There’s a lot to be excited about going into 2023, according to Jerusha Mather. The poet, scientist, inventor and disability advocate has recently seen a range of transformative solutions available for people living with disabilities.
Coinciding with this year’s UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities theme: “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”, Mather has closely followed the rise of exciting new assistive technologies that are helping to increase accessibility to employment for those with a disability.
One such innovation is Dylan Alcott’s job search website, The Field. Alcott, a Paralympian and leading disability advocate himself, launched the platform in November, to create a space that connects accessible employers with people with disabilities who are looking for an inclusive job — ultimately bringing them more opportunities.
“I hope to see more positions related to medical science on The Field,” Mather told Women’s Agenda.
“It may include senior lecturers, post-doctoral scientists, engineers, and clinical research project managers … or roles, including medical doctors, therapists, psychologists, or nurses. All jobs should be inclusive and welcoming of people with disabilities.”
Mather, who lives with cerebral palsy, has spent years focusing on improving access to medical education for people with disabilities.
As a PhD student investigating strength training and non–invasive brain stimulation, she hopes workplaces continue to be more disabled friendly.
“Some workplaces are beginning these conversations,” she said. “Like having natural light to make it easier for those who lip read, ramps for wheelchair users, or ensuring well-ventilated buildings.”
“Each individual is different, and their individual needs should be met. It should be our priority; to cultivate an environment with room for everyone.”
For Lisa Cox, disability activist, consultant and writer, she encourages her clients to use Alt-text technology for their digital marketing.
“Although I don’t personally use a screen reader to engage with content, there are people with disabilities who do and they also want to know about your product or service even if they can’t see it,” she told Women’s Agenda.
Cox is a member of the Engagement Council at Griffith University, working on their Inclusive Futures Project, which is looking at ways academics, researchers and people with disabilities can work together to ensure better outcomes for the disability community. She is also part of the working group for the Create Space initiative from Advertising Council Australia (ACA) tasked with pulling together concrete actions to improve the working lives of people with disability in advertising.
“It’s an exciting project and the possibilities are seemingly endless in this space when the disability community work in partnership with the academic community,” she explained.
Despite the positive changes of late, there are still many things that frustrate Mather — such as the almost complete lack of people with disabilities in leadership positions.
For Mather, who joined the Australian Academy of Science’s group of twelve STEM Women Changemakers in 2020, people like her need to have a voice in cultivating change and be allowed to do this across all industries.
“It is fundamental for democracy,” she said. “Attitudinal biases are also a common issue for people with disabilities. Some people still believe people with disabilities are incompetent and can’t work. However, with support, adjustments, and technology, it’s possible.”
Mather wants to see a dramatic change in perceptions and views — something that according to her, will only happen if we see more diverse faces in the media and workplaces.
“We need to see more flexible minds willing to give us a chance and trust us. The truth is that we want to be included in employment and discussions about our world.”
For Cox, it comes down to unconscious bias and the ingrained assumption that someone with a disability could not be in a senior role.
“While I respect everyone’s personal decision to privacy, I would also ask that if you are in a senior role with an invisible disability (as the data shows us that many people have) that you let your HR department know about this – if you are comfortable doing so,” she said. “This way, they see that people with disabilities can exist, excel and thrive in the workplace – and in senior positions.”
For Mather, the NDIS hasn’t been perfect either. According to her, it does not cover some things that therapists deem necessary, and there’s still a significant shortage of support workers to meet the demand.
“Some support work organisations aren’t willing to be flexible,” Mather said. “It’s not working correctly. And something needs to be done to fix this.”
According to Akii Ngo, a queer, trans, chronically ill, disabled person of colour from a refugee background — performative allyship is appalling to encounter.
Ngo told Women’s Agenda they were recently approached by a national corporate company to participate in a “Disability Employment Campaign” but was informed they were not remunerating participants.
“Ironic much?!” Ngo said. “Disability employment rates are abysmal and have not changed in 40 years – we are often exploited, expected to work for less, have low expectations of us and even when we are in the workplace – we are one of the most oppressed and marginalised due to ableism.”
