The Big Issue - UK (2020-08-24)

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 23

Since Athens, with its empty arenas, Tatyana McFadden has seen the movement grow

exponentially. “People didn’t know what the Paralympics were. Coming home

from Athens, everyone celebrated the Olympians, but the Paralympians weren’t

even acknowledged.“The tipping point for us was London in 2012. I feel like it just took

off and that set the stage. We’ve gotten more coverage and sponsorship and our whole

organisation has been renamed the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.”

McFadden explains that while American Olympic athletes would get a gold medal

bonus of $35,000, Paralympic athletes would get only $4,000, but in 2018 it was

announced the athletes would all be paid equally. “I’ve never had equal pay before. I’ve

worked so hard to figure out ways to stay in the game, to make a living so I can have a roof

over my head and continue to train and travel. Tokyo’s going to be a breath of fresh air. I’m

really looking forward to being a true equal.”

Few of us will be affected by the amount we might earn for winning gold, but

McFadden is responsible for a significant change when it comes to equality at a grassroots

level, campaigning to change the law so that disabled people could not be excluded from

school sports teams.

She explains: “High school was the hardest thing for

me. I was discriminated against because I was different.

People told me to do sports with my own kind. That’s what

they said, my own kind, like I’m a Martian.

“And I said, no, I don’t want to live my life this way.

We’re teaching these high schoolers that it’s 100 per cent

OK to discriminate against someone with a disability so

when they get older, if they’re hiring someone and they

happen to have a physical disability, they will absolutely

turn them down.”

McFadden worked with President Obama to get

Tatyana’s Law ratified across the US. And then she set her

sights on Russia.

With Sochi hosting the Winter Olympics in 2014,

McFadden decided to try out cross-country skiing.

“It had always been my dream to have my adoptive

family and my birth family at one competition,” she says.

“So when Sochi rolled around, I was like, yes, this will be

amazing. What irony, that we’re all here again together as

one kind of big family.

“It was great to tell my story, share my experience to

show how people with disabilities can live normal lives,

you just have to give us that chance. The cherry on top

was getting a silver medal. Now [Russia] look at their

Paralympians as heroes.”

Tatyana McFadden served as a producer on Rising

Phoenix, ensuring people with disabilities were well

represented behind the scenes and helping assemble the

group of athletes the film focuses on, who, McFadden says,

Strutting to victory

Jonnie Peacock heads for

the T44 100m gold at the

2016 Rio Paralympics

Rising star

Fencer Bebe Vio's

nickname gives

Rising Phoenix its title

Image:

Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images

Image:

Netflix

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 23

SinceAthens,withitsemptyarenas,TatyanaMcFaddenhasseenthemovementgrow

exponentially.“Peopledidn’tknowwhattheParalympicswere.Cominghome

fromAthens,everyonecelebratedtheOlympians,buttheParalympiansweren’t

evenacknowledged.“ThetippingpointforuswasLondonin2012.I feellikeitjusttook

offandthatsetthestage.We’vegottenmorecoverageandsponsorshipandourwhole

organisationhasbeenrenamedtheUnitedStatesOlympicandParalympicCommittee.”

McFaddenexplainsthatwhileAmericanOlympicathleteswouldgeta goldmedal

bonusof$35,000,Paralympicathleteswouldgetonly$4,000,butin 2018 itwas

announcedtheathleteswouldallbepaidequally.“I’veneverhadequalpaybefore.I’ve

workedsohardtofigureoutwaystostayinthegame,tomakealivingsoIcanhavearoof

overmyheadandcontinuetotrainandtravel.Tokyo’sgoingtobea breathoffreshair.I’m

reallylookingforwardtobeinga trueequal.”

Fewofuswillbeaffectedbytheamountwemightearnforwinninggold,but

McFaddenisresponsibleforasignificantchangewhenitcomestoequalityatagrassroots

level,campaigningtochangethelawsothatdisabledpeoplecouldnotbeexcludedfrom

schoolsportsteams.

Sheexplains:“Highschoolwasthehardestthingfor

me.IwasdiscriminatedagainstbecauseIwasdifferent.

Peopletoldmetodosportswithmyownkind.That’swhat

theysaid,myownkind,likeI’ma Martian.

“AndI said,no,I don’twanttolivemylifethisway.

We’reteachingthesehighschoolersthatit’s 100 percent

OKtodiscriminateagainstsomeonewitha disabilityso

whentheygetolder,if they’rehiringsomeoneandthey

happentohavea physicaldisability,theywillabsolutely

turnthemdown.”

McFaddenworkedwithPresidentObamatoget

Tatyana’sLawratifiedacrosstheUS.Andthenshesether

sightsonRussia.

WithSochihostingtheWinterOlympicsin2014,

McFaddendecidedtotryoutcross-countryskiing.

“Ithadalwaysbeenmydreamtohavemyadoptive

familyandmybirthfamilyatonecompetition,”shesays.

“SowhenSochirolledaround,I waslike,yes,thiswillbe

amazing.Whatirony,thatwe’reallhereagaintogetheras

onekindofbigfamily.

“Itwasgreattotellmystory,sharemyexperienceto

showhowpeoplewithdisabilitiescanlivenormallives,

youjusthavetogiveusthatchance.Thecherryontop

wasgettinga silvermedal.Now[Russia]lookattheir

Paralympiansasheroes.”

TatyanaMcFaddenservedasa produceronRising

Phoenix, ensuringpeoplewithdisabilitieswerewell

representedbehindthescenesandhelpingassemblethe

groupofathletesthefilmfocuseson,who,McFaddensays,

Struttingtovictory

JonniePeacockheadsfor

theT44100mgoldatthe

2016 RioParalympics

Rising star

Fencer Bebe Vio's

nickname gives

Rising Phoenix its title

Image:

Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images

Image:

Netflix