‘Once a learning disability meant automatic exclusion from music, clubs and clothes. Meet the people blazing a trail to change that’

From the [UK] Sunday Times (with video):

A small but growing cultural movement in the UK is pushing for people with intellectual disabilities to be embraced by the “hipper pockets of society” that revolve around music, art, and fashion. Examples include a regular club night at a London gallery sponsored by the UK disability organization Mencap; Heavy Load, a punk band featuring members with learning disabilities; and a recent fashion shoot styled by three fashion lovers with learning disabilities.

The photo shoot was organized by photographer Rankin and stylist Gary Harvey, whose brother, Ian, with Down syndrome often accompanies him on photo shoots. Harvey said the stylists with disabilities bring their own creativity and verve, promoting conversations about the inclusion of diverse people in society.

For all the fun of the shoot, this area still contains deep, depressing and multifaceted issues. But cultural shame associated with learning disabilities is less than it was, and access to a real life, not some institutional pale imitation of it, is more available. Change, after all, is infectious.

Related post: British band fights for the right to ‘Stay up Late’

See also: Stayuplate.org

(Photo from Sunday Times video)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 4:07 pm and is filed under arts/music, learning disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.