I speak from bitter experience as someone who has been living with sight loss for over 50 years in which phrases like “you can’t do this”, “persons like you can’t be expected to know the first thing about running a business”, to you should be grateful you’re not in a home permanently.” Right down to my own father saying how he’d never accept a cup of tea made by me as I couldn’t be trusted to make it properly. And all because of this dreaded prefix “Dis” placed before “Ability”, a prefix which translates as "hopeless" and "subordinate" – two iniquitous categories into which I certainly do not fall, and a label I am quite unprepared to wear.

Oh yes, I know first-hand what it feels like to be on the receiving end of others' taunts, jibes, and physical and psychological attacks, what it's like to be derided and haled a failure. And, I'm by no means alone.

“Person First, Disability Second, right?”

We supposed to live in a person-centred society in which the individual takes precedence over everything else. Persons with disabilities are members of society and it is their lawful right to be treated likewise. Yet, despite years of reform, it is still the tendency of a percentage of the non-disabled to see the person's disability first before the person, possibly one reason why 70% of persons with disabilities of working age find themselves unemployed and why countless others suffer the daily challenges of direct and indirect discrimination - be that in public or in silence.

This said, we should never forget that the world is full of examples of persons with disabilities who have bucked the challenges irrespective.

Steven Hawking - who was one of the greatest physicists this side of Einstein - didn't allow his disability to deter him post his diagnosis when he was told he had just six months to live: which, as we all know was a gross error of judgment, with Hawking going onto a 50-year career thereafter – and leaving the world with a far better understanding of Time, the Universe and Black holes before his death on 14 March 2018 at age 76.

And there are countless other world-renowned achievers just like Hawking working in the field of medicine, engineering, computing, education, and the arts; And it's time these were given the credence they deserve, And this is what I want the non-disabled to see whenever they think or encounter a person with a disability: their abilities first, not their disability.

In addition to cancelling out the stigma associated with the Dis, Removing it ought to provide us with a far clearer window through which to see the real person with thoughts, feelings, aspirations, goals and abilities, and will – I believe – take us a step further to closing the gap in our fight for social equality.

While I accept that my historical knowledge on this subject is anything but complete, I am ready and prepared to learn from the experience of others more knowledgeable than I in this area. Even so, I have fire in my belly and determination in my heart and will do everything conceivably possible to see this all-important campaign through to its victorious conclusion.

However, I realise that if I am to succeed in my fight for justice, I'm going to need more support, something far beyond the usual tokenistic gesture and candid "good luck" encouragement.

Action is needed if we are to stand any chance of a victory; And the battles of the past are clear testimony of that fact.

It was how women got the vote, is it not.

Please follow and share this campaign as it involves individuals, families and society. Your involvement could make all the difference to the lives of many.

Remember, every signature added will take us one step closer to victory, and I would like to use this opportunity of thanking you for lending your voice to my campaign.

As the quote goes:

The happiest people are not those getting more, but those #giving more.

And “when we identify where our privilege intersects with somebody else's #oppression, we'll find our opportunities to make real #change,” says Ijeoma.

Sign the petition here: http://chng.it/bNhGYtnqWb

Thank you.

Cordially,

Philip Anderson

Coordinator

Independence for Life

www.philip-anderson.co.uk

Join My Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/independenceforlife

NOTES FOR EDITORIAL:

1.  All media enquiries to: 01782 970755; 07948 568 191; ifl@philip-anderson.co.uk

2.  I was born with Bilateral Optic Nerve Hypoplasia in which there is under development of the optic nerve which has left me totally blind.

3.  Awards include: Let's Do Enterprise North Staffordshire 2007.

4.  I set up Independence for Life in 2020 to give autonomy to everyone affected by biological difference.

5.  Learn more: www.philip-anderson.co.uk

6.  Join my Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/independenceforlife