Crippen Cartoons cartoons at the cutting edge of disability

Ignored and neglected by successive governments, Carers are the invisible army that continue to hold our failing health and social care network together.

Back in 2015 I can remember being commissioned to create some cartoons for Carers UK based upon a report that they’d just issued. The report stated that “over 6.8 million people (were) providing unpaid care to disabled, seriously-ill or older loved ones”. This was estimated as saving the State £132 billion a year. It shows a staggering increase in the value of carers’ support since 2001, almost doubling from £68 million.

https://www.carersuk.org/for-professionals/policy/policy-library/valuing-carers-2015

More Recent

More recent research in 2018 shows that this cost had risen to £139 billion and shows that the total cost of informal care is nearly as large as the nation’s entire health spending of £144 billion, which stand at eight times total spending on adult social care!

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/993022/nhs-budget-unpaid-carers-saving-uk-billions-in-health-care

Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software

A man and a woman in suits wearing DWP identity labels are handing coats to two people. The coats have the word ‘carer’ on them. One of the people being handed a coat is identified as being a son and the other a sister. As they put the coats on, they start to become invisible (this is portrayed as having their lower halves showing the background through them). In the background is a woman identified as being a wife who is also becoming invisible. Two other people are also seen as invisible with just their outlines showing. As he hands out the coats, the DWP man is saying: “Just think of it as playing an invisible but important role in our big society!”

Fortunately, many of the so-called disability professionals who used to provide disability awareness training have since been side-lined in favour of using experienced Disabled people. The training itself has now become ‘Disability Equality’ training and facilitators no longer invite participants to smear Vaseline onto a pair of glasses to experience what it’s like to be partially sighted! As if five minutes of blundering around with the glasses on would equate to a lifetime of the discrimination that a real visually impaired person would have experienced.

Well, you wouldn’t expect to see a white person made up to look like a black and white minstrel, facilitating a Black equality workshop would you (OK, only in a Crippen cartoon, but apart from that!)? Which is why the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) – you remember them?! – advocated the use of Disabled trainers and users whenever an organisation decided to bring itself up to speed with the current disability legislation.

Differently Abled

That’s not to say that all Disabled people get it right. I’ve heard stories of some Crip trainers who are still firmly in the Medical Model of disability and even resort to using the language of ‘differently abled’. This really undermines what we’ve been trying to establish regarding disability equality, and which allows non-disabled participants to argue the toss with us when they turn up on one of our courses. “But another Disabled person told me the opposite” is their opening line when we first introduce them to the Social Model understanding and explain about the importance of language in this context.

I know that this cartoon is a bit of an exaggeration when looking at awareness training, but I intended it to bring the point home a bit more forcefully … which I think it does?!

Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software

A white male in a blue suit is standing in front of a seated group of mixed gender/race people. On the wall behind him is a sign that says ‘Disability awareness training – advanced course’. He is holding a bloody saw behind his back and is saying: “Today we’re going to experience what its like to be an amputee!”

I often get requests from American magazines for cartoons. Well, to be more exact, they ask me if they can use one of the cartoons that they’ve seen on the web site or somewhere else (it’s amazing where they turn up I tell you!). These e-zines (web-based magazines) are usually run by a Disabled person with a specific impairment, and they feature issues relating to their own particular group of Crips.

They sometimes have a bit of trouble getting their heads around our Social Model understanding of disability and the fact that we call ourselves Disabled people. They identify for the most as ‘people with disabilities’ (say it in a drawling American accent, it works better!). Or, and I usually must grit my teeth when I get an email from these, a ‘differently abled’ person!

You’ve got to hand it to our cousins over the pond. They’re the ones who started Direct Action and public disobedience rallies. And it was the returning soldiers from the Vietnam War that got the ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ pushed through. I think they’re a bit surprised that we Brits haven’t got as much through our Parliament during the years that we’ve been protesting.

Whenever we Brits try anything like Direct Action, aspects of farce tend to creep in. It’s all pretty tame when compared to the American account of baton charges and being beaten up off camera.

Farce

I still have this picture in my head of one Action when Allan Holdsworth (or Johnny Crescendo to use his stage name) was being carried away by four police officers. His jeans were coming down and his arse was hanging out. They were all laughing so much, including him that they had to keep stopping every few yards to wipe their eyes. He reappeared after about 30 minutes because the Police Station they’d taken him to wasn’t accessible, so they just let him go. Of course, the minute he was back, he was once again into the thick of it! Things have been a lot quieter since he moved over to the States to live.

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

An Asian man is standing, supported by a crutch. Opposite him is a head of a young white male seated in a self-propelled wheelchair. An American flag emblem is on the side of the chair. The head is saying: “I like to think of myself as differently abled!”

To experience mental illness is a lonely old affair,

some view it as a crime without a doubt.

And the label ‘schizophrenia’ is one they like to give

to anyone that they can’t fathom out.

