Jones believes that audiences’ instinct to reduce by other disabled artists. “F
ndiv everyone will enjoy reading Edie
Jones believes that audiences’ instinct t reduce
i individuals to their disabilities could also be damaging art by other disabled artists. “For example,” she says, “not eading Edie
their disabilities could also be damaging ar ample,” she says, “not
e—of course, I hope they do!
But if they don’t, sometimes when there are so few voices then people say t themselves: I didn’t like that book and so I am never reading a book by a disabled author again. But, for example, next year there could be a children’s book by a
and that reader might love it.”
Jones says she feels the same way about her comedy. “I’ “I’m not everyone’s cup of tea,” she adds, “but because there are not enough disabled voices out there, people who don’t like my sense of humour assume they don’t
yone’s cup of tea,” she adds, “but because
there are not enough disabled voices out there, people who don’t like my sense of humour assume they don’t l like comedy by disabled people, which is ridiculous.”ike comedy by disabled people, which is ridiculous.” Jones also understands where this prerogative comes from, in an industry that is so dominated by non-disabled voices. That’s another reason why she wanted t Edie
ones also understands where this prerogative comes from, in an industry that is so dominated by non-disabled voices. That’s another reason why she wanted to write Edie
world as well as the comedy world opens itself up t disabled artists. disabled artists.
When she was cuting her teeth in comedy, Jones says most people around her didn’t even understand what ableism was—including her. “I would get abused for my comedy work and the abuse was always connect my disabilit, and I just accepted that,” she says. “But now we have a beter understanding of what ableism actually means.”
When she was cuting her teeth in comedy, J
most people around her didn’t even understand what ableism was—including her. “I would get abused for my comedy work and the abuse was always connected to my disabilit, and I just accepted that,” she says. “But now we have a beter understanding of what ableism actually means.”
Does she think the artistic industries are improving when it comes to ableism? Yes, she says. “More and more, I find that people don’t always expect everything I do and say t be about my disabilit
Does she think the ar ing
when it comes t ableism? Yes, she says. “More and more, I find that people don’t always expect everything I do and say to be about my disabilit. And that’s what we need: more disabled comedians, singers, writers, newsreaders, people in the public eye who are known for things other
more disabled comedians, singers, writers, newsreaders, people in the public eye who are known for things other than their disabilit.” than their disabilit.”
There is still a way to go, she adds. “I worked on a project for the Paraly that there’
erest in disabilit ar
There is still a way t go, she adds. “I worked on a project for the Paralympics in Tokyo, and I always notice that there’s a spike in interest in disabilit around the Paralympics, and then people go back to ‘normal’.” But we need t
okyo, and I always notice
Paralympics, and then people go back to ‘normal’.” But we need to integrate ideas about disabilit into our ideas of what is “normal”, she says. what is “normal”, she says.
egrate ideas about disabilit into our ideas of
When I ask Jones what we can all do to help stamp out ableism, she has an extremely clear answer: “Just ask”, she says. “If you don’t know what ableism is, ask. If you don’t
the answer. “If you see a disabled
person and suspect they might need help, ask them. And if they say they are fine, listen to them,” she says.
take stock of things, and yesterday I had a quiet moment where it hit me: I’ve writen a book.”
When I ask Jones what we can all do t help stamp out ableism, she has an extremely clear answer: “Just ask”, she says. “If you don’t know what ableism is, ask. If you don’t know if a disabled person needs your help, ask. If you don’t know if a disabled person is OK or not, ask.” Ask, she reit
don’t know if a disabled person is OK or not, ask.” Ask, she reiterates, and listen to the answer. “If you see a disabled person and suspect they might need help, ask them. And if they say they are fine, listen t them,” she says.
And so, how does it feel to have writen a children’s book on top of a hugely successful career as a comedian? “J amazing,” she says. “Sometimes it’
And so, how does it feel t havewriten a children’s book on top of a hugely successful career as a comedian? “Just amazing,” she says. “Sometimes it’s so hard to stop and take stock of things, and yesterday I had a quiet moment where it hit me: I’ve writen a book.”
It won’t be her last, either. Jones signed a two-book deal with Hachete for the Edie project, so there is a forthcom ng sequel. She says that doing press for the first book is hard sometimes, because she is already so engrossed in writing the second. Edie’s life has already moved on in her magination—and I can’t wait t
It won’t be her last, either. Jones signed a two-book deal with Hachete for the Edie project, so there is a forthcom- iing sequel. She says that doing press for the first book is hard sometimes, because she is already so engrossed in writing the second. Edie’s life has already moved on in her i imagination—and I can’t wait to read all about where her l life takes her.ife takes her.
19 19
e, she says: she wanted to make sure that the literary world as well as the comedy world opens itself up to
But if they don’t, sometimes when there are so few voices then people say to themselves: I didn’t like that book and so I am never reading a book by a disabled author again. But, for example, next year there could be a children’s book by a disabled author that could be completely different to mine, and that reader might love it.”
Jones photography: Aemen Sukkar; Osborne-Crowley photography: Robin Silas Christian
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