Ngo, who is neurodivergent (Autistic & ADHD) and lives with complex chronic illnesses, including disabling pain, is also disappointed by the lack of intersectional awareness.
“Intersectionality is often used as a buzzword but not genuinely considered,” they said. “As a person with numerous intersections, I’m often put in the “too hard” basket to accommodate too. Up until now (12 years into my career!) that I have workplaces that are respecting me for who I am!”
Ngo is a disability, gender equity activist and survivor-advocate, who is currently working as a Disability & Gender Equity Consultant and Model. They are also the Accessibility Manager at Sydney World Pride, Mardi Gras and the Senior Co-design & Engagement Advisor at the NDIA. In addition, as the Councillor on the Victorian Disability Council they are working to make workplaces more inclusive, diverse, accessible and intersectional.
The pandemic’s shift towards working from home has given them more opportunities to thrive, they said they are now able to work numerous roles, including consultancy, modelling, having stable day jobs as well as keynote speaking, writing, research and content creation.
“It may not seem very transformative, but working from home and flexible working arrangements have been life-changing for me. It’s enabled me to work more than I ever have in my life,” they said.
Each year since 1992, December 3rd marks the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day that promotes a collective and united understanding of disability issues, garnering support for the rights and well-being of persons living with disabilities.
Wellbeing includes the universal need to be desired.
For Mather, she particularly wants to see people with disabilities on dating shows. She wants to see someone with a physical disability becoming the next bachelorette.
Recently, she began campaigning for more inclusion and accessibility of people with disabilities in mainstream dating shows, such as Married at First Sight, Bachelor in Paradise, and Indian Matchmaking.
“I believe most Australians would be thrilled to see something like this,” she said. “If that’s another female or me, I don’t care. But I feel like it needs to happen. I think it’s what’s fair and would help change people’s assumptions and views about people with disabilities.”
“Gathering more variety would be better for the community and is popular now. I think producers need to reset their thinking and adjust to current perceptions. And I think they should give someone with a disability a go. It’s worthwhile. And I’m sure it’ll change people’s views, and perceptions of people with disabilities.”
Mather also wouldn’t mind seeing more mixers, speed-dating and matchmaking events for people who need extra support in finding their special someone.
“People with disabilities experience discrimination and sexual violence in the dating space,” she said.
“I would love to try and create more supportive and safer practices in dating. We must create reliable solutions to ensure that people are independent and empower their choices.”
The desirability of persons with disabilities is something we rarely see in mainstream media, though a new show, airing December 3, is hoping to change that.
Latecomers, an SBS original, follows the lives of two strangers with cerebral palsy, Frank (played by comedian and writer Angus Thompson) and Sarah (writer, and disability rights advocate Hannah Diviney) as they explore their sexual desires.
Co-writer and co-creator Emma Myers said the show was created “to combat the assumptions people have about the intimate lives of men and women living with disabilities.”
“Too often characters with disabilities are shown leading sexless lives. With Latecomers, we saw an opportunity to explore intimacy and disability on screen in a realistic and authentic way.”
“I wanted to create a narrative in which a disabled character questions her worth as both a young woman and romantic partner. Through combining these ideas, we created a series that asks, ‘How far would you go to be seen sexually?’”
Diviney, one of the lead stars of the show, said she hopes that Australian writers’ rooms and international writers’ rooms will draw on lived experience “…because it makes the stories that much richer.”
“It’s really important because it reminds people that disabled people are people, which sounds stupidly obvious,” she told Women’s Agenda. “But I think, unfortunately, the way our society is set up, we very much have a binary view of the way that we view disabled people.”
“When you watch the show, you’ll see that there are loads of different examples of the show being inclusive in the dialogue, being reflective of the world we want to live in in 2022.”
Cox agrees. “Rights to education, employment, housing, healthcare and more are all impacted by the social attitudes and public perceptions that are created through things like everyday media,” she said.
This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities theme may appear to revolve around the idea of creating fresh, innovative tech for people with disabilities, but inclusive development is not confined to a person’s employability or fiscal potential.
It must also include their right to find love on their own terms, and experience the infinite and ever-changing digital landscape that meet their personal, private, sexual and emotional needs.
“I’m still very hopeful good things will come,” Mather said.