What is independent living?
‘Independent Living’ is a philosophy and a movement of disabled people who work for self-determination, equal opportunities, and self-respect.
Independent living is not…
Independent Living does not mean that we want to do everything by ourselves and do not need anybody or that we want to live in isolation.
Independent living is…
Independent Living means that we demand the same choices and control in our everyday lives that our non-disabled brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends for granted.
We want to grow up in our families, go to the neighbourhood school, use the same bus as our neighbours, work in jobs that are in line with our education and interests, and start families of our own.
Since we are the best experts on our needs, we need to show the solutions we want, need to be in charge of our lives, think and speak for ourselves – just as everybody else.
To this end we must support and learn from each other, organise ourselves and work for political changes that lead to the legal protection of our human and civil rights
To this end we must support and learn from each other, organise ourselves and work for political changes that lead to the legal protection of our human and civil rights.
- As long as we regard our disabilities as tragedies, we will be pitied.
- As long as we feel ashamed of who we are, our lives will be regarded as useless.
- As long as we remain silent, we will be told by others what to do.
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