Monthly Blog

Today I am going to talk about a Human Rights issue that is close to my heart.  For the past 30 years I have worked in the disability sector.  I have held many different positions during that time, and have been blessed to have experienced so much and met so many incredible people.

I am not a person who identifies as having a disability.  I have only learned experience, not lived.  That learned experience started in the early 90’s. I knew nothing about disability.  I knew nothing of terminology, labels, diagnosis, accommodations, and I learned. 

The people I served taught me.  The general public taught me.  The buildings, the systems, the lack of access to and in community taught me.

I realized there was an imbalance.  Like there was a disconnect.  Like there was fear in the community, and it was born from a lack of awareness.  People who have a disability are, and historically have been, excluded from mainstream society through a litany of excuses that are woven into the fabric of our society.

That understanding of the disconnect gave direction to me.  It pointed me to a path of working for inclusion. 

Now, as I said, I started my career in the early 90’s.  The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPWD) did not come in to force until 2008.  And that convention is from the United Nations, which Canada signed on to support.  That is not the Accessible Canada Act, which came later, in 2019 actually – so not very long ago.  For the Americans reading this, you had the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people who have a disability in many areas of public life, and that was signed into law in 1990. 

In the CRPWD there are 50 Articles.  The 2 that I focus on in this blog are

1. Article 19: the Right to Living Independently and being included in the community, and,
2. Article 30: Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport.

In Canada, 27% of the population identifies as a person who has a disability.  That’s more than a quarter!  In the USA, its over 61 Million (reported in 2022) (more than 1 in four, so very similar).

Disability is the largest minority in the world.  And it is the only minority that is growing rapidly.  And, it’s the only minority that crosses all other identities.  Disability is found in all races, cultures, ethnicities, education levels, economic statuses, religions, and it’s the one group that almost everyone will join at some point in their life.

And yet, there is a massive disconnect.  An us and them situation that makes no sense, and yet has to be addressed by legislation and laws, policies and procedures (that frankly do very little).

I believe that a major cause of this disconnect, of the reason that disability is often left out of the conversation, the planning, the inclusion goals of communities, health care, education, and employment is a lack of awareness and confidence.  If you have never interacted with a person who has a disability you may be worried about doing and saying the wrong thing, or accessibility and inclusion are things you just don’t think about, its not front of mind.

Historically people who have a disability were institutionalized, segregated, hidden away, seen as someone for charities or the church to deal with, seen as a group with no value.

Times have changed, thanks to determination, advocacy, and increasing awareness.

When you think about that population stat, 27% - there is another number to consider – 53%.  That is the total population that cares about, is impacted by, makes decisions based on and in an understanding of the human rights for people who have a disability.  That is a massive number. That is the disability market.  As a global market, this group has over 13 Trillion USD of disposable income annually.  In  North America its 1.6 Trillion.  That is a lot of market to access for businesses.

So lets circle back and let me pull this all together for you.

I have always enjoyed yoga.   When it was accessible to me, I would practice in a studio.  Accessibility for me was mostly financial.  Lets face it, social services doesn’t pay a lot in most cases. 

I would try to incorporate Yoga into the services for clients of the organizations I worked for.  When I was the Executive Director of a co-op in Toronto that supported adults who had developmental and intellectual disabilities, I brought in Yoga as one of the social activities.  When I managed an adult Day Program in the city I brought in staff that could teach yoga to the participants.  When I operated a youth shelter on the outskirts of the city, I found a yoga and meditation instructor to volunteer teach in the shelter.  Even when I was exploring teacher-training I found a studio in Oakville that used to have a contract with a community living organization I know, and they provided classes for the clients.

Sounds great…maybe…but was it enough?  Did it address or respond to the basics of 2 articles in the convention?  No.  Why?  Because a majority of it was segregated.  All over Ontario, and I am sure, all over the world, there are people who have a disability who are practicing Yoga…but where are they? 

Article 19 speaks to the right to being included in the community.  That community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis and responsive to their needs, and that people have the right to inclusion in the community to prevent isolation or segregation from the community.

Article 30 speaks to the right to participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure, and sporting activities. 

One of the things that I really loved when I started at my home studio was the concept of community.  There was a lot of talk about Community.  And there is a wonderful community there.  I love it.  I have had wonderful supportive and encouraging teachers, I have gotten to know a number of the other members, and I feel like I am part of something. 

But...

When I am in class there is not a reflection of my community.  I know this.  It may be a hard thing for you to consider, but its important to put it out front and look at it.  Where is disability inclusion in Yoga Studios?  How accessible are studios?  How accessible are the classes?  And its more than just the physical build, more than a ramp or a doorway…how are we communicating?  Are there classes that a person who is Deaf, or hard of hearing can join at your studio?  What about someone who is blind or has low vision?  Are we making our instruction plain language all the time so that a person who has an intellectual  or developmental disability feels welcome and supported to practice on the mat next to you or me? What about the lighting, the sound?  Is it sensory-friendly?

How do we, as yoga instructors and/or studio owners, build our awareness and confidence so that we can ensure disability inclusion in the Yoga community?  There is definitely a need and a market for it.

How can we, as yoga teachers, encourage others to think about what Community and accessibility means in Yoga, and how what we do in the studio impacts and influences our everyday life and those who are in class with us?

I started this journey with all of those questions in my head, in one form or another, and I am looking forward to incorporating my disability awareness into my practice and my instruction of yoga. 

And I am thankful for what I have learned so far, and thankful for your time today.