities.
“In journalism, disabled people are often seen as “the other”- Sofia Tawast
Media representations are sometimes turning people to objects of motivation, without individual recognition. By focusing on ‘inspiration porn” -as Stella young-calls it, the audience is missing the point. By seeing disabled people as burdens, the context and the possible solutions aren’t taken into consideration. There is a big gap between empathy and exaggeration that until this day, society is turning a blind eye to. The focus should be shifted on social and structural issues.
“We need to talk more about accessibility”- Sofia Tawast
After a group talk, an issue emerged: accessibility information is not showcased in many workplaces across Europe. Making people feel comfortable is a critical necessity.
