'Then Barbara Met Alan' viewers share emotional reaction to the disability rights drama
Then Barbara Met Alan proved an emotional watch for many viewers last night, who have been sharing how important the drama was to them.
BBC Two aired the film based on the true story of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth's romance and fight for disability rights on Monday, which struck a chord with many who tuned in.
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Starring Ruth Madeley and Arthur Hughes as Barbara and Alan, as well as Silent Witness star Liz Carr as herself, it told how their group Direct Action Network (DAN) fought hard in the 90s to get pity telethons for disabled people shut down, and won the legal right to accessibility and anti-discrimination laws with the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act.
One viewer tweeted: "Many thoughts (and tears) about Then Barbara Met Alan by @jackthorne that was on BBC 2 tonight. Don't know how to write about how much it meant to me and to be learning about activism that took place before I was born so that I could be fortunate and have a better life."
Someone else added: "Then Barbara Met Alan is f***ing great. I was about to say I was ashamed that I didn't know this chapter of our disabled history, but no, f*** it, it's so rare that our stories get told. No shame. Only pride."
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Another person wrote: "One of those rare programmes like Cathy Come Home which are politically significant in their own right."
One impressed viewer tweeted: "LOVED Then Barbara Met Alan last night. What a glorious piece of vibrant, important TV. Can't stop thinking about it today. More stories like this please!"
Madeley has spoken about what a unique experience it was to work with so many disabled cast and crew on the film.
She said: "I actually found it really emotional. Sometimes when you're on set working, you're often the only disabled person there and you kind of just get on with it without giving it much thought.
"But on this job, to be put in an environment where you're surrounded by so many people with an array of different disabilities, lots of different access requirements and needs, it was something else."
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However, many viewers urged people to remember that the fight for equality is far from over.
One person tweeted: "Essential viewing for those who don’t know how hard disabled people fought to get our civil rights. And we still haven’t got equity of access or opportunity."
Someone else agreed: "I was there at the actions in 1990s, yet we are still fighting every day for equality for disabled people, rather than pity, which keeps us marginalised."
Another person added: "Why aren't #disabled people's battles for rights more widely known? There's a rich history of disabled #activism chock full of stories and voices, but we rarely hear them."
Then Barbara Met Alan is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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