SAYS the BBC website (here), about ‘Young, free, single and disabled’, being broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland: “We all want love and friendship in our life, right? If you’re single and looking for love you might try out the pubs and clubs, join groups, and possibly even online dating? But for the 26,000 people living in Scotland with a learning disability, finding that special someone can be a bit trickier and what if you are gay or transgender as well?
“How would you react if you read an online profile which disclosed a learning disability, be honest, would you respond? So does that mean people with learning disabilities can only find love with someone else who is learning disabled or is that shallow thinking?”
‘Young, free, single and disabled’ is being broadcast later today, at 13.32, on BBC Radio Scotland.
Here, Suzy Beaumont, producer/presenter, answers the questions…
Who commissioned the programme?
Jane Fowler, who at the time of commissioning was BBC Scotland’s editor of Features and Conversations.
Explain the thinking behind the production’s ‘sound and feel’
We simply wanted the programme to be exploratory and to highlight some issues that many of us have never given any thought too.
I already had some insight into what the issues were when it came to finding love and friendship as my own sister, Shelly, was born with learning disabilities.
We wanted the programme to be a bit cheeky and poke fun at some of our own preconceptions, but we also wanted to challenge the listener and make them stop and think about some of the difficulties that have to be faced when it comes to finding love, like having sex and possibly having children.
There was also an awkward conversation about masturbation!
The aim was to raise these uncomfortable subjects, but highlight there are organisations in Scotland now running courses to educate people with learning disabilities and their families about sex and relationships, as well as family planning and contraception.
Who are the key personnel? How were they recruited?
I recruited the help of a Scottish organisation called Dates n Mates (run by the charity C-Change) and they kindly allowed us to go along to one of their ‘speed meet’ events in Glasgow.
It’s called a ‘Speed Meet’ rather that speed dating because the emphasis is on finding friendship first and helping people who normally would be quite isolated have a social life – and if love blossoms, as a result, then that’s an added bonus.
There we met Hughie (also known as Romeo) Mary, Michael and Britany (a 33 year-old transgender from Edinburgh).
Hughie was one of the main characters of the programme as he had been single all his life and was desperate to meet his ‘princess’, so he could have a family as he ‘felt the love he had was just being wasted’.
Michael McEwan and his girlfriend, Lorraine, were also the other main stars of the show.
Michael and Lorraine have been together for four years and plan to marry, but Lorraine doesn’t have any form of disability. We discussed how they met and how Lorraine saw past the disability to fall in love with Michael.
What kit and software?
All Interviews were done on a portable recording kit called a 722, with a mono, directional mic.
The presenter links were done in the Inverness studio.
What were the main production challenges?
The biggest challenge was obviously the fact that we were interviewing people with learning disabilities who wouldn’t be as ‘polished’ in their answers as we’re used to hearing in radio programmes.
We also had to keep in mind the limitations of the learning disabilities but also be fair and representative to the contributors, to allow them to have their voice and to give us their perspective as they view love and life.
What did you most learn and enjoy from the experience?
I was completely taken a back at how insightful their answers were. They would often just give very simple answers, very ‘black and white’ answers.
This made me question, who has it right?
Sometimes we make life so complicated and often I found the innocence and simplicity of the contributors’ answers extremely insightful, inspiring and humbling.
If everyone viewed the world like Hughie does, we’d certainly live in a more respectful, peaceful and loving world.
