I am Riam’s mother and have just read your article on your blog, if you are interested in receiving the judgement please let me and I will send it to you. you might in the meantime wish to see some of her interviews such as the one on GMTV which was attended by an independent employment lawyer, in fact this interview is available on youtube.

Riam was interviewed also by ITN and BBC World Service, dozens of television stations wanted to interview her, but Riam wasn’t interested, she felt she won the case a long time ago, since she made A&F attend court and by refusing their settlement.

She always said I will never accept their money, as money only papers over the cracks, you cant put a price on human dignity.

We are very proud of our daughter, money was never the issue, it was the principal, something A&F should learn.

Riam has been looking after a group of 60+ kids during an activity week in a Charity called REACH for several years, some of those kids turned up in court with their parents in support. She said I will never be able to look those kids in the eye and encourage them in anything if I don’t fight my first battle in life. Please see below an article she wrote which was published in REACH magazine just before in incident with A&F.

Since the court date, Riam has received thousands of emails and messages of support on her facebook from all over the world.

“Disability”
It’s the stories of success in the face of adversity, which remind me to never stop dreaming,
When life throws me an obstacle, I turn it into a challenge,
So point out my weakness and I’ll show you my strengths
Tell me I can’t and I’ll show you I can,
Doubt me and I’ll prove you wrong
You’re only disabled when you give up trying,
When people doubt you and you start to doubt yourself,
Excuses are for people who say I can’t before even attempting.
In my eyes, you’re only as disabled as your mind,
Disability is not how other people see you, but how you see yourself
After all it’s ability not disability which counts.
When people ask me if I wish I had two arms, I reply
“I would be half the woman I am today”
Riam Dean

Kind regards
May Dean

For me this case centres around less favourable treatment particularly in relation to lack of dignity, which is certainly cited in the DDA Code of Practice for Part 3 (goods and services), if not Part 2. Employers need to be sensitive to how they manage disabled people equally – if not more positively – in relation to other staff.

We disabled people cannot change our appearance or impairments, and should not need , in a modern, affluent democracy, to cover up or hide away from the public gaze. And to me it is absolutely clear that conversely society at large must change to accommodate our rights as disabled people – the social model of disability in practice.

My daughter is about the same age as Riam and has experienced disability hate crime, as well as disability discrimination under Parts 3 and 4 of the DDA 1995. So I speak from personal experience.

I hope the Facebook group will offer some support to Riam during this difficult time and will keep this vital issue in the public eye. Please take a look and read the many messages of support from across the disabled and non-disabled community.

Thanks you.