Professor David Ruebain
The University of Sussex’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Diversity), Professor David Ruebain, is featured a new BBC Radio 4 eight-part podcast series starting next week. For Pity’s Sake, produced by the BBC’s The History Podcast, tells the story of disabled activists who challenged entrenched attitudes, took on powerful institutions and helped transform the fight for disability rights in Britain through a campaign for civil rights and anti-discrimination legislation. In the new series, presenter, author and disability advocate Sophie Morgan meets a cast of characters who made change happen, including David.
David features heavily in the series, telling his story of being sent away to special school to learn a trade instead of pursuing his own academic ambitions, and how this ultimately led him into activism. Alongside hundreds of fellow activists, David became part of a movement that would make history: resulting in the passing on 8 November 1995 of the Disability Discrimination Act. What began as resistance to charity telethons and patronising stereotypes evolved into a determined campaign for equality, representation and civil rights.
David said: “It was a privilege to take part in this new series, reflect back and tell some of the stories of the coalition and community of disabled people and allies that drove social change back in the 1990s. It was an amazing time!”
Sophie Morgan, presenter of For Pity's Sake says: “The activists in this important new series didn't wait for permission to make change. They took to the streets, took on the establishment and refused to be anyone's object of pity, and because of them the law in this country, and along with it, millions of lives, changed. But that law was never the finish line. Three decades on, disabled people are still shut out of jobs, homes, transport and public life every single day. Disability can come into anyone's life at any moment, so this fight belongs to all of us. I want people to learn about this often-overlooked part of history and society - and most importantly be inspired by these brilliant change makers.”
For Pity's Sake is on Radio 4, Mondays at 1.45pm and on BBC Sounds from 16 November.