Is The Shape of Water Offensive?

The Shape of Water led the way on Oscar night, winning four awards and taking home the biggest award of the night, Best Picture. The film is essentially a love story between a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory and a human-like amphibian creature. Now, this seems to be a bizarre choice, but it was one of the most highly regarded films this award season.

Although inclusion is extremely welcomed by the mainstream public, it seems that isn't the case with most award voters. The public wants an increase in minority roles and that’s why we see the success of recent films like Black Panther, Get Out – another Oscar-nominated film – and Wonder Woman doing well. It’s encouraging to see diverse, popular movies that are filled with minorities open up to a new, wider audience.

Why isn't this the case with the disabled community? Why aren't we getting real people that struggle with the disabilities being broadcasted for the world to see play these roles? Sally Hawkins was never going to win Best Actress – Frances McDormand had won almost every major Best Actress award this year – and in a way that’s a good thing. We shouldn’t be awarding yet another actor or actress when there are people that live with disabilities and get ridiculed for it.

Around half of all the acting Oscars have gone to actors playing characters with a disability or illness.The amount of actor’s awards that actually had disabilities that were similar to the characters they were portraying is two. Only two actors with disabilities have ever won Academy Awards – Harold Russell in 1947 for Best Supporting Actor in The Best Years of Our Lives and Marlee Matlin in 1987 for Best Actress in a Leading role in the film Children of a Lesser God.

Playing a character with a disability or illness is an almost guaranteed Oscar nomination, just for non-disabled actors. The problem with Hollywood is that the general public wants diverse stories, but the Academy will hardly recognize this. Greta Gerwig being the only female director nominated was a great example that it’s time to change. Coco won big on Oscars night by winning Best Animated Film and Best Song, which was a much-deserved win for the Latino community.

While The Shape of Water breaks down barriers in regards to sex (most Hollywood films have disabled characters as unattractive and asexual), there's still work that needs to be done. Society believes the white, able-bodied person as “normal” and until we include different and more diverse types of normal into our lives, this default will remain the same.

Unstoppable Campaign

Did you know?

·      One in every seven person has a disability. 

·      More than 5.3 million Canadians live with some form of disability.

·      50% of people with disabilities also have mental health issues. 

·      Over 200,000 Canadian children under 15 have one or more disabilities.

·      Children with disabilities are three times more likely to be bullied by their peers. 

·      53% of children with disabilities have fewer friends.

·      19% of children with activity limitations live in a low-income household.

·      It can cost over $40,000 a year to care for a child with a severe disability.

·      40% of parents reported that they don’t know where to look for information.

Children with disabilities experience increasing levels of pressure and stress at younger ages. According to Dr. K. Leith, more children also display signs of mental distress as a result of anxiety, bullying, low self-esteem and insecurity. Young people with disabilities do struggle with making friends and are often times bullied more by their peers.

People living with disabilities already have the world against them. Ability Online believes that everyone has the potential to be great at something. Occasionally, they might need a boost of confidence in discovering what that “something” is.

We want our members and those apart of the disabled community to know that they are unstoppABLE, formidABLE and capABLE enough to do anything they set their minds to. Everyone in their own way is unique and can establish themselves what it means to be unstoppable, formidable and capable.

Canadian Paralympic Athletes Win Big by Shandi Pace

After sending it’s largest contingency to the Paralympics Canada did not disappoint. The
athletes representing the maple leaf picked up a total of 28 medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 16 bronze). This blows away Canada’s most successful Winter Games set in Vancouver in 2010 where 19 total medals were won, 10 of which were gold.

Many athletes were able to accomplish what they set out to do. Mark Arendz was the clear choice as Canada’s flag bearer after his impressive medal count. After years of heartbreak, he finally won the biathlon gold he was missing. Arendz won a total of five individual medals and a cross-country mixed relay silver to bring his total to six.

