Discrimantion Against Disabeld People at Gigs & Live Events

It's been a while since I've discussed disabled access related issues here on my blog however I feel the need to write a little more on this subject today. You all know I enjoy the odd live event and love a good old concert. However, in relation to one of my favourite pastimes I've unfortunately had many troublesome experiences due to my disability. I've written about it before so you all know how it goes but sadly these issues continually arise and it's frustrating to say the least.

Last year, I faced a couple of issues when purchasing tickets for gigs due to the disabled access requirements. Somehow, I eventually managed to resolve them which was great. Later in the year, just like any normal big Sister, I wanted to take my younger Sister to see two of her favourite YouTubers at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of their live tour. Needless to say things didn't go smoothly. We attended both live shows in Glasgow and on both days experienced disabled access issues. And to be quite honest with you, the venue staff took full advantage of the fact that we were both young and there without a parent. Sitting in the disabled area, we could only see half of the stage due to staging; had I been able-bodied and able to sit in a normal seat, I would of had a great view. But yet again disabled people are treated differently!

On the second evening, the venue overbooked the disabled area and sold tickets to able-bodied people who helped themselves to the companion's seat and moved them into the disabled bay meaning that wheelchairs were not able to sit in the designated area. This also meant that there was no seat for my Sister so we spoke to the steward about this issues and let's face it; they really couldn't care less. The stewards reaction was 'well I'll have to wait until the show begins to see if there any spare seats to move those people but if not you'll just have to stand'. My Sister and I had noticed rows of chairs outside in the lobby and asked if my Sister could have one to sit in the carer's row behind the wheelchairs and again, was met by a hostile answer of 'no' and that she'd just have to stand. Eventually, the show began and the steward decided she'd move the other people to another seat.

Most venue's policies are that you must call the box office to book accessible tickets however disabled tickets at the concert hall can be booked online without any identification requirement. So basically, just as we discovered anybody can purchase these tickets making it all the more difficult for people like me to get them in the first place. I mean, eight disabled spaces for an entire venue isn't exactly very generous is it? We later contacted the venue about these issues alongside a few others and were met by an unsatisfactory response. Almost an entire year later, nothing has changed and disabled tickets are still available online.

Since then there has been various events at the same venue which I was keen to attend and soon discovered that they were selling disabled tickets at the same price patrons would pay for seats in the stalls. Yet, the accessible seats are on the second level with a limited view and other patrons sitting on the same level are paying a lot less-there's something very wrong there!

Moving on to a new angle, there has been two events this year in Glasgow that I've thought about attending and after researching the venues, discovered that they're not accessible. This is against the law might I add! One of the venues in question has a restaurant/bar which has a lift for wheelchair users however the gig venue itself can only be accessed via a flight of steps. The venue are however more than happy for people with mobility issues to attempt their own methods of accessing the venue. That in my opinion is a big no, no due to the safety of people like myself.

The other event I was keen to attend was an artist from a VERY famous rock band whom I am a very big fan of. I am desperate to see a member of one of the bands that I love so much live however I began looking into the venue access and guess what?! There's a huge flight of steps! Again, they get round this by saying that wheelchair users can be lifted in their chair up the flight of stairs which A) isn't particularly safe and B) isn't particularly discrete either. But again, that's just my opinion.

I decided to write a follow up on this subject after reading a post by someone in a similar situation on a Facebook group for an artist whom I'm a huge fan of. The gentleman who wrote the status recently tried to purchase VIP tickets for a gig in the US; the VIP seats were situated in the first few rows yet he was told that people with disabilities can only be seated in the designated accessible area on the second tier! Disgustingly, someone had the audacity to reply with the response 'you should be thankful you can even afford tickets'. That's all very well but why should someone just sit back and say nothing?! It's makes me angry that people who have disabilities are not allowed to experience what able-bodied people take for granted. Surely, it's possible to create a VIP seating area for people with mobility issues near the stage? Surely, it should be standard procedure in this day and age?

