Thread by @bluntshovels

I'll tweet a bit from the #DisabilityRC today, with the first witness being @DrDebraKeenahan. Watch along on the DRC home page, and please feel free to mute the tag. It's going to be a lot.

disability.royalcommission.gov.au

disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/p…

Starting with the usual opening address from the Chair, outlining the scope of the hearing - public meaning both outside places, and online. #DisabilityRC

disability.royalcommission.gov.au/rounds/public-…

This hearing came from some of the responses to the Rights and Attitudes issues paper that heard about barriers caused from community attitudes, assumptions and biases. Yep. #DisabilityRC

disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/r…

The Promoting Inclusion issues paper also heard about these attitudes and how they contribute to violence and abuse towards disability people - if we are seen as a burden, then can lead to abuse. #DisabilityRC

disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/p…

Now the Chair is talking about Article 19 from the CRPD (my fave) about our right to live and be in the community. #DisabilityRC

un.org/development/de…

He quotes a bunch of the CRPD that talk about how all parts of the community have a responsibility to us being able to realise our rights - changing attitudes towards us is a key part of that. #DisabilityRC

The Chair says that attitudes can and do change over time, which is true, but are 'works in progress and a great deal needs to be done'. #DisabilityRC

Disabled people have told the #DisabilityRC at every hearing about their experiences of ableism, but there are good changes, like the NDIS and @DylanAlcott as Australian of the Year, says the Chair.

These changes didn't happen by accident, but are from the work of disability advocates and activists. (Oh, I have some thoughts about the Chair saying this...) #DisabilityRC

The Chair credits the #DisabilityRC with progress in visibility of disabled people (hoo boy, that's a stretch.)

Eliminating ableism is the responsibility of everyone in the community, says the Chair. #DisabilityRC

Ok, time for the main lawyer - this time Elizabeth Bennett - who is outlining what the hearing will hear. This is about abuse from strangers, and she says 'it is remarkably consistent across very different settings'. #DisabilityRC

She says that this abuse 'has a ripple affect across all other aspects of a person's life.' Yep. #DisabilityRC

'the world outside the door is a battle. Some days I am not ready for the onslaught, so I don't leave the house'. Constant mitigation strategies. The effect is cumulative. #DisabilityRC

[I really want non-disabled people to think about this evidence this week. Do you ever speak up against abuse of disabled people in public? Do you ever use disability slurs? Do you intervene if you see abuse or harassment in public or online? #DisabilityRC]

Women of short stature will feature this week and talk about the specific violence and abuse they experience. #DisabilityRC

[Sorry, writing a submission and listening at the same time, which is a slightly ridiculous thing to do.] #DisabilityRC

Ms Bennett is going through the rest of the witness list, and how they will talk about online abuse against disabled people, including against @carlyfindlay, later in this week. Twitter and the Esafety Commissioner will appear to talk about how little they can do. #DisabilityRC

Ok, now it's time for Dr Keenahan. She is an artist and academic, and has done a heap of work around her experiences in public. They are going to play an audio work of hers, not for broadcast or repeating.

debrakeenahan.com.au

#DisabilityRC

[This is such an incredible, powerful and extraordinary piece of audio. #DisabilityRC ]

Dr Keenahan is starting off talking about her family and upbringing and how when her mum found out she had achondroplasia, she was upset because she thought Dr Keenahan's life would be hard. Her family worked hard to make sure she was included. #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan has two PhDs, with her latest one on critical disability aesthetics. She loves art and art making, and based her artwork to communicating disability social theory. 'My dwarfism doesn't disable me, what disables me is peoples' attitudes to my dwarfism.' #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan says that she isn't seen as the 'moral equal' to non-disabled people - if people are seen as Other, the moral framework doesn't apply to them, for example, being worthy of respect. #DisabilityRC

[CN some disability slurs incoming]

Dr Keenahan talks about being abused from cars as 'an effing midget'. She says this is common, the last time it happened was last week. The more she goes out, the more it happens. #DisabilityRC

She tenses up when this happens. The abuse happens from people in a car rushing past, or from people in a crowd, and it can be hard to identify where it is coming from. It feels like an attack, asks are they coming at her, what do I do? #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan was surrounded by a group of boys at an event where she was giving a talk. A school group came through. The boys saw her, laughed, went to get mates, ten boys came back, surrounded and threatened her. She said 'don't you effing dare' and they backed off. #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan talks about being filmed and having pictures being taken of her without her consent. She was walking her puppy, and saw a teen boy take out his phone to record her, even when she asked him to stop. He mocked the way she walked. #DisabilityRC

She would like to know where these images end up. A friend has found herself as a meme on social media from pictures like this, so that is possible. #DisabilityRC

There are website about 'dwarf jokes' where those images can end up. #DisabilityRC

She was recently at the park, saw people pull out their phones, then dodged behind cars to try to stop them. The people didn't even try to hide it, laughing and pointing. #DisabilityRC

This happened another two times on the SAME visit to the park. Her daughter confronted one person, asking him to get rid of the images, which he did. #DisabilityRC

Her daughter was in tears, saying that she just wanted to go home. Dr Keenahan and her family haven't been back to the park since. #DisabilityRC

[This is what this abuse does. It shuts us out of public spaces. When people do this to us, they are saying that we don't belong, and we aren't even remotely equal. I am so angry hearing about this awful abuse from strangers to Dr Keenahan.] #DisabilityRC

