Last week, BBC 2 premiered a feature length TV drama called ‘Then Barbara Met Alan’. In essence, it’s a love story inspired by real events from the 80s and 90s. But, while the relationship provides some narrative structure, it’s not the main focal point. That’s because the film is really about a pair of hardcore disability activists who changed the political landscape for disabled people in the UK.
I didn’t know much about the exploits of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth prior to watching the programme. And that’s the point. Without films like this, many important stories go untold – particularly within the context of disability and other marginalised groups.
For me, it made me feel both isolated and connected all at once. ‘Isolated’ because it reminded me that, when I became disabled in 2008, I was the only person in my family and friendship group with a disability. I didn’t have any links to a shared history of disabled people and there was no one to impart any stories that could help me find my place in the world.
But as I continued to watch, that sensation was usurped by a feeling of being ‘connected’ to something bigger – a slice of history, significant to all disabled people alive today.
I learnt that without the actions of Barbara and Alan, ‘disability’ would not be a protected characteristic enshrined within the Equality Act. I discovered they were the ones who adopted the phrase ‘nothing about us, without us’ from the apartheid movement. And I realised that without them, the social model of disability would be little more than a lofty ideal.
Above all, I’m grateful to Barbara and Alan. And as I continue my work in the world of disability awareness and inclusion, I will carry them with me. In fact, at The Hobbs Consultancy, we are currently developing our own ‘Disability Taskforce’ made up of people with different disabilities who can provide a breadth of insights to our clients. None of this would be possible without them!