Honey or Vinegar? Athletes with Disabilities Discuss Strategies for Advocacy within the Paralympic Movement

Honey or Vinegar

Andrea BundonSchool of Kinesiology

The University of British Columbia

Athletes with disabilities discuss strategies foradvocacy within the Paralympic Movement

OVERVIEW

Project Design Findings Discussion

Questions and Comments

The AthletesFirst Project

TheAthletesFirstProject

Vancouver 2014

Ge

rald

De

o/T

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yssey


ProjectDesign

Participatory Action Research

5 community co-researchers(all Paralympians)

Created 'AthletesFirst' blog

Took turns writing posts

Encouraged others to discuss anddebate issues


ProjectDesign

14 months

34 blog posts

339 comments

9,700 visits

6,500 visitors

97 countries (63% Canada)


ProjectDesign

25 semi-structured, qualitativeinterviews with blog authors andreaders

Blog posts and comments

Social media

Ongoing process of blogging,interviewing, analysis


Findings

Authors and audiences described postsas a form of advocacy on behalf ofathletes with disabilities

They felt the posts were intended toeducate others in the sport system

They aimed to change ableist practicesin the sport system and challengedisablism


Findings ORhoney

vinegar


honey

"Why an integrated program? Becausethere simply aren't enough adaptiveathletes for an adaptive-only program.Kudos to [the club] for being willing toaccept me as a member and to thecoaches who have been great..."


honey

"I've had a couple of people ask aboutmy vision and I'm happy to answerquestions. However, most of them startwith, 'So how much vision do you have -75, 80%? When I tell them I have lessthan 10%, they often say, 'Wow, you suredon't look like it.'

They have no idea that while it may looklike I am simply grabbing an oar andwalking out to the boat, every move Imake is a calculated one... I make sure Iam never the first one to the oar racksto avoid the embarrassing situation ofwhacking the surrounding boats likepiñatas."


honey

"Once we launch, things get a littleeasier. Rowing is a very repetitive sportand when things are going well, there isa predictable rhythm to follow. But thisis a novice program and all of us are stillworking on technique so beingconsistent is not our strong suit yet."


honey

Honey Advocacy

1. Thankful

2. Humourous and self-deprecating

3. 'We'


vinegar

"I understand the arguments againstoffering adaptive categories. I realizethat it takes more volunteers and moreset up time. But really! We are takingthe time to set up these events anyways.It's discrimination not to offer adaptivecategories. It sends out the messagethat adaptive racers are not asimportant... Don't we as adaptive peoplehave enough challenges in trying to keepfit? Having to remind local raceorganizers every single season that weare here and want to race is getting alittle old."


vinegar

"I am a below-knee amputee and myqualifying time for the Boston Marathonis 8:00:00. Yes EIGHT HOURS!! For thoseof you who don't run and aren't surewhat that time means... it means 'if youare missing a leg we're happy to haveyou here.' "


vinegar

Vinegar Advocacy

1. Use language of discrimination

2. Humourous but sarcastic

3. 'Us' and 'Them'


Discussion

"For human beings, advocacy is adefault setting. We seek change for thebetter; we struggle to protect thatwhat we have. Advocacy is a plea forwhat we want and see needed."

(Stake & Rosu, 2012, p. 45)


Discussion

"It would be difficult to impossible totry to be equally 'advocative' all thetime. There are times and places forfull effort, and times and places forkeeping our partisanship unexpressed.We have multiple advocacies and theycannot all be shouted simultaneously.For physical and political reasons, ouradvocacies are intermittent."

(Stake & Rosu, 2012, p. 48)

AcknowledgementsThank you to all the athletes, bloggers andblog readers who contributed to theAthletesFirst project.

This research was supported by the

Sports

Honey or Vinegar? Athletes with Disabilities Discuss Strategies for Advocacy within the Paralympic Movement