[CN sexual assault]
Oh god, Dr Keenahan describes appalling things said and done to her - a man's crotch rubbed into the back of her head, asked by a man to 'give a blowjob while you are down there'. 'Always with a sense of menace of what could be done'. #DisabilityRC

She can pick up quickly the microagressions that will predict if this kind of violence and abuse is about to happen. #DisabilityRC

It's difficult to report these microagressions - who to report to, what to report, what would be done? 'All you want to do is to be safe, to get through your day' #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan gets comments about needing to grow a thicker skin, or even get used to it. 'You never ever get used to being abused'. #DisabilityRC

She avoids skateparks, schools, certain nightclubs and pubs. She forces herself to go to beaches as her daughter loves swimming. There are often comments and micro-aggressions from people at the beach. #DisabilityRC

In terms of online, Dr Keenahan was on One Plus One, and got mostly positive comments but some negative ones. #DisabilityRC

abc.net.au/news/programs/…

She was in a picture with Minister Shorten about some work she is doing, that was put on social media, and was met with vile abusive comments. The picture was taken down. #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan says change needs to start with media reporting about disabled people and disability, and also with doctors and medical professionals. #DisabilityRC

She talks about yes, people have freedom of expression, but we also have a right to be free from abuse. 'It's always a balancing act, never just a one way street.' #DisabilityRC

Q - Commissioner Galbally says she was enraged while listening, and asks if Dr Keenahan considers these hate crimes? A - some yes is hatred, some is curiousity, some is fear, some is ignorance. #DisabilityRC

Is there a projection of fear about becoming disabled possibly, behind this abuse asks Dr Keenahan. #DisabilityRC

Q - Commissioner Ryan says that these experiences are very recent? A - yes, and describes repeated abuse from the same person as recently as last week. She was yelled at from a car a few days ago, and getting worse. #DisabilityRC

Q - Cr Ryan asks if different media representation of short statured people would influence young people who are doing this abuse. A - yes, absolutely. #DisabilityRC

Q - Cr Ryan asks how to stop this? A - equal status contact - at work, in a game - is vital. Contact in and of itself isn't always helpful, but equal status contact does work. #DisabilityRC

[This is part of why we all BANG on about being in the room, being at the table, being an equal part of decisions about us. If we aren't seen as equal, this abuse will never stop.] #DisabilityRC

Dr Keenahan describes her daughter's school friends being given the opportunity to ask questions, and asking big general kid questions that had nothing to do with her disability. #DisabilityRC

Enormous thanks to @DrDebraKeenahan for that incredible evidence. Lunch break now. #DisabilityRC

Back into it now with Tracy Barrell OAM giving evidence. Here's a bit about Tracy.

sbs.com.au/nitv/article/a…

#DisabilityRC

Cathy Dowsett is the lawyer asking questions for this section, and she starts with asking about the every day abuse that Ms Barrell is subjected to. #DisabilityRC

Ms Barrell says that she was often told she wasn't wanted in stores, and excluded from nightclubs when she used a skateboard to move around. But abuse has got worse now she uses a wheelchair. #DisabilityRC

She is told by people working in stories 'we don't want people like you in here', and responds 'what, people with money'. #DisabilityRC

Ms Barrell likes going to sporting events, but some patrons come up and abuse her saying 'you making me fucking sick, ruining my night, taking up all this space, go fully off their heads'. She asks for help from security, and nothing is done. #DisabilityRC

She takes a big male support worker to sporting events now, who can make people delete footage they have taken of her. #DisabilityRC

Q from the Chair, ever put in a disability discrimination complaint? A - yes, but told that this isn't discrimination. #DisabilityRC

Ms Barrell is an Indigenous person, has a disability and is a single mum and says that all combines to mean people are more likely to abuse her. #DisabilityRC

She says that people film her or take pictures of her without her consent all the time. She avoids places, like schools at certain times of the day. #DisabilityRC

Ms Barrell says when she raises these experiences, she is told to shop somewhere else, or to send her support workers. She has reported the abuse to the NRL and there has been no response. #DisabilityRC

Ms Barrell is asking for accountability - from sporting bodies, shopping centres, bystanders. There needs to be repercussions from their actions, including in their hip pocket. No one says anything or acts on it and nothing happens. #DisabilityRC

She talks about the horrific abuse she got from people on dating sites, so she doesn't use them anymore. #DisabilityRC

Q - Cr Galbally is asking about education in schools. A - Ms Barrell says she does a fair bit of school talks, and spent time with her kids' schools.
[Disabled people doing SO MUCH WORK to try to stop this abuse.] #DisabilityRC

[Cr Ryan is asking a question about nothing to do with Ms Barrell's evidence. **sigh**] #DisabilityRC

[There's a bunch of questions that focus on staff/security and training, rather than the accountability that Ms Barrell was talking about, and asking for.] #DisabilityRC

Last witness, David Gearin, can't be at the #DisabilityRC in person, so lawyer Andrew Fraser is reading his statement. This is what happened to Mr Gearin.

7news.com.au/politics/law-a…

[I am running out of steam, so not sure how much more I can tweet today, but hope this has given you a sense of the evidence. Disabled people have the right to be in the world, to exist, to be equal.] #DisabilityRC