Activity: Representation and Perception
After watching Dylan Alcott’s acceptance speech for winning 2022 Australian of the year (ABCNews, 2022), I noticed: He paid respect to the First Nations people in his opening address and pointed out the ramp by the stage in a humorous way, but I wondered if in reality he often sees a lack of accessibility at events and this was unusual when it should be standard practice? Dylan talks about growing up without seeing a positive representation of anyone like him and not feeling worthy; however, then moves on to proudly state that he now loves his disability and is thankful. He points out that he recognises, however, that many of the 1 in 5 Australians with a disability don’t feel the same way and states this needs to be everyone’s responsibility so they can feel proud of their disabilities also.
Dylan says that the NDIS funding needs to be reframed as an investment into people with disabilities, as being some of the most vulnerable people in communities, their health supports need to be prioritized, so they have more employment opportunities. He also states that greater representation is needed everywhere to enrich each other’s lives and asks non-disabled people to challenge their non-unconscious biases and negative perceptions and lift the expectations they have of those with disabilities.
Dylan has challenged Australians to rethink what they think of people with disabilities and what they are capable of and has asked them to step up and be an ally in support of what they can achieve if given equitable opportunities and broader representation. I am not sure what this moment meant for Australians with a disability, as I am not one; still, I hope they felt somewhat represented and hopeful that some positive and meaningful change may come from his tenure in this position throughout 2022 if he can continue to pursue his purpose to ‘change perceptions’ and hold non-disabled people to account. We must however remember that Dylan’s views are only one perspective and this may not be the same as other disabled people due to their own lived experiences which must also be considered and respected as valid.
References
ABCNews. (2022, 26 January 2022). Dylan Alcott’s Australian of the Year acceptance speech in full | ABC News. ABC News. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cM_sr4d5OQ