Sadly, due to health we can't be spontaneous, we have to plan every detail and sometimes have to accept second best. I've said this before and I'll say it again but no one knows what the future holds and any one of you could be in this situation one day and have to put up with crap when ideally these events and experiences should be pleasurable and stress-free. For a while last year there seemed to be a push for disabled people at concerts and live events however, things seemed to have settles once again and have been forgotten about. It should be standard practice and people with disabilities should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve just like every other person and until that day comes I will not rest!

The Problems With Today's Music Industry

I'm meant to be writing my next daily blog and a couple of concert reviews but I found myself randomly scrolling through Facebook, old blog posts and reading a few things written by various people and it's added fuel to a fire that's been burning inside my brain for quite some time now. I've been contemplating this subject for months on end; I've touched upon it in various blog posts here on 'The Hat Hippie' as well as my old music blog. However it's not a subject to touch upon in just one blog post, spur on people's minds for a short period of time and then be forgotten about after a while. I've recently realised that it's a passion and I need to take it into my own hands and do something about it. Unfortunately, I don't have much stature where I have hundreds of people listening to what I have to say and wanting to help. I'm a seventeen year old girl hiding behind her laptop writing whatever comes to my mind because it's something I enjoy doing and I hope that it reaches even just a handful of people. But what I can do is continually make people aware of what I feel passionate about in hope that over time they too will be able to influence others and so on.

You all know that music is my passion and biggest love in life. It's helped cope with everything life has thrown at me particularly in the past five years or so since my knee surgery. I don't know what I would have done without that escape. Over time my love for music has developed naturally by learning to play instruments, exploring the media side of things using blogging as a source to discuss my passion and becoming a radio presenter where again; I can promote, discuss and enthuse about music. However, it saddens me to say that the music industry and let's face it the arts in general is a dying industry due to the modern world. It's there but it often feels like you've got to already be known in the industry to actually succeed. Sadly, there's big and there's small and a very large gap between the two. It seems there's no way of getting there unless you're willing to enter a TV talent show. Admittedly, I'm just as guilty as everyone else; I tune in faithfully every year to watch and every year another contestant wins the title of being a manufactured pop star who will succeed for a few years and have a few hits or release an album which goes straight down the plughole. Why? Well I can't say for sure but as it seems unless you're young and attractive the officials behind the scenes are not interested. There's been certain contestants that stuck out to me throughout these talents show simply because they're different. Sadly, due to that very reason they were eventually voted off or they got a record deal, an album followed and they're image completely changed.

Is that really what the industry is nowadays? Is there really such thing as music anymore? Has the world seriously overlooked something that provokes power, emotion and perhaps represents a little of ourselves in place of young, attractive artists who solely rely on that to sell an album and not it's content. It bothers me watching true musicians out busking, trying to promote their music and sell an album and yet there's big names out there who truly don't appreciate what they have. Indie artists I'm sure would kill for the chance to perform at Wembley Stadium or to have a no.1 hit played nonstop on the radio.

One of the biggest banes of my life is digital music; I do use it like the rest of us but at the same time I hate it and it's impact on the music industry. Similarly, a few years ago at the rise of the kindle and digital books I argued with every single person I met about how I was completely against it and explained time and time again the reason why. I debated this subject with teachers, family and friends and I heard every excuse underneath the sun. I always believed digital books would be the death of the bookstores and I was right. Recently, I came across an article about how a few years ago the high-street bookstores were on the point of diminishing due to a significant rise in digital book sales. In many respects I've never felt so proud in my life, I'd won my argument, I was right! However people have since returned to opting for a physical book and things seem to looking a little more positive in the literacy world but again, there's still a long way to go!

I see a similar situation with music, thanks to the digital world will we loose our music stores? Think about it, a few years ago HMV was on the blink. They shut the doors of some of the franchise's biggest stores, somehow my local store was one of the few that remained but is it's future really certain? I'm not so sure, the signs are certainly there; it's already recently moved to a much smaller store and I personally feel that the music selection is nowhere as varied as it once was. Somehow, unlike the book world I don't see things getting better anytime soon.