Brian McKeever became Canada’s most decorated Paralympic athlete and won triple gold in PyeongChang. He now has 16 Paralympic medals, 13 of them being gold. The Canadian men’s sledge hockey team took home the silver medal after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the United States.

Mollie Jepsen won four medals in South Korea, including gold in the women’s standing super-combined slalom. This 18-year-old can only walk away with her head held high and medals of every colour around her neck.

These athletes were unstoppable as soon as the Games started. With the amount of talent Canadian athletes have shown over the last two weeks, it’s only fitting to be even more excited for the next Paralympic Winter Games in 2022.

Don't "Dis" My Ability by Gwyneth West

Hi, my name is Gwyneth West. I am a host on Ability Online, welcoming new users to the website. I was born prematurely and had to spend my first three months in the hospital. When I was just nine months old I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I also have scoliosis and I have epilepsy, which is pretty well controlled with medication.

I am a wheelchair user with an electric wheelchair that is height adjustable. It has tilt and recline and it can go into stand-up, which is very handy for when I go to the gym. I have a David Hart Walking Orthosis, which I really enjoy going to the gym with as I can move around more freely there (but not when the schools are there because it's busy and loud). When I take my walker down I'm able to use the tennis courts, so I have more space. I like to play on the light wall, play Boccia, and I would love a recumbent bike to ride with my PA's beside me (I need someone sitting with me to steer and use the brakes for me). I really enjoy the freedom that my chair, my walker and a bike gives me.

I like to express myself through my art and crafts work that I do. I am so proud of myself for selling my artwork at the crafts stalls.

Don't "dis" my ability.

Paralympic Athletes to Watch in PyeongChang by Shandi Pace

Although the Winter Olympics have finished, the Paralympics are only just beginning. More than 50 athletes will be proudly wearing the red maple leaf, representing Canada in PyeongChang, South Korea from March 8-18.

The Paralympics never get as much coverage or excitement as the Olympics do unfortunately, but learning more about the athletes that will be representing Team Canada can add to your enthusiasm at home. With varying levels of experience and multiple skill sets, here are three standouts to watch:

Brian McKeever

Sport:

Nordic Skiing - Biathlon

Nordic Skiing - Cross Country Skiing

Brian McKeever made history at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games when he was named to both the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams. Over his career, he’s raced at four Paralympics and remains one of the top visually impaired cross-country skiers in the world. McKeever has won an incredible 13 medals, 10 of which are gold. During the World Championships in February, he captured the win with his guide in the 10- and 20-kilometre events. He also helped Canada make its first ever podium finish in the 4x2.5-kilometre relay.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/brian-mckeever

Ina Forrest

Sport:

Wheelchair Curling

Ina Forrest made her curling debut at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics vice-skipping for Team Canada. Forrest helped Team Canada capture Paralympic gold in Vancouver and in Sochi. In PyeongChang, she’ll be helping Canada try to win its fourth consecutive Paralympic gold medal in wheelchair curling.

In total, Forrest has competed at nine straight world wheelchair curling championships. She has captured first three times and has never finished outside of the top ten.

Forrest was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in February 2016, re-establishing that she is one of the most decorated wheelchair curlers and is still hungry for more gold.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/ina-forrest

Liam Hickey

Sport:

Sledge Hockey/Wheelchair Basketball 

Competing in both the Summer and Winter Games is a feat not many athletes have accomplished. Liam Hickey is a 19-year-old from St. John’s, Newfoundland that played wheelchair basketball for Team Canada at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He’s now making the transition from the court to the ice, and will be playing for Canada’s sledge hockey team in PyeongChang.

Hickey was named as one of four teenagers that were named to Canada’s National Sledge team in December 2016. At the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships in South Korea in April of last year, Hickey finished fourth in tournament scoring with seven goals and nine assists. This was Hickey’s first world championship in the sport as he helped Team Canada defeat its rivals, the USA 4-1 to win their fourth world title.

