First up, something close to my heart as a user of Sydney public transport from Jo Tamar at Wallaby: Accessibility and Sydney’s public transport: people with different mobilities on buses. I am forever glaring at the dehumanising ‘For more information on travelling with wheelchairs, seniors and prams’ sign. No pullquote as the post is about too many things for one, you’ll just have to click through.

From Beth Haller, Ph.D. & Lingling Zhang, Ph.D., both of Towson University, Towson, Md., USA, at Media and disability resources, we have Highlights of 2010 survey of people with disabilities about media representations, and is there ever a lot packed in there:

In the summer of 2010, an online survey of people with disabilities from around the world was undertaken to find out what they think about their representation by the news and entertainment media.

From the Associated Press, (US) Congress changes intellectual disability wording:

Disabilities advocates on Thursday applauded Congress for passing legislation that eliminates the term “mental retardation” from federal laws.

Attitudes Towards People with a Disability Changing Ahead of London 2012

Attitudes towards people with a disability in Great Britain are improving and could be one of the legacies of the London 2012 Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) were told this week at a three day project review with the London Organizing Committee.

From The Irish Times, State urged to ratify UN disability treaty:

FORMER EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn has called on the Government to ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Speaking on EU disability policy at NUI Galway, Mr Flynn noted Ireland had signed the treaty in March 2007, but had not progressed to implementing its provisions.

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This Reuters image shows Liudmila Vauchok of Belarus crossing the finish line to win the women’s 10 kilometre cross country. I love that grin.

Another Reuters photo, of Canadian athlete Collette Bourgonje, the silver medalist in the women’s 10 kilometre cross country.

Are there any athletes and/or events you’re following? I’m personally very into wheelchair curling, and I believe Lauredhel recently dropped a link to a wheelchair curling blog, for those who’d like more information.

Related reading¹ for those who’d like to delve into some of the social justice issues associated with the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

Toban Black at Racialicious: An Indigenous Olympics?

David Crary at The Irrawaddy: Vancouver’s Asians Feel Neglected by Olympic Hosts (via Racialicious)

Roxane Hudon at the Montreal Mirror: Games, Games, Go Away

Christopher A. Shaw and Alissa Westergard-Thorpe at Briarpatch Magazine: Class-War Games: The financial and social cost of “securing” the 2010 Olympics

Derrick O’Keefe at the Socialist Voice: Activists Debate Vancouver Olympic Protests

Paul Farhi at the Washington Post: Where the Rich and Elite Meet to Compete (while this is an old article, it touches upon some of the class issues involved in the Winter Olympic Games)

Vancouver Poverty Olympics

Sakura Saunders at the Vancouver Media Co-Op: Greenest Games Ever? (via Racialicious)

On the Paralympics specifically:

Peter McKnight at the Vancouver Sun: Should there be one Games for all?

Ali A. Rizvi at the Huffington Post: Vancouver 2010: It’s Not Over Yet! (You will want to grab a bingo card for this one.)

Douglas Todd at the Vancouver Sun: Accommodations for disabled have taken root

©2012 FWD/Forward. All Rights Reserved.