I am White, ND and Disabled. I have been blogging for years about disability. Speaking Up BC lacks an intersectional lens. That is a gap in what I am providing people and a disservice to anyone who is marginalized and discriminated against due to their race, colour, ancestry and place of origin.
While I am currently at a loss for how I can provide an intersectional lens through my writing to communities I don’t belong to, the only thing I come up with at this point is to provide a platform for their voices and help share their stories.
I am sharing a blog that was written by Moms Against Racism. This is the intersectional lens that is ever so needed.
Children who are racialized often slip through the cracks in the system. The features of their disabilities are blamed on stereotypes and bias. However, White children are identified as needing assessments earlier because of the stereotype, “White children don’t behave like that; clearly, there is something more going on here.” Punishments for racialized children are more severe. They are more under surveillance and judged harsher. The results are that they are pulled into the criminal justice system, and then society blames them and views this as a “character flaw”. It’s not. It’s systemic oppression and discrimination.
Thank you, Moms Against Racism, for writing this really important blog! Please share widely! These are voices that need to be heard.