I visited my Grandparent's earlier today and my Gran had recorded a documentary about Top Of The Pops for me so I sat down and watched it whilst I was there. Throughout it my mind kept going back to these thoughts and how things have changed for the industry in the present day. It's certainly not for the better. There's another thing, what happened to things like Top Of The Pop and MTV? Sadly, I'm too young to remember it but have discovered many of it's content through YouTube and on TOTP reruns on TV late in the evenings. The type of content it featured would appeal to me in the present day, I for one would certainly watch it! But sadly, there is NOTHING like that at present! And even if there was would it all be directed towards brainwashing the world with manufactured pop acts?

Like I said earlier, I'm only seventeen but I for one can see a real problem. I've had various discussions with various people particularly in the past few weeks and I've been thinking about it more than you could possibly imagine. I have a chance on radio to make a difference, I have a chance to use this blog and to build something on YouTube in some shape or form to do something and make a change. A picture is slowly beginning to emerge in my head even as I've written this things are popping into my head. I have ideas and I want to develop them and see where they lead because I'm sick of watching what's going on in the music industry today. I'm sick of hearing the same old artists who all sound the same; they all have that stereotypical 'pop star' look and if you don't be assured that as soon they sign on the dotted line making it official; it's something they'll have morphed into them.

I'll leave you all with these words as I go and think some more about what I can do because I'm sick of sitting around, waiting for someone to create a solution. Perhaps I, myself will find one eventually. Until then, I'm going to venture into the subject more and more using all platforms that I possibly can to help me. Let's see where it take me............

If you want to get in contact with me regarding this be sure to use one of the following links:

Email: thehathippie@outlook.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thehathippieblog

My Favourite Childhood Book

I recently heard about a campaign in support of an amazing organisation called 'The Library Project' who supply orphanages and schools in China and Vietnam with books, libraries and reading corners, through Camilia from Twenty Three Pages who was asked by 'The Library Project'  if she'd like to write about her favourite childhood book. A whole host of bloggers have decided to get involved and write about their favourite childhood books so today I thought I'd dig into my younger years and share my favourite book with the world. Personally, I believe that every child should be entitled to the luxury of being able to pick up a book and explore a whole other world hence why I've decided to show my support and take part in this today. If you want to find out more about 'The Library Project' please click here.

Now to some degree this was a tricky decision as I've loved indulging myself in a good book ever since I was a little girl, so picking just one isn't exactly easy. However, there is one book that sticks out in my mind from my childhood and has always played a big part in my life. And that is of course 'Peter Pan & Wendy' by J.M. Barrie. I cannot remember exactly when I first discovered the magical story of the boy who never grew up but it's faithfully been there throughout my life. Even now in my late teens, it still holds a very special place in my heart.

I'm sure most of you are familiar with this classic novel so I won't go into too much details about the story itself but if you haven't read it, I'd completely urge you to go out there, find a copy and read it! I'm pretty sure you'll fall absolutely in love with it just like I have.
Being a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London for the first thirteen years of my life, I was submerged in the world of Peter Pan; everywhere I turned was some sort of reference to the story. There was murals, statues both inside and outside the building, photos from the 2003 film and even a Peter Pan ward. For a hospital it was pretty magical I must admit. What some of you may not know was that J.M. Barrie actually donated the rights of the story to GOSH. This meant that all of the royalties would go to the hospital and in turn help the hundreds of children that went through its doors each and every day.

The story of Peter Pan; the boy who never grew up is truly magical and captures the hearts of people of all ages. In my world it was light during the dark days in hospital and always put a smile on my face and for that I am truly grateful. I think we can all relate to the character of Peter Pan who was adamant that he would remain a child forever and never grow up. Don't we all wish that sometimes?

As a young child I think the whole idea of a boy who could fly and lived in a magical world called 'Neverland' enticed me. I'm sure there was a couple of occasions that I peered out the window whilst in GOSH, which just so happened to be situated in Bloomsbury where the Darling family lived in the story, hoping that I'd spot Peter Pan flying in the dark night sky.

