Why equality and diversity fails those with hidden disabilities

Equality and diversity have become the “buzz words” of education, especially over recent years as the OFSTED framework has evolved to place more emphasis on equality and diversity in all educational settings.  

The underpinning principles of equality and diversity are fantastic. Not only should everyone be treated fairly but they should also be valued for their differences. Our differences are, after all, what make us individuals and should be celebrated. The problem is, many times the reality of equality and diversity falls short of the ideal. We create these excellent, well-written equality and diversity policies and we include excellent examples of differentiation on our lesson plans to show how much we value those that are “different” or have disabilities or additional needs, but that’s sometimes as far as it goes. The boxes are all checked, the T’s are crossed, and the I’s are dotted but the individuals who are the reason we can tick those boxes in the first place receive very little benefit. Particularly if that difference is a hidden disability. I can’t count the amount of times, as a charity trustee and as an educator that I have discovered those with hidden disabilities are left to fend for themselves. No risk-assessments, no support, no kiss my arse, nothing. We talk about celebrating differences and yet, by failing to support or even recognise the needs of those with hidden disabilities we are inadvertently telling people that their difference doesn’t matter, that their disability should be hidden.  

We hold huge events, such as gay pride, to celebrate the differences between people’s sexuality (and rightly so) yet we do nothing to celebrate physical or emotional differences between people. Instead, we hide from them. We treat disabilities as a problem to be solved, with the most common method being a coloured overlay or a lift pass, instead of a unique difference that should not only be accepted but celebrated. There are so many people walking around schools and colleges that have hidden disabilities, dyslexia, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, diabetes, endometriosis, learning difficulties, to name but a few, who feel ashamed or embarrassed by their condition because we as educators make them feel like it is a problem to be solved instead of a characteristic to be embraced.  

Equality and diversity is not a tick list nor is it a badge to be earned from excellent inspections, it is about individuals knowing it is ok to be themselves, that actually you are not alone in feeling different. We are all a little different, and that is OK.