h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anybody else worried that excluded groups tend to give up and seek exclusivity themselves?

Explain!

Good Morning UG!

It goes like this.

We want to be included, but we are not.
What can we do, we have rights lets lobby, protest etc.

We have got no where yet, so lets set up an organisation.
Choice - is it just 'us' who are allowed in!

If yes the organisation has to define 'Us'. If the 'Us' is a narrow band then the organisation tends toward exclusivity- you have to be one of 'Us'to join or to participate or to have an input.

Now we (the organisation) can either have a dialogue with those who are not one of 'Us' or over time they risk becoming isolated.
Isolation tends to occur when the organisation's policy, rules and culture reinforce the exclusivity.It can also become fertile ground for extreme views to flourish.

The final risk is a degree of isolation which reinforces the exclusivity and may well be diametrically opposed to the original reasons why the organisation came into being. Many groups split or break up and some times evolve to become more inclusive, often after a purge.

Of course it is not just disability groups that have this dynamic.

I am being a bit slow? I should have said more.

Disability & Art is, as it says on the tin, any aspect of art wherever it involves disability - of any kind.

As I understand it 'Disability Art' is a movement 'within' the art world which seeks to explore the issues of disability through the art of 'disabled' artists, or does it?

Bit of a can of worms I suspect.

Wow! I had to read that several times before I got the hang of it!

I help run a club for people with learning disabilities (not art, I know, but bear with me) but we do not draw the line at only those people. We do not have a set number of volunteers to run the club, so often there are as many people with LD as there are others, but those who are not LD stand back a bit when activities are on, so that the LDs can enjoy the fun at their own pace, and we join in with them when they have set the pace. There is no exclusivity.

Now, before I go charging along on these lines, am I anywhere near your arguments or am I way off the mark?

One thing I will say, is that I care deeply that no one is excluded from "normal" life, whatever normal is.

All power to your arm GA

Talk back to me

UG

Morning UG

Now, for example, contrast your group with one of the organisations which cater for a specific non LD disability members; where, not un-naturally, it tends to exclude. No problems most of the time, but I believe some groups have had problems when the political and cultural aspects have tended to polarise opinion.

Now consider the world of Art/Arts. Many well known artists have been disabled, that sounds wrong - like 'Disabled Toilets' who wants a broken Loo- sorry! Even 'The Disabled' sounds like they were OK once, but have been got at - I digress.

Try again - many well known artists have had disabilities. Many disabled are artists. Many disabled artists work together in groups. Many disabled participate in artwork some of which is theraputic and some is part or mainly occupational.

Some artists with disability have formed a movement called 'Disability Art' which has become recognised and is 'moving forward'.

I am not in a position to speak for any grouping, so I can only try to be factual at this time.

Does your group do any art based activity?

Speak later, GA