Editorial

As we head into spring, we’re delighted to hear from so many Disabled Young writers, who bring a fresh perspective to these pages. There is an air of positivity emerging from their Covid-19 education experiences, for example from established Disabled Young author, Jonathan Bryan’s via his interview and poetry (page 10).

As we approach International Women’s Day, March is a time to celebrate and raise-up women globally, and this issue highlights the voices of Young women writers within the Disability Movement. Melody Powell’s article about online university (page 3) kicks off the Spring issue and is a great guide for any Young Disabled person who is considering studying online. On page 5, Fifteen-year old Kadijah Adam writes her first article for the magazine – bringing her positive perspective on Covid-19 remote education – as she shares her personal experiences of lockdown learning.

Melody Powell’s later review (page 14) of the BBC’s ‘Criptales’ delves into current media and societal representations of disability. ALLFIE’s Disabled Black Lives Matter group follow this theme and go further (page 16). Their joint critical review of the BBC’s recent documentary: ‘Silenced: The Hidden History of Disabled Britain’, exposes the erasure of intersectional voices and contributions, in both historical and contemporary representations of Disabled people and their movements.

On a legal note, Thandi Groof discusses Inclusive Education in the European Court, referring to recent case G.L. vs Italy (page 7); while the Legal Question (page 26) addresses legal responsibility for British Sign Language (BSL) on Covid-19 virtual education platforms.

In solidarity,

Catherine Bebbington