Its not your fault Boy

Real Equality

　

Recently I have had the pleasure of working with a young boy named Shane. Shane has been labelled as having an intellectual disability and goes to a disability school.

Shane has had a life of suffering. Coming from a poor family, he was removed from his mother at a young age due to her drug addiction and is in a constant struggle for freedom.

He often says to me “ I'm at pain at school, Im at pain at home...so I create my own world”

　

What does human rights look like for Shane?

The system will tell him it is when he gets a job but.....

Real equality it when Shane can collaborate with his principal about positive change in the school but

Instead his teacher blames him for his behaviour and if he makes it through the year, he gets to participate in the end of school concert and dance to Miley Cyrus.

Real equality is when he can talk with council workers about positive change, a true collaboration based on respect, valuing his voice and walking side by side as equals in the process of change.

But instead the council workers all from middle class comfortable lifestyles, sit in team meetings with cookies and tea, talking about recommendations for social change. The council workers have never reached him.

Real equality is when Shane can see his story reflected in his television at home

But Instead he turns on the television and sees Selena Gomez singing If you want it come and get it oh oh oh oh oh oh or Matthew McConeghey receiving a gold metal for his shiny face

Real equality is when Shane can be picked up from his home on school holidays by passionate adults who want to see him reach his full potential and take him to the funnest place in Melbourne and muck around

But instead when school holidays are on, Shane gets anxious and angry and eats for comfort getting fatter and fatter because council workers are sitting in their team meetings making recommendations for social change. Council workers have never reached him.

Real equality is when I, as the school counsellor, am no longer needed.

I cannot seem to get myself to work with Shane on personal change when I see every student approach me in pain and suffering. Every student having suicidal thoughts, every student a victim of bullying, every student having no hope for their future, every student wanting that pain to go away. Every student telling me that it is in their heart where they feel that pain.

I cannot get myself to place the burden of change on these students who have not been given the opportunities to reach their full potential.

Real equality starts in the boardrooms

Where men in suits have team meetings and talk about recommendations for social change. But I don't understand, they have had all the opportunities to reach their full potential. What excuses do they have for being bullies?

There's an air of superiority in systems in this country...you have four options if you want to remain passionate about equality.1. Leave the system and work independently 2. Internalise it and get bodily responses like pain in the heart region 3. Submit to the superiority and don't make trouble 4. Be a token minority person and talk about how minority people can entertain the majority masked in a theme of human rights

I will not be told to form peace and harmony

I will not be told that it change starts from within.

I will be angry

I will be radical

I will be offensive. To the real bullies in the boardroom

So all I can say to Shane is “its not your fault boy” and you don't have an intellectual disability. Keep that shining light within you boy. Real equality is not getting a job boy, real equality is me and you learning from each other. Real equality is you and me walking together to create change. Real equality is when you and me can see our stories reflected in public spaces.

You are needed boy. You have value in this world boy. You are not alone boy.

We need a revolution.