Trans-ableism mentioned by the Baroness

[EdinburghFeminist]

I was on one of the Baroness’s webinars recently (the week before last I think) where I think she said she had seen somewhere where there were quotas available for people with disabilities where you could now self-Id into the criteria. Does anyone remember more specifically what this was about? I’ve found myself in an online discussion with a TRA who is unmoved by all the arguments that women have given him about why self-Id is a bad idea, but he happens to be in a wheelchair and I wonder if this example the Baroness mentioned might peak him. Can anyone remember anything that I could share with him? Thanks!

Can't comment on the specifics of this at all but it does seem to be a movement now from my (limited) experience.

I have ADHD (diagnosed) and DH ASD (diagnosed) and both of us have access to support groups that are always billed as for diagnosed and undiagnosed people.

DH and I are both very rules-based so it confuses us

So "Come to our monthly support group for people with ADHD!" then "both diagnosed and undiagnosed people welcome" confuserama from my pov.

the autism community definitely includes some degree of self-id, which some people welcome and others do not.

For things like the Guaranteed Interview Scheme in recruitment the question is usually phrased as “do you consider yourself to have a disability or health problem?”, which I suppose is essentially self identification on a basic level. Would this be the kind of context that was being discussed?

The Baroness' videos are now posted (I saw that in a thread about her most recent webinar).

(And I’ve no idea how often people abuse it, to be honest: having recently completed a round of recruitment where I had to sift 70 applications, I’m actually reasonably surprised - but obvs glad at the same time - that only 8 people ticked the “yes” box for a guaranteed interview. We aren’t permitted to question it or insist on detail, it would be an easy category to identify into.)

For jobs a disability is a condition that has impact on your day to day life for
6m or more (something like that) you can self ID all you like but disabled people can’t book train ticket or cinema ticket for carer without having prove all sorts things. Don’t think you would get very far. To park in blue badge space again parking a car something eveyone takes granted more prove letters and sometimes Medical.

You could go around ID with any kind of disability but if you need support, benefits, adaptions, all require intensive investigations and evidence.

Are you thinking of the self ID allocated spots for the SNP NEC? -

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/row-over-snp-decision-boost-disabled-and-ethnic-minority-candidates-3120351

www.spiked-online.com/2021/02/01/do-you-identify-as-disabled/

wingsoverscotland.com/differences-of-ability/

'Candidates were allowed to self-identify as disabled. That meant that anyone claiming to be disabled could take one of those places. They didn’t need to prove it. As the other four top places were going to BAME candidates, the only chance for a crack at the list was to game the system. Allowing self-ID was leaving the door wide open for people to do just that.'

@Waitwhat23

Are you thinking of the self ID allocated spots for the SNP NEC? -

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/row-over-snp-decision-boost-disabled-and-ethnic-minority-candidates-3120351

www.spiked-online.com/2021/02/01/do-you-identify-as-disabled/

wingsoverscotland.com/differences-of-ability/

'Candidates were allowed to self-identify as disabled. That meant that anyone claiming to be disabled could take one of those places. They didn’t need to prove it. As the other four top places were going to BAME candidates, the only chance for a crack at the list was to game the system. Allowing self-ID was leaving the door wide open for people to do just that.'

Waitwhat I think that's it! Thank you! Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, lots of other interesting things in there too. And good to know I can go back and watch the Baroness's talks because I missed most of the last one. Thanks for the help :)

Disability self Id is a sketchy area anyway. Yes for some things there is a proper diagnosis process and you need that for blue badges etc. But for things like job applications anyone who thinks their life is impacted significantly can just tick that box. My DH has asd and has never been asked to prove this on a job application for example. So he could benefit (if you subscribe to them being beneficial) from a guaranteed interview without having to do anything but self id as disabled. I have a chronic pain issue but aren't physically disabled enough to get a blue badge and I wouldnt use a disabled toilet.l, but others with my condition might. I think this area is quite complex and definitely worth discussing.