The Disability Pride Sydney festival has returned for its fourth year, showcasing the strength and resilience of the disability community in Australia. An estimated 5.5 million Australians – more than one in five of us – live with a disability. Celebrating this diversity is crucial for the festival, but they take it a step further by actively promoting disability inclusion and accessibility. This year’s festival features artists, performers, and advocates who share their stories and talents, highlighting the importance of representation in society.
Across the globe, disabilities are the largest minority group in the world, impacting nearly 1 billion people or 15% of the world’s population. Yet in Australia, one in ten people experience disability discrimination. This figure jumps to one in five for those with more severe disabilities. The awareness and visibility around disability issues have never been higher. This is particularly important as more people with disabilities are coming up in all age cohorts under 70.
Leading the choreography at the festival will be Deb Roach, a three-time world pole dancing champion. Watch her inspiring story and learn how she overcame the odds to become a success. Roach was born with the majority of her left arm missing. Like many adult victims of bullying, her life was profoundly shaped by these experiences—including being bullied in childhood. Today, she has focused on creating an optimistic mindset. She gives credit to things like the Disability Pride Festival for creating that beautiful sense of community.
“I am grateful for all the people that have not only come before me but will come after me to get this mission off the ground.” – Deb Roach
Roach’s engagement with the festival is an example of inspiration, aspiration, and a voice for the voiceless to many. She emphasizes that representation matters, stating, “The latest statistics show that only four percent of main characters onscreen have a disability in drama. So there is a really long way to go yet.”
Emily Dash is a wonderful writer and performer who uses comedy in service of social justice. In addition to starring in the festival, she’s serving as its beating heart. By challenging societal perceptions of living with a disability, she aims to illuminate the challenges and strengths that come with it. Dash is a passionate advocate for moving disability from the margins to the center with their work.
“Art has a tendency to be the cornerstone of changing hearts and minds.” – Emily Dash
Dash has campaigned passionately to improve the representation of Australians with disabilities in ads. Their work has moved the representation from below one percent all the way to meeting population parity. She feels that when people have no experience with other people’s lives, they tend to make a two-dimensional view of them.
“The responsibility is on all of us to not have a lazy brain.” – Emily Dash
Another big addition to this year’s festival is Dean Nash, a musician, writer, performer and oral historian who chronicles his musical education. For years, Nash has struggled with mobility and functionality in his left arm and hand. Nevertheless, he has managed to teach himself to play the piano very nicely with six fingers. His story serves as an inspiration and a testament to the spirit of perseverance found at the festival.
“So the way that I walk is difficult.” – Dean Nash
As the Disability Pride Sydney festival celebrates, the opposite of accessibility is exclusion. It offers sign language interpretation, audio descriptions, and mobility accommodation for all attendees to experience the event. The new commitment makes it possible for all Georgians to join in and fully enjoy the celebration.
As our smart cities intern Hannah Solomons points out, it’s critical to consider the differences that exist within the disability community. She argues that the increase in population has not improved understanding. Most find it difficult to understand the rich experiences of people with disabilities.
“We’re making some progress, but we still need desperately need it (a Disability Pride festival). The amount of hate we’re getting on our Facebook page is proof of that.” – [Unnamed Source]
As discussions about policies like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) continue, many advocates stress the need for society to recognize individuals with disabilities as valuable members of the community.
