Re: RAT Cripples, in your face)

[DESILEF@cs.com]

Bravo, Brad! (or brad) Last year, when Leslie Gray, Sachi Oyama and I decided 
to launch a new theatre company, Triumvirate Pi, with a commitment to equal 
opportunity, I admit I was thinking strictly along racial lines. Leslie 
pointed out that meant a commitment to people with disabilities. Well, yeah, 
of course, sure, it's only right -- and then we started to discover all the 
barriers...venues that were accessible to audiences but not artists, or you 
could get in the door, but not the bathroom, or places that were not 
accessible front of the house, backstage, anywhere at all. Or theatres that 
were physically accessible but, hmmm, how to put it...not very welcoming, 
even hostile. Not to mention - as you point out - the shall we say reluctance 
to even consider hiring actors/artists with disabilities. Theatre listings 
that fail to indicate accessibility. Just general-all-around here's an issue 
that's mostly kept invisible. It's all been an education to me and leaves me 
kind of stunned at how little I understood before and still don't get. (I 
want to get it!)
So yeah, I cringe at PC silliness - when it's silly - but if our overall 
society were truly respectful and open and committed to human and civil 
rights, I don't think confused protests would arise.
diane



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