And it wasn't just Peter Pan that captured our imaginations; the book was filled with many wonderful characters that made it all the more special. There was characters like Tinker Bell, his trusty fairy companion (what little girl doesn't love fairies!?) that gave him the power to fly, the Darling family who accompanied Peter to his magical world in hope of adventure, the mermaids, Princess Tiger Lilly and the pirates of course! I must admit even though the pirates are looked upon as villains, there's something pretty cool and intriguing about them at the same time. What's better than a book filled with so many unique and marvellous characters that jump off the pages and bring the story to life!? That to me is a sign of a good book!

J.M. Barrie's most famous and beloved novel certainly had a major impact on my younger self and like I said earlier in this post; it still holds a very special place in my heart. It makes my eyes twinkle and I feel warm and fuzzy inside as I read it. It'll always remain a firm favourite of mine and I'm sure will continue to be loved by many for years to come. And in those few words; that is why 'Peter Pan and Wendy' is my favourite childhood book!
 

Now, I know it was a fairly short post today folks but I want to get all of you involved so make sure to leave a comment below and tell me what your favourite book was a child!

The Other Side Of Christmas

If you've been following my blog since I started it over a year ago, you may remember a post I wrote about meeting James Bowen and Street Cat Bob when they visited Glasgow to sign copies of James latest book "A Gift From Bob". The book was written about James' life living on the streets during the Christmas period before he met Bob. It also focuses on one particularly cold and snowy December in London back in 2010. I wanted to write a few festive blog posts throughout the month of December and where Christmas is supposed to be the season of goodwill and joy to all men; there is another side which is often forgotten about by each and every one of us. So in today's post I'd really like to highlight that side of Christmas and bring it to everyone's attention.

Whilst we are all curled up in front of the Christmas tree in the warmth of our homes, there are thousands of people roaming the streets with nowhere to go and no place to call home. I'd been planning to write about this subject for a little while now as it's something I'm very passionate about. Coincidently, whilst watching TV the other day I saw an advertisment for a documentary on being homeless at Christmas and it actually made me think about this subject all the more. So I decided to sit down and actually write a bit about it. 

If you've read my previous post about James and Bob you'll know a little bit about them and how I first discovered them but just to briefly fill you in; James Bowen was once a drug addict (now recovered) who for a period of time (prior to meeting Bob) lived on the streets of London. He met Bob, a gorgeous ginger Tom cat at what I'm sure was a very difficult time in his life. James found Bob on a neighbour's door step so presuming he belonged to one of his neighbours gave Bob a stroke, said 'Hello' and walked on by. Noticing that Bob was injured, James realised the little cat must have been a stray so decided to help him out and nurse him back to health. Once Bob's injury had healed and no longer showed any sign of infection, James sent Bob on his way. However, as James set out on his way to busk in Convent Garden, the little cat followed him onto the bus and sat down on the seat beside him-pretty unbelievable! 

Before long James and Bob were inseparable and little Bob began to turn James' life around leading to James taking the final step to come off of the methadone programme. One day, James was approached by a lady he often spoke to whilst selling copies of the Big Issue and was asked to write a book about his life with Bob and well; the rest was history really!

He's since released a number books; some of which are for older readers, some suited to younger readers and even children's picture books. One of his most recent books, takes place during a particularly cold winter that hit Britain back in 2010. A Gift From Bob really touched me in a way that very few books have ever done before. If I remember right, I'm pretty sure this was James and Bob's last Christmas living it rough before his first book was written and released. Money was tight meaning that it was difficult to afford to pay for heating and electricy forcing James to go out in the freezing tempratures which caused him to on ice slip and injure his leg. Yet, he still had to brave the cold weather as well as the pain in his leg to busk as well as selling copies of the Big Issue in order to make just enough money to get by and take care of both himself and Bob. Around this time, James saw a few things which brought back what I'm sure were painful memories of his time living on the streets.

I don't want to write too much about the book as you guys really need to go out, purchase a copy and read it for yourselves but there is a point I want to make through writing today's post. Reading James' book about Christmas on the streets and how Bob the cat changed his life really opened my eyes and made me think. As you know, I've spent alot of time in London throughout my life having treatment in hospital and attending medical appointments. Due to this I've spent alot of time with my family walking through the streets of London. From a young age I've seen alot of people sleeping in cardboard boxes outside in the streets at all times in the year. Some of these people were young children and it was absolutely heartbreaking to witness. My parents always took us into the nearest coffee shop/McDonalds and ordered coffee and a muffin/pastry or somethling like that and gave it to some of the people sitting outside/sleeping in the streets. Sadly, we can't change their situation as much as I wish I could right there and then but, at the very least we can give them something warm in order to help heat them up and keep them going throughout the day.

London is a very lonely place at times and I for one have had first hand experience of just how unfriendly a place it can sometimes be. It's difficult to get to know anyone and due to how big a place it is makes it all the more difficult to even recognise someone's face. Despite this, I was actually taken aback with the kindness of people mentioned in the book and to be honest it helped restore my faith in humanity. Reading James' experiences during the Christmas period in London gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. I felt touched by his story and I'm so pleased to see that James' life has turned upside down and that he is now able to help others who are in similar situations. At his book signing that I attended last year, James invited a gentleman who'd been selling The Big Issue outside the shop to come inside and sell copies of the magazine to those waiting in the signing queue. He was such a friendly gentleman and the support he recieved from James and all of his readers evidently meant the world to him.

Both reading James' book as well as seeing the look upon people's faces when you hand them as simple a thing as a cup of coffee and a pack of mini muffins makes you realise that it's the small things in life that really count. Perhaps we should all take a step back from the craziness of our lives every now and then and consider just how lucky we really are! What we often forget is that none of us know what the future beholds for us; any one of us could easily encounter difficult times . "A Gift From Bob" is such a positive yet very touching book which certainly made me think and feel grateful for the live I have. Yes, life isn't easy and i've encountered my own fair share of problems but at the same time I'm one very blessed girl. 

So this Christmas please spare a thought to all the people out there who aren't as fortunate as us. If you walk by someone on the streets pop into the nearest coffee shop and buy them a hot chocolate. Or even just spare them a smile and wish them a merry Christmas as you pass on by; that one smile might just be what they needed to brighten their day! 

A Message to All Those "Professionals" Out There!

Hi Out There!

 

My apologies for being so quiet around here during the past few weeks, so much happens and you sort of loose track of time and then realise "oh! I haven't updated my blog in a while". These things happens I suppose but hopefully I'll have plenty more posts in the near future to make up for the quiet period-I'll give it my best shot anyway!

Anyway, today's post is a little bit of rant which I apologise for in advance. However, it's good to vent your frustration somewhere and hopefully if I do it here on my blog, the right eyes will read it and somewhere down the line it'll contribute to making things easier for someone else in a similar situation to myself. One can only hope it will have a positive impact at some point but in the meantime I'll use this platform for my own benefit. So here it goes.......

Because of my health I have had ALOT of "professionals" involved in my life ever since I was little. If I'm being completely honest with you; I absolutely hate it! When I was younger it didn't bother me too much, I just got on with it, attended the medical appointments and I suppose didn't think too much more about it. Now is unfortunately, a different story. I suppose having attended so many meetings and medical appointments over the years eventually takes it's toll.

I'm a little sick and tired of listening to the bright ideas that "professionals" who barely know me think are the right way forward for me. Well, I'm sorry but they're not! Not everyone is the same and just because something works for one person doesn't mean it'll be the right thing for another! I'm sure these "professionals" are used to walking into a room and repeating the same old script that they say to everyone they meet each and every day. What they always fail to remember is that they're speaking to someone with feelings and hearing them talk about me and my life in a particular way is pretty painful sometimes. They make you look at yourself in a completely different light and make your life seem alien in many respects. Quite often after the many appointments I attend due to my health, I get home and end up in floods of tears after hearing what was said to me which in turn makes my pain levels worse as my nervous system doesn't react well to stress and upset.