Read full bio: http://paralympic.ca/liam-hickey 

You Can Play by Shandi Pace

"If you can play, You Can Play.” At the beginning of March the National Hockey League’s wraps up its Hockey is for Everyone month. The NHL is one of the most accepting professional leagues stating that they, “believe all hockey programs – from professionals to youth organizations – should provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for players and families regardless of race, colour, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.”

The NHL has a list of representatives they have been working with to guarantee inclusivity to anyone watching or playing the game of hockey. They include:

• Diversity ambassador Willie O’Ree – The first black person to play in the NHL.
• Josh Pauls – Captain of the U.S. National Sled team who will be competing at the 2018 Paralympics this month.
• Harrison Browne – The first openly transgender person in professional hockey.
• Fred Sasakamoose – The NHL’s first Canadian indigenous player.
• A player ambassador from each NHL team.

Partnered with the NHL and Hockey is for Everyone is the You Can Play Project. The You Can Play Project was created so that any athlete, coach or fan that brings heart to their sports arena is given an equal opportunity to play, regardless of their sexuality and gender identity.

The NHL’s Patrick Burke founded You Can Play in 2012, after his brother Brendan came out as gay in 2009 as the manager of the Miami (Ohio) University hockey team. He died months later in a car accident.

Brian Kitts took over as president of the You Can Play Project a year ago and has wanted to build Patrick and Brendan Burke’s memorable legacies. “You Can Play is non-profit organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ athletes and straight allies in sports. We specifically work for LGBTQ+ issues in sports, leaving other issues like employment and marriage equality to other organizations with that focus,” said Kitts.

Each NHL team hosted multiple pride nights and has a player ambassador that will serve as the go-to person on their team to talk about LGBTQ+ issues. This is the first time any professional league has had one designated player on each team who will be an LGBTQ+ ambassador.

"The true testament of the NHL and NHLPA is seen through Hockey is for Everyone month, especially when it comes to You Can Play – the fact that all 30 clubs have an ambassador, is such a moment of solidarity," said Jillian Svensson, vice president of operations and development for You Can Play.

The sports world is one of the only places where slurs are used, ‘casual homophobia’ and discrimination towards those who are different still exists. The goal for You Can Play is to promote respect for all athletes.

"We love sports, but hated the way sports treated our gay brothers, our LGBTQ+ friends or ourselves. We thought if we could start a discussion that focused attention on a player's ability – regardless of sexual orientation – we could change the culture of sports,” said Kitts.

The You Can Play Project recently celebrated its sixth anniversary. According to Kitts, the biggest change in those six years has been the willingness of leagues and athletes to get involved. In that timeframe they have united with several large partners including the NHL, CFL and MLS.

"The NHL, CFL and MLS, CWHL and COC have been such amazing partners, for many different reasons, but the visibility they offer to ‘normalizing’ inclusion at the most elite level of sport is truly amazing,” said Tyvon Greene, co-chair of the Canadian Eastern Region Advisory Board for You Can Play.

According to Greene, inclusion doesn’t just start and stop with major sports partners. It begins with how the community is receiving the message. The first step in supporting a cause is to educate and spread the word.

"Read up on You Can Play's work and on the issues surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport. From there, there are so many different ways to help out: make a video, run a You Can Play night, tell a few friends, and make a donation,” said Greene.

Pink Shirt Day and Bake Sale

To celebrate Pink Shirt Day, Ability Online held a bake sale at Humber College. This was an opportunity to show off our pink shirts, and expand Ability Online to a wider audience. Pink Shirt Day’s campaign aims to increase awareness on issues such as bullying, and encourages people to stand up for others.

The justice studies interns manned the booth and brought all the baked goods included in the fundraiser. They provided useful information to those who had questions and delivered baked goods with a smile. Without their help Ability Online's Pink Shirt Day and bake sale wouldn't have been as much of a success.

Check out our video from the event: