Joy, check out the forums for disabled people on the BBC site - I
believe this is being discussed there. If not, you can always start a
discussion:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322273
Since this is a UK 2012 Olympics thing, I'd think it's appropriate to
start there.
Kat
Joy Welan wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Sorry it's been so long since I've written... I've been busy! I
> graduated from law school this May, studied for and took the bar exam,
> got my own apartment in DC, and started working as a clerk to a judge
> on the DC Superior Court.
>
> I'm writing because many of you are more connected to the disability
> community than I am, and I was hoping you could help me get the word
> out about something that's really been bothering me. I sent the email
> below to AAPD, Inclusion Daily, and Disaboom. Does anyone else know
> of any other groups who may be interested and turn this into a story?
> I really think it's disgraceful, and should have been covered as much
> as the "cuter" Chinese girl lip synching in the opening ceremony was.
> Thanks for any ideas!
>
> Hope you've all been well!
>
> Best, Joy
>
>
> Dear Ms. Sommers,
>
> I wanted to suggest a story for the next AAPD newsletter. I believe
> that an able-bodied dancer was used to "play" a wheelchair user during
> the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. As a wheelchair user,
> I was very excited to see someone in a wheelchair represented.
> Because I was so interested, I was watching these two dancers closely.
> Towards the end of the dance, one female dancer, who had been using a
> wheelchair, stood up, climbed onto the back of a double-decker bus,
> leapt down, and walked back to her wheelchair.
>
> To see what I'm referring to, go to http://tinyurl.com/5mo2n2 and fast
> forward to 17:13. (If you have to sit through a "Tropic Thunder" ad
> first, I apologize.)
>
> If the London Olympic Committee allowed a person with a disability to
> be portrayed by an able-bodied actor, I find that highly offensive.
> It just reinforces the notion that all people who use wheelchairs can
> walk a little bit and are being lazy. It also does a great disservice
> to the many talented dancers who use wheelchairs full time.
>
> Could you please investigate and cover this story? If not, could you
> suggest some other organizations that may be interested in following
> up? I think this should have created an outcry, as the lip synching
> during the opening ceremony did.
>
> Best, Joy Welan
>
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