When I was younger I'd walk into a room full of medical professionals who would talk in what often felt like a foreign language. Making decisions about my treatment wasn't as much of a concern to me back then however, as you grow older you're suddenly flung in the deep end and Doctors want you to make the decisions. I often scroll through Facebook and see other people of my age discussing their worries and talking about the decisions they have to make regarding school/college which of course are important and have a major impact in the life. However, if I'm being completely honest I often envy their stress and concerns and wish I was making their decisions instead of decisions regarding the likes of medications and what steps to take next in my treatment. In many respects I feel like an old soul stuck in a teen's body, I struggle to relate to people of my age which might sound a little odd. Growing up so quickly at such a young age and trying to explain the emotions and how it affects you as person to people is difficult. One minute you're wanted to sit in a meeting and discuss extremely personal subjects with a bunch of strangers and then the next minute another "professional" thinks you're just like any other teenager and treat you as if you're clueless which REALLY irritates me! Like I said, I have nothing against others of my age but I find it difficult to be someone I'm not. At this point in my life I've been through a lot, experienced a lot of things that very few of my age already have and yet some "professionals" just presume I'm like any other teenager and should be acting and participating in things that others of my age do. Perhaps had they suggested some of their ideas a few years earlier it would have been different. But it's too late now I'm afraid, I can't be an "adult" and have to make mature decisions one minute and then put my "teenage" brain on the second I step out of the hospital. It unfortunately doesn't work that way; I'm either one way or the other. I am who I am and everything that I've been through has shaped the person I've become, I've matured and learned a lot over the past few years. I'm extremely proud of how much I achieved in the past year in particular and want to focus on making life as good as it possibly can be and more importantly standing up and speaking out about the issues that I alongside many other people are facing on a daily basis!

To be honest, I am now at the stage that I'm about to snap at the next "professional" who thinks they can suggest their useless ideas when A) I have already empathised of numerous occasions that my answer is 'NO!' and B) they haven't taken the time to really get to know me and see that I'm not the "typical" teenager. I am seriously considering handing them a piece of paper with the link to this post and telling them to go read it. Perhaps it would make them stop and think? Perhaps they might realise that before making presumptions they need to instead, look at the situation and at each individual as a person. 

As you'll now probably have gathered I am sick and tired of people trying to class me as something I'm not and just presuming that because something suits one person it'll suit and appeal to everyone. Well hello!-It won't! We are all unique (in a good way of course!) and when someone says 'NO', it should taken as 'NO' providing that the outcome's not going to cause harm to anyone. I hope that one day the point I'm trying to make will be taken seriously and perhaps those who need to take notice will do just that. I'm just one person sitting here in my room, on my laptop writing about my frustrations here on this minute space on the internet, if I'm lucky a few people might even sit down and read it. Through just even one person stumbling across this, I sincerely hope I can change perceptions and perhaps even gain the support of others to spread this message further. I can only imagine that I'm not the only person out there who feels this way and hope that through what I write I can find those that feel the same way and together, I hope we can get the message out there!

 

On that thought, I shall leave you with that thought and bid you farewell for now!

 

Sending you lots of love, peace and best wishes,

 

Rob xx

Buying Accessible Tickets for Concerts & Events

Hello Folks!

