The discussion continues on the Web around the comments of the judges on the show “Minute of Glory”. Vladimir Pozner called participation in the competition a one-legged dancer “a forbidden technique”, explaining that it is difficult for him to evaluate him on a par with others. How does this relate to the attitude towards people with disabilities in society? We talked about this with a TV presenter, as well as with a psychologist and a person with a disability.
Update March 11, 2017
Vladimir Pozner and Renata Litvinova apologized to dancer Yevgeny Smirnov on the set of the new episode of the show. Vladimir Pozner went on stage to Evgeny to speak and “look into the eyes.” The TV presenter apologized for the fact that his words “were misunderstood” and asked Eugene to stay on the show. Renata Litvinova expressed regret that she “used medical terms” while commenting on the dancer’s number. Eugene accepted the apology, but nevertheless decided to leave the show, fearing that there would no longer be objective judging.
Interestingly, on Friday, all videos of the scandalous broadcast disappeared from YouTube. The video has not been blocked on Rutube yet. In the official access, only the recording of the apology remained.
On March 4, Channel One showed the release of the Minute of Glory program with the participation of a disabled dancer. Evgeny Smirnov, who lost his leg in an accident, performed without a prosthesis. The audience greeted the number with applause, and the opinions of the jury were divided. Vladimir Pozner complained that it was difficult for him to evaluate such a performance. “When a person comes out like you, without a leg, it’s impossible to say no,” he said. Renata Litvinova agreed with him, suggesting that Evgeny continue to use the prosthesis.
Part of the audience and some colleagues considered the reaction of Posner and Litvinova tactless. There were reports in the press that the producer responsible for preparing the program for broadcast was fired. We decided to understand the story and invited Vladimir Pozner to comment on the situation himself.
Psychologies: Why was it difficult for you to evaluate Evgeny’s performance?
Vladimir Pozner: Here you have to be very careful. It was obvious that Yevgeny Smirnov’s number did not pull, that it was a weak number. And it was obvious to everyone, by the way. Well, then what to do? Give him the opportunity to stay just because he is “in a wheelchair”? Here is a runner from South Africa, Oscar Pistorius (we wrote about him in the article Body extension. — Approx. ed.), a six-time Paralympic champion, he participated in the Olympic Games on a par with runners with both legs intact (Pistorius had his legs amputated below the knees). It was equal participation. But if you can’t participate on an equal footing, it’s probably better to do it.
But how then was he admitted to the competition?
This is no longer a question for me. There is a preliminary commission, which needs to select people who are more interesting, brighter, they need to make ratings. For the same purpose, children are invited. This is the desire to play on the feelings of the audience. Simple calculation. And I take it very negatively. That’s why I didn’t cast my vote for Yevgeny.
What do you think should be the attitude towards people with disabilities in society?
First of all, all conditions for a normal life for such people should be created in our country. I have not seen a single bus with wheelchair lifts in Moscow. Not everywhere there are toilets, entrances, elevators for them. I don’t see people in wheelchairs in restaurants, in museums. Conditions must be created so that they feel comfortable, so that they can lead a normal life, feel like full-fledged members of society. This is the most important thing.
In our country, conditions must be created so that people with disabilities can lead a normal life, feel like full-fledged members of society. It matters most
I am sure that you need to communicate with them in the same way as with all other people. If, when meeting with them, roll your eyes or, as they say, “make a face”, focus on their disability, this will only insult and humiliate them. It often happens that mothers scold children who want to communicate with people in a wheelchair. This, of course, is wrong. We do not have a culture of communication with such people, this is not taught anywhere, unfortunately. It’s pretty easy to do though. You need to start with kindergarten. Through books, through cartoons, games, conversations. People around should understand that the person in the wheelchair is the same as they are.
From heroism to “normality”
Some critics attacked the format of the show itself, accusing its producers of inflating scandals for the sake of high ratings. but humanistic psychotherapist Maria Sabunaeva finds reason for optimism.
“We are moving into a new world. Today, a dancer with a disability can perform on the stage of a major show – and this tells us about a serious social shift, says Maria. – We are steadily, albeit with obvious difficulties, moving towards integration into society of a variety of people on the principles of equality and community of rights. Previously, a person with a disability was assessed separately from “normal people”. Now the norm is expanding, it begins to include more and more layers, identities, features – as a result, we must keep many factors in our consciousness and operate on them all at the same time.
Because suddenly a lot more people are normal! We need to constantly seek balance and resolve ethical dilemmas. For example, a young man is a dancer. He studied dance and demonstrates his skills. Other people at the competition also demonstrate their skills. One of these people is disabled. Others may also have some peculiarities. And the jury members will have to involve in decision-making both their personal values, and the dominant social values (and they change!), And the purpose of the competition, the multiple characteristics of each contestant, and many more factors. This requires a different, new organization of thinking.
In general, I would recommend that we all hurry to expand our consciousness and include various new norms in it: people with disabilities, dancing on stage, transgender men and women, childfree … the list will expand year after year. Because if we don’t do this, we run the risk of falling into the same situation that Posner found himself in: when our standards of thinking cannot embrace new norms and develop adequate ways of behaving in these situations.
What do people with disabilities think?
Is it important for them to recognize themselves as heroes, to receive applause simply for the fact that they “did not break down” and returned to an active life? Paraathlete and TV presenter Dmitry Ignatov lost his leg in an accident. He swims, participates in competitions, lectures about his prosthesis and the ethical attitude towards the disabled. The very word “disabled” does not bother him. True, he likes to call himself a cyborg.
“When I hear that disability is some kind of forbidden technique … You know, here is Posner, for example, wearing glasses. It would never occur to anyone that because of this, he needs to be treated more delicately, – Dmitry admits. – I think the judges just had to evaluate the dance. Say yes or no. And don’t give any reason. Yes, the man has no legs. He performed without a leg – well, okay. He came to speak on a common basis, he did not ask for concessions.
Everyone thinks that people with disabilities are somehow downtrodden and offended … But we are the same people. We just do not have some part of the body. But, for example, we can have a cool gadget (prosthesis), and we can be called cyborgs. Absolutely any person who has dental implants or a pacemaker – we are all cyborgs in one way or another. Or we are all disabled.
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Another issue is that our society is not ready for people with disabilities. There is no understanding that someone really needs special conditions. When you want to see a doctor, you have the right to skip the line. And then it begins: “Why are you climbing?” You say: “I am disabled. I’m a Paralympian.” Our people don’t even know what it is. This is a sly story about the fact that we protect the disabled. Now there was the championship of Moscow. I posted a photo of a girl in a wheelchair being dragged up the stairs. They chose the most uncomfortable pool to hold the competition. What can be said here?