{"id":14,"date":"2024-05-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-26T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogit.metropolia.fi\/korkeapainetta\/2024\/05\/27\/from-takers-to-givers-with-different-abilities\/"},"modified":"2024-09-30T11:16:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T08:16:02","slug":"from-takers-to-givers-with-different-abilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogit.metropolia.fi\/korkeapainetta\/2024\/05\/27\/from-takers-to-givers-with-different-abilities\/","title":{"rendered":"From takers to givers with different abilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

MoomsTeatern is a professional inclusive theatre company in Malm\u00f6, Sweden, that employs actors with learning disabilities and non-disabled freelance actors1<\/sup><\/a>. It aims to produce performing arts of high artistic quality.<\/p>\n

This blog post reflects on my thoughts and impressions of MoomsTeatern, which I visited during a study trip to Sweden as part of the Creativity and Arts in Social and Health Fields (CRASH)<\/a> master\u2019s degree programme of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Also, Dennis Mortensson, who is one of the actors at MoomsTeatern, shares his experiences concerning his work.<\/p>\n

A day at Mooms Teatern with my CRASH community<\/h2>\n

\u201cPeople with dis\/abilities should rather be givers, not takers\u201d. This phrase by Sandra Johansson, the executive director of MoomsTeatern, was stuck in my mind while we were leaving the theatre. But let me share the story from the beginning.<\/p>\n

We were there, entering the theatre when Sandra Johansson warmly welcomed us. She took us to her office where we had the chance to sit in a circle and discuss. She was open to getting to know us, telling us about the history of the theatre, and answering all our questions about their work. Later, we also had a chance to follow one rehearsal session of their upcoming production \u201cAlla heter Knut\u201d (Everyone\u2019s called Knut). In this way, I can say that we had a full experience of what MoomsTeatern is about.<\/p>\n

\"A
Picture: Xanthippi Panagiotou<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My spectrum of emotions during the rehearsal<\/h2>\n

Watching all the actors with different abilities perform on the stage was, at first, very touching. I felt inspired and moved by their talent and courage to be on stage. But later my emotion changed to anger. This should not be an emotional spectacle, but an ordinary example of a theatre play rehearsal.<\/p>\n

I realised that we are not used to watch dis\/abled people perform and this, in general, contributes in some way to our society and that\u2019s why we become emotionally charged when we see this. Contemporary society makes dis\/ability invisible, by excluding people from equal participation.<\/p>\n

My heart and mind are full, flourished, and at the same time troubled. Too many questions and ideas cross my mind. \u201cWhy is our society still categorising people on the basis of their way of being in the world? Who is lucky enough to match the standards of the long checklist and be called \u2018able\u2019? How are we going to deconstruct all the ableist assumptions and construct a bridge connecting people with different abilities?\u201d These questions made me curious, and I had to look for answers in the literature of dis\/ability studies.<\/p>\n

Dis\/ability as a social construct<\/h2>\n

Dis\/ability is a social construct, meaning that the way people give meaning and understanding to dis\/ability is influenced by society\u2019s beliefs about ability. Contemporary society has some preconditions, like being able to live independently, to walk, and to manage everyday struggles alone. If someone does not match these preconditions, this individual is perceived as different2<\/sup><\/a>. In this way, people tend to be categorised according to their abilities3<\/sup><\/a>. If you match these standards, you are considered able and you can enjoy all the possibilities of life. However, if you need some support to participate in life\u2019s activities, you are seen as disabled, thus unable or nonfunctional to participate in certain activities.<\/p>\n

\"An
Alla heter Knut (the present production), photographer Bodil Johansson, Moomsteatern.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This phenomenon makes dis\/ability invisible. Just a glimpse at a simple example of how disability is little or not at all represented in contemporary television, theatre, or cinema, illustrates this phenomenon. In this way, dis\/abled people, as Sandra Johansson mentioned, tend to be only takers of services provided by a system that excludes and disempowers them.<\/p>\n

It does not mean that all people should be the same. We should not ignore differences and how impairments can be difficult for people who experience them. However, it is our society that gives meaning to these differences and values or devalues them. It is time to recognize that we are all different in society that chooses either to exclude some people who are not lucky enough to be called \u2018able\u2019 or finds the right way for equal participation.<\/p>\n

Social inclusion and participation<\/h2>\n

From a humanist worldview, every human is equal and part of the community.\u00a0 However, at the same time, people with dis\/abilities are often excluded, and at risk of reduced opportunities for social participation. According to research4<\/sup><\/a>, social inclusion on an individual level is linked to three domains.These three domains are:<\/p>\n