International Day of People with Disabilities: Amplification gone wrong [Video]

The fact that only Paralympians are elevated to positions of power demonstrates that not all people with disabilities are equal, writes Melissa Marsden.

The theme for the International Day of People with Disability 2024 (IDPwD) is ‘Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’.

Held annually on 3 December, this year, it coincides with the Paralympic Games, the global stage for amplifying the sporting skills of Paralympians.

Outside the Paralympics, people with disabilities have been linked with welfare dependency and branded as victims of abuse, neglect, or, as evidenced by media coverage of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, fraud or misconduct.

These binary media narratives have bombarded the media landscape, each amplifying a particular agenda that places disability on a sliding scale from superhuman and inspirational to victims and freeloaders.

Amplification of disabled voices outside the Paralympics has been decidedly less …