Beyond Boundaries: The BBC Portrays Disability in a New Light

[Guest guest]

Beyond Boundaries: The BBC Portrays Disability in a New Light

by Darke

http://www.disaboom.com/Living/movies/beyond-boundaries-the-bbc-

portrays-disability-in-a-new-light.aspx

The BBC television series, Beyond Boundaries, attracts millions of

viewers every episode. Each series is based on a group of

participants with disabilities undertaking an adventurous journey.

The first series saw a team cross Nicaragua from Pacific to Atlantic,

summiting a volcano, and thrashing through jungle en route. Team

members include amputees, wheelchair users, hearing and visual

impairments, and a whole range of other congenital and sensory

disabilities. The second series took a team 2,000km across Africa,

from Falls to the Skeleton Coast by foot, crutch, special

all-terrain wheelchair, donkeys, kayaks, and elephants. The most

recent series has seen a multi-disability team cross the Andes.

Working as a team in an environment where human endurance is pushed

to the extreme, the journeys certainly teach participants a lot about

themselves and each other. Kim has cerebral palsy and took

part in the African challenge. Walking is difficult for her, and the

expedition was a huge physical challenge. Frustration was a part of

the adventure, to be sure, but overall she seems to have found it a

positive experience.

" If individuals have aspirations—either dangerous or adventurous—then

there's no reason why their disability should stop them from

achieving that. " (Kim , quoted from an article in Able

magazine).

Whilst Beyond Boundaries seems to be giving some participants a

positive experience, I've heard viewers express a wide range of

opinions—everything from " I can't stand watching it; it's just

another dodgy reality TV show, voyeuristic . . . " to " It's fantastic,

so inspiring. "

In every series, some team members are sent home or choose to go

home, for health or other reasons. It's hardly surprising, given that

participants are asked to do things which, without the right

equipment or protection, are clearly going to be damaging. Being

paralysed myself, keen on outdoor adventure, and an advocate of

pushing boundaries, I `adventure' with an acute awareness of the need

for the right equipment, and the potential risks of not having it.

For example, a pressure sore on your backside could put you out of

action for a year. Have the producers perhaps overlooked some of

these critical things that are the " make or break " of a successful

expedition and experience for everyone?

I wonder if Beyond Boundaries is really about showing what can be

done with a disability when you have good equipment and teamwork, or

is it put together with more attention to drama and team breakdown—

presumably with the notion that this will increase viewing statistics?

Either way, the Beyond Boundaries series has undoubtedly improved

access to information about inclusive outdoor activities and

expeditions. While some may not like it, Beyond Boundaries raises the

aspirations of many people with disabilites and viewers, and improves

the general public's understanding of a diverse range of disabilities.

Interested to learn more? Type BBC Beyond Boundaries into any search

engine. Or try http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/tvradio/beyondboundaries/

links.shtml as a source of more information if you're interested in

inclusive expeditions; there are lots of useful links here. The UK

Royal Geographical Society Expedition Advisory Centre can also help:

www.rgs.org/eac.