So whenever mental illness is given cover by the press,

Exaggerated hyperbole is then used.

Often, out of context just to boost the story line,

it’s no wonder understanding gets confused.

The truth is not so glamorous; it doesn’t give a thrill,

the reality to them is just a bore.

It’s more exciting for the readers, if they can all believe,

that mental health equates to blood and gore.

For most landed with these labels, in ignorance or fear,

confronted by the prejudice they’re shown.

The thought of hurting others is the last thing on our mind,

we’ll more often harm ourselves and die alone.

In loving memory of those

Mental Health System Survivors

who didn’t make it …

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

A journalist with a laptop on his knee is questioning a psychiatrist who is sitting opposite him. On the wall a sign reads ‘Mental health services’. The psychiatrist is saying: “whereas the reality is that someone with a mental illness is more likely to harm themselves than anyone else …”. The journalist, with a gleeful look on his face is writing onto his laptop: ” A top shrink states that axe weilding nutter is a real threat to decent members of community!”

Whenever the Right Wing rears its ugly head, then the rise in hate crime grows exponentially. Whether focussed on sexual identity, impairment, race or religious belief, anyone who is ‘different’ becomes the target for these mindless individuals, who are also usually part of a larger group  or organisation.

Some people say that it’s due to fear, a fear of something different or alien to what is considered the norm and is therefore seen as a threat. Others say that it’s more about looking for someone to blame for the ills of society; unemployment, recession, etc.

Whatever the cause, the people who are targeted are usually the more vulnerable members of our society. People who are already facing barriers that prohibit them from playing a full and active part in our society.

Obviously, I’ve tended to focus more on hate crime directed at Disabled people; my writings and cartoons reflect this. But, as this cartoon character indicates, a lot of people can fall within several categories of discrimination!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

An Asian man is being throttled by an angry looking white male thug. At his feet is a broken crutch and he is holding a form that reads ‘Hate crime survey’. He manages to ask the thug: “And one final question sir – do you hate me because I’m black, gay or disabled?!”

.

It’s really rather silly that Disabled little Willie,

decides he wants to organise his life.

He seems to think it’s easy,

and that life is bright and breezy,

with nothing that will cause him any strife.

He says he wants his own space,

and to live out in the rat race,

to flex his wings and learn just how to fly.

He wants control of money,

which we think is rather funny,

considering we’ve never let him try.

With our ‘special needs’ investment,

and our social skills assessment,

We’ve had a lot of training, and it shows.

We can plan his life in detail,

never thinking that we could fail,

It’s so easy – just to lead him by the nose.

So what’s with all this independence?

It’s all a load of nonsense,

‘set up to fail’ he really has no choice.

Controlling all his choices,

our status quo rejoices,

He’s better off not knowing how to cope!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

A white male in a suit is standing over a young wheelchair user and wagging his finger at him. A sign on the wall reads ‘Federation of charities for the disabled’. The man is saying: “And when we want your opinion – we’ll tell you what it is!”

I’ve worked with lots of Disabled people over the years, facilitating cartoon workshops mainly, but also getting involved as a co-facilitator in equality or empowerment workshops. This cartoon came from one of the latter workshops and is based upon a true event!

I remember arriving at the venue and seeing our posters up around the place advertising the empowerment workshop. No problem with that. We’d even sent some other material in advance, photos and other work created by Disabled participants so that it could be displayed around the building in order to encourage users of this facility to participate. No, it was the wording that had been added to the posters that got us worked up!

Come and be empowered

“Come and be empowered” was the invitation. Not, ‘’Your chance to work with other Disabled people and learn how to empower yourself’, which is what we’d had printed on the posters originally. Some member of staff had reworked the wording and “Come and be empowered” was now the central message for our workshop.  And it just went down hill from that point on really.

It was clear that the ethos of the facility, despite being renamed from its original ‘Sheltered Workshop’ to ‘Resource Centre’ was very much run and controlled by the non-disabled staff. It was not what we’d been led to believe during our initial contact with the place. Things were being ‘done’ to Disabled people with a vengeance, and the alterations to our workshop material just brought it into line with the rest of the activities.

To cut a long story short, we ended up expelling the non-disabled care staff from the workshop and encouraging the dozen or so Disabled users to think outside of their usually restrictive box and try for a bit of anarchy! It was funny seeing the centre staff hovering around outside of the room with worried expressions on their faces, and even more so when we taped large sheets of flip chart paper over the windows and doors that faced out into the corridors to ensure our privacy!

Out pouring

The issues came pouring out once the users realised that all of us facilitators were also Disabled people like themselves and that they had a free hand to express whatever they wanted about the running of the place. By the end of the first day (this was to be a three day workshop) they had also learned that not only did Disabled people now run and control their own Resource Centres in other areas of the country, but that these other Disabled users were also involved in hiring and firing of the non-disabled centre staff. We had a near revolution on our first day when they began to appreciate just how controlled they were in this particular facility.

