On international disabled people’s day,@wegon_featured parapole artists and started a pole sport party on my page! There has been a deluge of pole athletes and artists sharing my page and commenting and liking all over the place. I am so excited to see you here! your love has gone deep into the history of my profile beyond what I can keep track of! It’s a mountain of love and I adore it!
The theme of disability day was an accessible future and the recognition of disabled people and their leadership. Accessibility is complicated. It’s personal and technical. sometimes needs compete and the solutions don’t come easy. its a process, a mutual and interdependent, ongoing process. It is too simplistic to say that pole is inclusive, implying that it happens naturally. It doesn’t.
This photo you see here (taken by@enllasez) represents a lot of work by a lot of people. Do you know what it takes to organize an accessible competition? Or what it takes to adapt the techniques to disabled bodies and still meet judging standards? The worst of tokenizing and the best of inclusion exist in the same sport. And the best happens because of people who listen until they understand what it takes to make it work. And then do that work.
When you feel inspired by a video or photo of us, take a minute to think about what actually went into it. Our work, our effort —not just on the pole— but to get into a studio, to be acknowledged properly in a competition. Being part of your world didn't happen naturally, we fought to be here, just as the sport itself fought and continues to fight to be recognized. Don’t just be inspired to work harder on your own skill and strength when you see ours, also be inspired to work harder with us.
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