What do disabled people think about alcohol?

We don’t talk about it much, but alcohol is a big part of most people’s social lives, whether we want it that way or not. As disabled people, our relationship with alcohol can be more complicated for a whole bunch of reasons.

So let’s have the conversation. In this video series, we dive into ableist assumptions, those traumatic drink-driving ads, and how we feel about our relationships with alcohol.

Episode one transcript:

Zena: Me? Probably Coke Zero. Good old Fridge cigarette.

Ella: Fridge cigarette?

Zena: Yeah, that's what people call them!

Intro: If you’ve ever done a yardie or celebrated crate day, you’re probably familiar with our drinking culture here in Aotearoa. We don’t talk about it much, but alcohol is a big part of most people’s social lives, whether we want it that way or not. As disabled people, our relationship with alcohol can be more complicated for a whole bunch of reasons. So let’s have the conversation. In this 4-part series, we dive into ableist assumptions, those traumatic drink-driving ads, and how we feel about our relationships with alcohol. Welcome to Alcohol Week!

Ella: Tell me about the first alcoholic drink you had.

Zena: It’d be my friends at high school, used to drink those very...

Ella: Cruisers?

Zena: Yeah, cruisers. Very vibrant-colored.

Ella: Yeah.

Zena: Different drinks, which probably now just taste like…fizzy.

Ella: I remember it was my friend who was a few years older than me. It was her 21st and I was just 18. And she was like, "Oh, what was the... I can't even remember what the drink was now." But she was like, "Oh, do you like this?" And I was like, "I don't know what that is." She was like, "I'll order one for you." And I was like, "Wow." Because it wasn't a cruiser. It was something like a rum and coke or something like that. I don't know. But I was like, "Wow, look at me."

Zena: you know when you first start to drink alcohol, you sort of are drawn to things that have sugar in them. But I tried to like wine and like... Wine was kind of like a bit more sophisticated. I was like, you know, older people drink wine. Yeah. In church, people drink wine. So I tried to drink that, but didn't like it so much.

Ella: Did your parents drink at home when you were growing up?

Zena: I think it was quite common in New Zealand for people to have a drink after work or something.

Ella: Especially that era aye.

Zena: Yeah, have a couple after work or something. It wasn’t an uncommon thing.

Ella: Most people that have parents our age would probably say that they'd have a drink or two after work. Yeah. Yeah,

Zena: Could even still be a thing, I'm not sure.

Zena: What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink on a night out?

Ella: Like a ginger beer, cold ginger beer, but a spicy ginger beer.

Zena: Me? Probably Coke Zero. Good old Fridge cigarette.

Ella: Fridge cigarette?

Zena: Yeah, that's what people call them,

Zena: Do you think you'd win a game of beer pong against me?

Ella: Yes.

Zena: In your dreams. That's what I say.

Ella: What day is crate day? Have you got any good crate day stories? What day is crate day, Zena? Tell me now.

Zena: I don't know.

Ella: Have you been to a crate day?

Zena: No.

Ella: Oh, no neither. No one’s ever invited me.

Zena: No one’s invited me!

Zena: Have you ever done a yardie?

Ella: I have never done a yardie. Have you done a yardie?

Zena: No.

Ella: Absolutely not.

Zena: I have not done a yardie either. I think you're supposed to have them when you're 21.

Ella: I think so. Do you wish you did a yardie?

Zena: No. Don't like the beer! Is a yardie accessible or ableist?

Ella: It's not ableist! People aren't making yardies to offend people.

Zena: If we did one, you would have to... You’d need help. Lift up the other end.

Ella: It'd break. It'd break.

Zena: I don’t think it's ableist. I mean, nothing a little reasonable accommodation couldn’t fix.

Zena: Have you ever had someone assume that you don't drink or make any other assumptions about you and alcohol because of your disability?

Ella: I would say I'm going to make a bold statement and say that some disabilities people would assume that people don't drink. I think with our disability…I think people assume we do drink because of like social media.

Zena: Oh yeah I get what you mean. So like the entertainment factor.

Ella: The entertainment factor. I would say how people perceive us is that we're fun. We're like oh they must be a hoot. Let's have a drink with them. Yeah. Like I would say that.

Zena: Yeah I think like people nowadays see a lot of things online and assume something because they've seen people with your disability. Yes. Like…they must be like that.

Ella: Yeah yeah.

Zena: And then think when you're out on the town that you're really for like a public stunt or something I don't know.

Ella: Perhaps people that might have a learning disability or like someone in a wheelchair perhaps people would assume that they don't drink but I think with Short statured people, because of how we are seen in some situations on social media or movies I think people think like…they must be fun.

Zena: Yeah. There is like a certain level of like infantilisation still though in the sense of like people can be apprehensive to ask you for ID or something.

Ella: Ah yes.

Zena: Because they're like…you don't look, you know like, you know you're small but you're not a child. I don't know if I should ask you for ID or if that's offensive and then most of the time I just flip it out anyway, I’m like here’s my ID.

Ella: Here's what you want to see.

Zena: Here you go thank you. I don't find that too offensive. I think that's just someone doing their job.

Ella: Yeah that's fine. I feel like with my wrinkles now they don't need to ask me.

Zena: Oh yeah.

Ella: But maybe like five or ten years ago they'd be like oh can I have your…and then you're like yeah.

Ella: Have you ever known someone who's had a difficult relationship with alcohol?

Zena: Yeah. A few people. Um. People go through rough times and and use it as a coping mechanism and sometimes that can sort of develop into other things but um yeah that that has happened to a few people. Yeah.

Ella: You know, living in New Zealand I would say most people would know someone that's had a problem with...That’s had an issue with alcohol.

Zena: Do you feel like you would know what to do if someone around you was struggling with drinking?

Ella: Yes. I think I'd know to subtly bring it up with them.

Zena: How?

Ella: Yeah, I think I'd just say like, "Hey, I've noticed. Do you want to talk about it?" And then I'd wait for them. They're the one that needs to...

Zena: But I think you have to... I mean, it's better to raise it not in the moment.

Ella: Yes, not while they're drunk.

Zena: Afterwards or something. You can bring it up and say...

Ella: Yeah, I think so.

Zena: Was that a fun time for you?

Ella: Because it wasn't for me!

Zena: You can't make it about…

Ella: You don't want to shame them.

Zena: No, no. I think there can be some shame around that. And that's okay. Like, everyone has things that happen and can use different coping mechanisms for things. It's a tricky one though. I think sometimes when you try... Well, like, you can identify you need to say something, but not quite sure.

Ella: Going about it in the right way, right time.

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