As I'm sure many of you have already gathered, I love attending concerts as well as other lives events when they pop up. This morning my Mum and I were listening to the Radio just like we always do as we dropped my sister off at school. Today, one of my Mum's very favourite bands Wet Wet Wet were on air performing a bunch of live music and to also announce the exciting news that they were embarking on a UK tour early next year. Being such a big fan my Mum was desperate to see them live again and I must admit that I've wanted to see them live for quite a while so between us we decided that we'd try get hold of tickets.
Around less than half an hour after announcing the tour those who'd signed up to the band's mailing list were sent an email with links to purchase pre-sale tickets at 9am. Next to each link was a phone number where presumably gig-goers could also purchase tickets from. As always we were unable to buy disabled accessible tickets online, in most instances this ruling is put in place to prevent fraud and the misuse of disabled tickets which to be honest is fair enough. After all it gives people like myself a fairer chance.
My Mum dialled the provided number and waited in a queue for around half an hour-thankfully she didn't have to endure any of that highly annoying music they usually play in the background as you wait. Eventually, someone answered the phone and Mum explained our situation and asked if there were any disabled tickets left to purchase in the pre-sale. Mum was soon told that there was in fact no disabled tickets allocated whatsoever for the presale which in my opinion is completely shocking!
Recently, my sister and I also had difficulty when booking disabled access tickets for yet another event. The tickets for this particular event were extremely popular and went on sale as soon as the dates were announced. So as you can imagine there was mad dash to actually get tickets in the first place. There was no visible details on the ticket website regarding how to book disabled tickets. We decided to wing it in hope that if we secured tickets we'd be able to contact the venue afterwards and see if they could help us out. So we did just that.
I soon received an email to confirm the booking and on the email was a disabled assistance number. My Mum phoned the ticketing service up and explained the situation to the person on the other end of the phone line. He looked into transferring our tickets and soon discovered that there was no seats allocated for wheelchair users! Thankfully, within a fairly short period of time the situation was resolved and they were able to allocate my sister and I seats in the front row which would accommodate my wheelchair. As you can imagine, we are extremely grateful and satisfied that they were able to help us out and resolve the issue.
Having heard of other situations similar to the ones I've spoken of above, I thought I'd sit down and actually write about it. I more now than ever cannot just sit back and accept this because "it is the way it is"! Just because my legs don't work properly doesn't mean I should be treated  any differently from an able-bodied person. No one deserves to put up with second best and miss out on the privileges and treatment everyone should be entitled to.
How would you feel if it were you in this situation? Would you put up with it? I certainly hope not! Everyone should be treated fairly and should be given the same opportunities as everyone else!
Like I said before, I'm just one voice and will of course do my upmost to fight and speak up for what is right! But I could really do with everyone's help and support because the more people who speak up and get the message out there; the more likely change with happen!

Many Thanks,
Robyn x

Music Blog: www.jukeboxrhapsody.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thehathippieblog
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thehathippie

Disability Discrimination

As I said in my previous posts one of my aspirations is to work in the journalism/media field. Just like any normal teenager I'm doing my upmost to get experience and learn the skills I need to get my dream job. Unfortunately, due to my disability I've been unable to attend school for the past few years and haven't been given the same opportunities that my peers have been offered such as work experience. With that in mind, I've had to go out and get the work experience myself. Yesterday, I contacted one of my local radio stations after reading on Facebook that they were looking for a number of people to train in radio presenting. "Perfect!" or at least I thought so.
I sent an email to the provided contact with the relevant information that they required. I also explained that I was a wheelchair user, briefly explained my story and told them about the handful of media/journalism experience I had previously gained. Hoping that I would be one of the lucky applicants I then sent off my email.
Today, I logged onto my email account to find an email from the station stating that "unfortunately at the moment we are in temporary accommodation and our disabled access is very limited for wheelchairs". Yet again, another organisation that doesn't cater for wheelchair users!
As you can imagine I feel extremely upset and angry that yet again the world only see the disability that I have and not me; a person with real thoughts, feelings and emotions. Throughout my entire life I've constantly had doors slammed shut in my face and have been told that I can't do something because I am disabled! Not acceptable!
My school has treated me in a similar manner, well known businesses/organisations have discriminated against my disability and now one of my local radio station has followed suit. What does this say about society?
My aim through this blog is to make a difference for young people like me who live with disabilities and all of the challenges that the world around throw at us! I will not sit back and let this go, if I don't do something about it who will!?
I beg of each and everyone of you out there who read this post to share it in every way possible whether that is through Facebook, Twitter or any other form that you can think of. We need to educate people on disabled rights and more importantly actually getting things put into fruition, I need people standing by me helping me to get the appropriate bodies to stand up and take notice!
None of us know what might happen to us or a member of our family tomorrow, that is why I ask you to stop and think "how would I feel if this happened to me or a loved one?". If we're being completely honest with ourselves we'd all feel rejected, disappointed, hurt and angry.
That is why discrimination needs to stop NOW!!! Changes need to be made and these changes need to be put into action immediately!
 
If you wish to contact me on this subject or about anything else please do not hesitate to do so on the following links and I will do my upmost to respond as soon as I possibly can! 

Email- thequeenofhats14@gmail.com
Facebook- www.facebook.com/thehathippieblog
Twitter- www.twitter.com/thehathippie

Let's Make A Difference!

