Disabilism and Ian Macrae

Over the last 20 years I've been blind, I've been visually handicapped, I've been visually impaired, I'm now sight impaired and you know what it hasn't made a ha'p'orth of difference to my life and the way people regard me.

That quote, by Ian Macrae, is taken from the transcript of a Radio 4 interview dating from 2004. I'm not sure whether it says more about language change or about life with a disability, or whether in this instance it's even wise to try to separate the two.

Anyway, the whole transcript is worth reading, not least for the discussion it contains on the word 'disabilism'.

Thanks to my colleague Emily for pointing this one out to me.

Avoid consuming odorous cuisine at Barclays

An Engine Room regular (and Barclays Bank employee) has e-mailed us with the following:

I was amused by a weekly work email that asks us to "be mindful of your fellow colleagues and avoid consuming odorous cuisine at your desks". What's wrong with 'avoid eating smelly food'?

I also enjoyed the last line of the email: "Please show consideration to colleagues with disabilities and use the general toilet facilities whenever they are available." I'm getting fed up with using the toilet constantly and I'm not sure it's helping my disabled colleagues much anyway!