Educate, challenge, support

What a year! From the war in Ukraine, the death of our monarch, to numerous prime ministers – and now the festive season is upon us!

Personally, my year has required continuous adaptation, heightened by recently acquired physical disability. Visibly this impacts my mobility and balance, but it has hidden elements requiring strategies and energy to navigate daily.

I continuously fall into the trap of trying to ‘be normal’ – it’s exhausting! But what is ‘normal’? Is this external concept even realistic?

Aren’t we all just differing degrees of ‘normal,’ shifting organically as we learn about ourselves? Surely, we strive to be the best possible versions we can be. 

I have also tackled my inner demons, evolved for many of us as a result of past traumas and marginalisation. Learning to confront and process has been crucial, aided by self-reflection, which is a valuable physiotherapy tool. 

December’s Frontline focuses on the role microaggressions play in this overall picture. These are statements or actions showing subtle (intentional, or unintentional) discrimination, hostility, or negative attitudes towards members of marginalised groups. 

The CSP’s new campaign against microaggressions is fundamental to supporting equity, diversity and belonging, whilst actively opposing discrimination. 

The DisAbility network applauds this, hoping that through greater awareness, CSP members can avoid perpetrating microaggressions and call them out if witnessed. Employers and managers can also assist, creating supportive environments where colleagues feel able to report such behaviours. 

Please visit the new online hub which offers resources and ways to support this campaign.

I hope sharing our experiential learnings will educate and promote understanding. We all have a role in tackling microaggressions. 

Rushing into the year end, let us continue to educate, challenge and support, building a workplace that welcomes and embraces our differences. The world is full of diversity – the workplace should reflect this too. 

Cathy Rogers operates her own private practice in the Warwickshire area