The message board

The message board incident came about when one of the Disabled users, who pointed at words and symbols on a message board with his feet, managed to convey to us all that he was getting very frustrated. The staff had constructed his board for him and had obviously played safe, only giving him a limited response to certain situations. He wanted to change this and so, together with him and some of the other users, we came up with several new boards for him. One new board related to football, which he was mad about, another about socialising, another about clothes, and one very special one with which to communicate with certain members of staff.

This was the one pictured in the cartoon at the beginning of this article, which told them in no uncertain terms what he felt about an idea – bollocks or crap, and what they should do on certain occasions – fuck off! Despite several attempts by carers and staff to lose this particular board, it was still doing the rounds several years later when we saw him at a Disability Arts Event!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

A young white male wheelchair user is pointing with his foot at a word board on the floor in front of him. The board has four sections. The first section has ‘I’m not stupid’ written in it. The second section has ‘You’re working for me!’. The third section has ‘Go away!’ and the last section has ‘stop patronising me’. Facing him is a care worker who has ‘care team’ written on his t-shirt. He is thinking: “not sure that this new word board was such a good idea!”

Talking out of his Arse!

This was the first cartoon that I got a real heavy response from, unsurprisingly mainly from Disabled people. I think it appeared in Disability Arts in London Magazine (DAIL) first when the irrepressible Kit Wells was Editor. He loved it, especially as he knew that lots of non-disabled professionals read the magazine and thought that they were into safe territory with a publication about disability arts! In fact, it was mainly Kit and then the lovely Colin Hambrook who succeeded him, who encouraged me into my trademark irreverent ways (so you know who to blame!).

I remember when I’d been invited to participate at a talk along with other Disabled people and some non-disabled media professionals, and I put up a random showing of my cartoons as a bit of light relief. As soon as this cartoon appeared, there were cheers and whistles from the Crips in the audience whilst the journalists looked at each other with panic on their faces. I managed to keep a wide eyed, innocent expression on my own face until the ruckus died down!

Empowering

Fellow Crips tell me that this cartoon has a really empowering feel to it, more so than any other Crippen cartoon I can bring to mind. It also survived its re-emergence as a coloured cartoon, after I reprocessed it from its original greyscale format (some conversions just don’t work for some reason, and I don’t mean in a technical sense). Another funny fact about this cartoon is that whenever I tried to email it as an attachment to magazines or other publications, it would always fall foul of their filters. It took me a while to realise that it was the fact that I’d used the term ‘arse’ in its title. I now usually send it as ‘bottom’ or something similar!

Diversity

I think that this was one of the first times that I’d also included another Disabled person, other than a wheelchair user, in my cartoon. I’d previously stuck to portraying wheelchair users as this was what I was familiar with and to make my point in a really obvious way. I don’t know what prompted me to draw a woman with short arms though (perhaps a Freudian would have a field day with this?!).

When I first started creating Crippen cartoons, I had this misguided idea that I shouldn’t draw someone with an impairment that I wasn’t experiencing. I suppose that’s why you don’t see many Black people in my earlier work as well. This changed very quickly when I started getting emails from people with other impairments and from other cultures who wanted to see their groups portrayed in my cartoons.

I like to think that I cover the range of impairments and cultures in my current work, although I can still get pulled up by someone who feels that they’re being under-represented. I’m still struggling with portraying someone with a learning disability who doesn’t have the obvious Downs Syndrome condition, for example, or someone who has a mental health issue or is HIV positive and or lives with AIDS. In these situations, I usually try and convey the fact through the dialogue or through props associated with the character. Though sometimes then people accuse me of being too wordy! It’s not easy being a disability cartoonist I can tell you!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

A young white male wheelchair user is lifting up the coat tails of a white male adult who is standing with his back to him. He is staring intently at the older man’s bottom. The older person is using a pointer to indicate words on a large black board along side of him. The board reads ‘How to report about the disabled – readers like to be reassured that the disabled are off the streets and being cared for … the disabled are very grateful to everyone for everything …the disabled know their place’. A young black woman with very short arms is standing alongside of them both and is saying to the older man: “It’s just that he’s never seen anyone talk out of their arse before!”

Borrowing a phrase from other right wing parties over the years, we become the useless eaters of society once again!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

Theresa May is standing next to a multi headed, multi limbed person labelled disabled, unemployed, sick and elderly. It also has a label with ‘useless eaters’ printed on it. The multi person has just one big, wide mouth into which Theresa May is shovelling £20 notes. She is saying: “This is where your hard earned money is going!”

Apparently due to the fact that so many disabled claiments had their benefits reinstated following legal appeal, McVey is now claiming that the extra paperwork means that some of them won’t get their back payments until after the summer! And OK, I know I said I’d leave IDS alone now, but the bloke still comes creeping out of the wood work so what’s am I expected to do?!

Description of cartoon for those who use screen reading software

wip …