Ableism in an ‘Inclusive’ Environment
Diversity, equity, and inclusion needs to stop ignoring disability.
This year, my university held its first sensory friendly performance of one of our productions. That same semester, they put up a different production that featured an offensive portrayal of a disabled character and many uses of the r-word despite the many objections of disabled students in the program. How both these things could happen in the same program at the same time reveals the flaws of an industry that tries to improve while also desperately clinging to the past.
Like the rest of the theater industry, my program has been trying to fix past mistakes with a newfound commitment to diversity. A Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee (DEIC) was formed, and efforts were made to use more socially conscious language and casting. The DEIC spent a lot of time on issues of racism, misogyny, and sexual/gender identity, but disability always fell by the wayside.
The DEIC had a lot on their hands with our department. I spent a year on that committee, so I know the level of prejudice they’re up against. However, there’s a difference in opinion between the disabled people in the department and the rest of the committee.
