THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF MICHAEL PULMAN
Just because a term may have an official definition, that doesn’t make it true or worthy to be fighting against. As a disabled person myself and a passionate activist for the rights of disabled people, I’ve never identified with how the use of words like ableism is currently being applied. I agree that discrimination exists…
2019 is a crucial year for the disability sector and its challenges are familiar, from funding to information, to new prototypes and putting the work into all the talk. Here are my five challenges for the disability sector in 2019.
I’ve never been one to indulge in days that celebrate a certain section of a community. I respect them for what they are, but it just isn’t for me. I take pride in myself and feel a strong sense of belonging to the world around me, regardless of what day it is. A large part…
Are you sure you want to know what it feels like to be blackballed? This story, my story, will deal with themes that you may have heard a lot about, and most probably, you can identify with some of the thoughts I will express. My story is not special and it’s not meant to inspire…
Like they have in seasons prior, the Chiefs will field a squad that features a mix of proven performers and unknown young talent ahead of the 2019 Investec Super Rugby campaign. That unknown talent has a proven track record to defy all expectations in Chiefs country. Don’t believe this pundit? Look no further than last…
Are Disabled People’s Organisations doing enough to ensure that the voices of New Zealand’s diverse community of disabled people are being heard and represented? Disabled People’s Organisations, or DPO’s as they are more commonly known, are representative organisations governed by disabled people. In New Zealand, the size of the eight recognised DPO’s vary, but primarily…
The time for talk is over, Mana Whaikaha is a go, and the latest round of implementing a new disability support system that aims to give disabled people more choice and control begins. Around 150 people in the MidCentral are already slated to be a part of the early stages of the prototype, and outside…
I want to share a story about how, as a disabled person employing my own support staff, things can quickly go drastically wrong if you make the mistake of letting the wrong person into your home to support you when you are at your most vulnerable. Last week I wrote about my experiences of being…
After nearly two years of being the employer and client of my support staff, the lessons I’ve learned along the way were ones that I was completely unprepared for, and other disabled people may be too. Support for disabled people to learn about how to be good employers is going be a critical aspect of…
Being a defiant advocate for disabled people, and using modern technology to do it, ended with me wanting to take my own life because I felt like I had no place in what is meant to be one of the more inclusive communities existing in the margins. Mental health is a discussion area that needs…