If you know me personally or have read any of my pervious posts you'll be aware that I was born with a physical disability and suffer from a condition named Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which affects my life drastically. Being born with a disability fortunately meant that I never had to go through adjusting to a new way of life using a wheelchair. I grew up with my disability and never thought of it is as something weird, I always saw myself as me and didn't really care what anyone else thought.
Initially, when I first went to primary school I was treated differently because of my disability alongside the fact that I had to use a wheelchair to help me get around. I despised going to school, I absolutely hated it! I was a quiet, mousy type of girl back then and just quietly went about my business despite how much I hated going to school.
Life completely changed for me when my family and I moved to another town. Both my sister and I were enrolled in a small rural school in the middle of the countryside. If we looked out one window we could see endless fields of green and usually a herd of cows grazing in the grass. Looking out another window we could see the sea far into the horizon. It was simply stunning.
With around thirty-six pupils at any given time, I felt completely normal there. Everyone excepted me for who I was and never made me feel different because of my disability. It felt like being a part of a big family and that most definitely was what I needed. Attending a small, rural school completely changed me as a person. I found my confidence and made so many wonderful friends. I am truly grateful to all of my friends there for accepting me and giving me the chance to feel normal.
Unfortunately, I'm too old to attend primary school and instead I'm now home tutored and find myself in my final few years of secondary school. In recent years I've been let down ALOT by people who I thought would always be there for me. If I'm being completely honest it really hurt and I felt extremely let down. Since my knee surgery in 2011, I've had a lot of ups and downs which has helped me mature and become the person that I am today. It's been really difficult at times but I've managed to get through it. I'm fully aware that the doctors are no longer able to do anything for my condition, with that in mind I have decided do my upmost to enjoy life as much as I possibly can and achieve all of my dreams and ambitions.
My intentions for writing this post and on a much bigger scale, creating this entire blog is to open people's eyes and help change things for the better. I'm sick and tired of everyone being classed as the same! I'm sorry, but we're not all the same!  Each and everyone of us are unique and I don't care what anyone says, we should feel genuinely proud of who we are!
Like I said above, I have lived with a physical disability ever since I was born. But what I'm trying to get across to the world is that I am a person with real thoughts and real feelings; I am not the disability!
A few years ago I made the decision to take a firm stance and decided to truly express myself and dress in my own, unique and sometimes crazy style. I'm different anyway, so when people stare at me whilst I'm using my wheelchair, why not give them something else to stare at other than the piece of metal that follows me everywhere I go?
There have been a few professionals that I've come across of late who don't seem to accept the word "no". Yes, they have a job to do and I completely accept part of that is to provide me with information regarding what exactly I'm entitled to. However, I'm no longer a child and I am more than capable of making my own decisions that affect my own life! This means that if I say "no", particularly when I have good reasoning to back up my decision the professionals shouldn't persist with the subject and attempt to make me change my mind. I have had many conversations with my GP, who has always encouraged me to speak up and to make sure the professionals around me listen to my wants and wishes. I sometimes think they forget my age and forget the fact that I know my own mind-set and that I'm entitled to my own opinion.
With this in mind I've decided that rather than sitting back and doing nothing I really want to change things. If I have both the ability and knowledge that is required to make a difference, then I should do my bit to get the ball rolling. We need to work at changing people's outlooks and make the professionals around us listen. In order to get things right for each and everyone of us we need to be included in making decisions that affect us because no one knows us better than ourselves.
Unfortunately, I can't wave a magic wand and everything will be okay but what I can do is begin to set the foundation for change. I have created a twitter account for this blog and also plan on setting up a facebook page which I shall share on this blog as soon as it's up and running. Through my social media accounts I want to support other young people out there whether they have a disability, going through a hard time in their life or feel passionate about individuality. I completely understand how hard life can be sometimes and hate to think that there are young people out there who feel that they can't talk to anyone. So if anyone ever needs someone to talk to or needs some advice please do not hesitate to contact me through one of my social media platforms or via my blog's email address which can be found on my contact page.
Im pretty sure that there are so many people out there that can relate to this post and share the same thoughts and feelings as me. I hope that together we can make a change so that no one feels alone or that they're not listened to by the people who are supposed to be there to help and support us.