The process - exploiting the disabled for personal glory
January 13, 2010 10:36 PM Comments - 0
I’ve had this blog hanging around on my computer for a week or so, not sure if I should post it, thinking I may come over as being an offensive wanker, and that I should maybe just stick to writing about gear. But then I read Stevie Haston’s blog and thought maybe that’s what blogs are for? (not to be an offensive wanker - but to write about thoughts, ideas and opinion).
I was forwarded a link the other day for a polar trip that was looking for two injured servicemen for an exped to the North pole - the aim being to make the first unsupported trip by an amputee, increase awareness of those wounded in action, and raise money for Help for Heros. All very commendable.
The trip looked as if it would comprise of two polar guides, the two yet to be found injured servicemen and two non injured others, who seemed to be behind the trip.
The first thing I thought was here was a trip were a group of people were piggybacking their ambition on the backs of someone else’s misfortune. Having injured servicemen would obviously increase media interest and sponsorship, maybe the only way to get funding for such a trip - beyond self funding - now that every ‘first’ has been done a dozen times (such a trip can cost $90,000 per person).
Reading it, it smacked of those trips that propose to ‘put a blind person on the top of X’ or drag someone in a wheelchair from A to B for X, where the disabled are often exploited for someones else’s gain - very often by people who have no understanding of the real limitations, and implications, of such trips on those they seek to help (both physical and mental).
This kind of thing always makes me feel very uncomfortable, especially now I live with someone who’s labeled as being disabled.
But as I sat reading this email - getting on my high horse - it suddenly occurred to me that really I was no better.
Why had I agreed to ski across Greenland with Karen Darke, someone I’d didn’t know at all at the time; traveled to Patagonia sea kayaking with here, the BBC picking up the bill; climbed El Cap with Phil Packer? Hadn’t I done just that, got a free trip on the back of someone’s disability - after all non of these trips would have been free or subsidized without the disabled element? Also how much money had I made talking about these trips, cashing in, and proving I’m inclusive and caring.
Would I have done these trips if I had to fund them myself?
The idea that I was no better made me feel very uncomfortable, especially as we’ve been trying to raise funds for a trip to the South Pole sometime in the future, another super expensive trip that no one would support without Karen or Phil being involved.
What really motivates people to do trips with disabled people who are strangers, if not to exploit them?
This is a tough question.
I thought very hard about the trips I’d been on with Karen and Phil and scribbled down a few lessons I’d learnt, that I think are worth sharing to others who go on trips (big or small) with disabled adventurers.
It’s vital that in every stage of a trip that everyone is part of the team, disabled and abled, and that the disabled members are alway part of the process, not the process itself.
Above all disabled people want to be treated the same as everyone else in all respects, and want to do their share the work and have no special treatment. They do not want to be passengers or the focus of the team, they want to be part of the team.
The ideal trip should be instigated by disabled people themselves, seeking support from ‘experts’ if need be, not the other way round. To these ends it’s vital that more disabled people are aware of what adventures are out there for them, and given support (either financial or with equipment) to make them possible.
Phil Packer is working really hard to set up the BRIT trust that has these aims in mind, helping young people to find their own way into adaptive sport, and their is great work being done by many groups.
But that question still hung over me - why do it, why get involved?
I think for me it’s a selfish reason really, not financial (in the short term I paid my way on the trip with Phil, and when I climbed El Cap with Karen; which was done with very little fanfare). I do such trips because I love a challenge, and in the case of Karen I love the person as well (sorry Phil), and guess the couple who get shit scared together - stay together.
More importantly doing crazy trips - things that ‘expert’ would advise against - sets the bar higher each time, and I could never resist trying to prove people wrong. Plus such trips (Karen hand biked over the Himalayas, down the length of Japan, kayaked around Corsica , to name just a few) allows others to be inspired for their own adventures. When you’re disabled every day is an adventure.
A few months ago I did a talk at Tisos, and afterwards walking to the train station with a group of people, one of them told me she was a nurse who worked in the children’s spinal unit. She described how one day the news had showed a clip of Karen skiing across Greenland, and the atmosphere in the room had suddenly changed, the kids growing more animated and excited, their view of what was possible suddenly changed, and maybe the future a little brighter.
So I wish the polar trip all the luck in the world.
As for me - I’m doing it for the kids.
Plug Alert - I'm still trying to raise funds for my daughter's cheerleading squad (Cheermania!) with sales of my hand strength ebook, so if you've got £3 spare than please buy one here.
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