Dear Prime Minister,
It is with deep concern that I am writing in regards to the discriminatory proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability benefits. These changes have the potential to have a devastating impact on the lives of disabled individuals across the country and add to the stigma that disabled persons have to contend with.
The proposed changes, which include cuts to benefits and stricter eligibility criteria, are not only unjust but also a clear violation of the rights of disabled people. A fact that the United Nations has recently focused on. Many in the disabled community rely on these benefits to meet their basic needs and live with dignity. In too many cases the available benefits are not enough to cover necessities, a problem that is only growing due to the cost of living crisis. By cutting these benefits, the government is effectively pushing disabled individuals further into poverty and isolation.
It is important to remember that disability in any form is not a choice, and no one should be penalized for something that is beyond their control. No disabled person should have to fight for help, nor contend with the government bringing in further discriminatory and ableist measures. It is the responsibility of the government to provide support and resources to those who need it the most, not to further marginalize and discriminate against them.
I urge you to reconsider these proposed changes and instead focus on creating a fair and inclusive system that supports all individuals, regardless of their abilities. Focus on enabling companies to create more jobs, including remote work, that is accessible and accepting of disabled people; the current scheme does not do its job. Disabled individuals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, to be enabled to live a life full of opportunities, and it is our duty as a society to ensure that they have the resources they need to thrive.
I may only be a voice in a sea but I urge you to work towards creating a more just and equitable system for all.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Tunstall
Tag: writer
Patience: Can you lend me some?
Poetry isn’t my typical style. Even in my job as an author I write children’s books and YA fantasy fiction. However putting pen to paper and writing whatever comes out is how I deal best with my emotions.
I wrote this last night while in the bath. I’ve been struggling with nerve issues recently along with another round of optic neuritis that has drastically impacted my sight. This is the unedited raw poem that came from the turmoil. It may not be the best but it’s the best representation I have of me right now. I know others will understand.
Dystonia: Who am I now?
There are many aspects to life with Dystonia; to address them all would take hours. So I’m going to focus on just a few this evening. As with any condition, once you are diagnosed, many sufferers go through a soul searching period. This is simply trying to work out who you are now. Inevitably we all change, for better or worse, once a chronic condition develops. You’re still the same person, just with a few modifications.
At eighteen I was a Student Midwife. There was not a lot else that made me who I was. I was a daughter, girlfriend, and student. I felt fulfilled. If you had told me then that in less than a year I would be unable to practice midwifery I would laughed. Midwifery was my passion, to even entertain the thought of another career seemed ludicrous. I could talk about the subject until I had grossed people out enough that they were begging me to stop! Now at 23 I am a daughter, student, freelance writer, blogger, reflexologist, advocate and Spoonie. Midwifery is but a happy memory that still brings a tear to my eye. I put up with less drama, I have no patience for anyone who only wants to be around during the more upbeat moments of my condition, and I am a hell of a lot stronger than I used to be.
It has taken four years to get to this stage. I have gone through denial: refusing to acknowledge that my illness won’t just disappear. I was so lost in this that I even reapplied and was interviewed to go back to study Midwifery. A small moment of madness in reality. I have grieved for the person I was, and that life that I lost. I have floundered in uncertainty, whilst those around me helped keep me from sinking into waves of despair. Now I finally have accepted who I have become. Despite everything I have been through, and am still going through, I am happy and thriving.
There are still days when I question why I have experienced the things I have. Only last night I was joking that I must have been a dementor in a previous life, for why else would I be sentenced to this path? Melodramatic I know, but it doesn’t make that feeling any less. Despite my illness I have no regrets. I am surrounded by people who love and support me every time I fall. Through my Dystonia I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with a number of individuals who I admire greatly. I have made many new friends. I have contacts around the globe! At the end of the day, I am happy. I cannot ask for anything else.
Dystonia and Me 