--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think you can only have people…" description: "\"I don't think you can only have people with disability talking about the Paralympics. Clare Balding didn't need to be disabled to cover it.\" — Josh Wid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/josh-widdicombe-9326_need_i-don-t-think-you-can-only-have-people-w_2103354.jpg" --- # I don't think you can only have people with disability… ![“I don't think you can only have people with disability talking about the Paralympics. Clare Balding didn't need to be disabled to cover it.” quote by Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/josh-widdicombe-9326_need_i-don-t-think-you-can-only-have-people-w_2103354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/josh-widdicombe-9326_need_i-don-t-think-you-can-only-have-people-w_2103354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fa/josh-widdicombe-9326_need_i-don-t-think-you-can-only-have-people-w_2103354.jpg) > “I don't think you can only have people with disability talking about the Paralympics. Clare Balding didn't need to be disabled to cover it.” [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that coverage of disability sports should not be limited to disabled individuals; expertise and interest matter more than personal experience. **In simple terms:** Disability sports can be covered by anyone, not just the disabled. Key Takeaway Include diverse voices when reporting on the Paralympics. Themes inclusion representation media disability sports expertise Mood thoughtful balanced critical Type opinion commentary social. When to use this quote - sports broadcasting - journalism training - event promotion - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts media ethics accessibility sports journalism Questions to Reflect On - How can media ensure authentic representation without excluding non‑disabled experts? - What criteria should guide who is invited to comment on disability sports? A Different Perspective Some argue that lived experience is essential for authentic representation; balancing expertise and authenticity can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Disability Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability-talking-4212870/) [Disabled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-disability-1034395/) [People With Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-with-disability/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Paralympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-paralympics-4212869/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [People with disability have always been viewed as second-class citizens compared to non-disabled people. It's just an unconscious bias that people have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/people-with-disability-have-always-been-viewed-as-second-class/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [The Southbank Centre Unlimited Festival was a distinct moment in time, an amazing counterpoint to the London 2012 Paralympics. There is no question that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/the-southbank-centre-unlimited-festival-was-a-distinct-moment-in-time/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [There are so many things we can do to make sure they get those opportunities. People with disability are ready to go - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/there-are-so-many-things-we-can-do-to-make-sure-they-get-those/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [My purpose is changing perceptions so people with disability, people like me can get out there and live the lives that they deserve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/my-purpose-is-changing-perceptions-so-people-with-disability-people/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [The magnitude of discrimination and stigma faced by people with disability in Australia cannot be underestimated. People do not understand disability, and people fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/the-magnitude-of-discrimination-and-stigma-faced-by-people-with/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [There's so much policy made on behalf of people with disability. You know, not inclusive of us. And that's not good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/there-s-so-much-policy-made-on-behalf-of-people-with-disability-you/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [We have got to fully guarantee and fund the NDIS so we invest in people with disability so they can be the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/we-have-got-to-fully-guarantee-and-fund-the-ndis-so-we-invest-in/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [Well, I call the Olympic Games the crappy warm ups for the Paralympic Games, right? Once every four years people with disability are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/well-i-call-the-olympic-games-the-crappy-warm-ups-for-the-paralympic/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [When a parent who has a little kid with a disability says they saw me and now they've found a purpose, that's the stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/when-a-parent-who-has-a-little-kid-with-a-disability-says-they-saw-me/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [Back in those days, a parent looked at the disability and didn't see the ability. 'Life Goes On' showed that people with a disability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/back-in-those-days-a-parent-looked-at-the-disability-and-didn-t-see/) [Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/) > [As well as being a comedian, I am - whether I like it or not - representative of another group of people, people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/as-well-as-being-a-comedian-i-am-whether-i-like-it-or-not/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [It became very clear to me that Yooralla was not as interested in media coverage that explored issues faced by people with disability as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/it-became-very-clear-to-me-that-yooralla-was-not-as-interested-in/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [I have already done seven highest peaks. Now, I want to open a sports academy for children, people with disability and help them rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/i-have-already-done-seven-highest-peaks-now-i-want-to-open-a-sports/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [Never to forget the Holocaust was not only against Jews. It was mostly against Jews but it was also against homosexuals, gypsies and, let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/never-to-forget-the-holocaust-was-not-only-against-jews-it-was-mostly/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) ## More by Josh Widdicombe > [Most people I was at school with, if they saw me on telly, wouldn't know I'd been at school with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/most-people-i-was-at-school-with-if-they-saw-me-on-telly-wouldn-t/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Write about what you know, that's what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/write-about-what-you-know-that-s-what-i-say/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Sitcom writing is difficult because it's not just about writing jokes - there's a very fine balance between characters, plot, and comedy, that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/sitcom-writing-is-difficult-because-it-s-not-just-about-writing-jokes/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I really didn't think anything would come out of doing stand-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-really-didn-t-think-anything-would-come-out-of-doing-stand-up/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [Successful comedians are just as neurotic as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/successful-comedians-are-just-as-neurotic-as-i-am/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [When I first went to university, I did a big shop with my dad. We bought loads of stuff but it didn't occur to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/when-i-first-went-to-university-i-did-a-big-shop-with-my-dad-we/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'm lucky that I don't have any big regrets. Maybe that undercut hairstyle from my youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-m-lucky-that-i-don-t-have-any-big-regrets-maybe-that-undercut/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'm one of life's pessimists. I'm ready for everything to go wrong at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-m-one-of-life-s-pessimists-i-m-ready-for-everything-to-go-wrong-at/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [The great thing about stand up is you get to do other things. You get to do your stand up tours but you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/the-great-thing-about-stand-up-is-you-get-to-do-other-things-you-get/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I love my wife and daughters, but there are times you want to put them in the bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-love-my-wife-and-daughters-but-there-are-times-you-want-to-put-them/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [There's enough really good actors out of work without me trying to steal any of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/there-s-enough-really-good-actors-out-of-work-without-me-trying-to/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I loved 1990s television: 'The Fast Show,' 'Father Ted,' 'Harry Enfield.' 'Clive Anderson Talks Back.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-loved-1990s-television-the-fast-show-father-ted-harry-enfield-clive/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I've got no pretence that I want to do 'Hamlet' or anything, I know my limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-ve-got-no-pretence-that-i-want-to-do-hamlet-or-anything-i-know-my/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'll never have a house party again. You stand around for ages worried that nobody's coming and the next minute you're queuing for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-ll-never-have-a-house-party-again-you-stand-around-for-ages-worried/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I'd hope that when Channel 4 started, 'The Last Leg' was the kind of show it wanted to be putting out. I think they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-d-hope-that-when-channel-4-started-the-last-leg-was-the-kind-of/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) [Explore all 73 Josh Widdicombe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) ## More Disability quotes > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“She would prove to everyone she could do everything. She wouldn’t let her disability be an excuse, wouldn’t give anyone reason to pity her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-grace-davis/she-would-prove-to-everyone-she-could-do-everything-she-wouldn-t-let/) [Liz Grace Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-grace-davis/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [“Consider this: the US economy created 2.4 million jobs in the three years beginning in June 2009. In the same period, 3.3 million Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/consider-this-the-us-economy-created-2-4-million-jobs-in-the-three/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [I'm just a man on a mission, to prove my disability hasn't won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hensel/i-m-just-a-man-on-a-mission-to-prove-my-disability-hasn-t-won/) [Robert M. Hensel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hensel/) > [I love my disability. It is the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/i-love-my-disability-it-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [“He took the teapot and poured two cups. She was grateful. And also frustrated. Not being able to walk was annoying, and that emotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-took-the-teapot-and-poured-two-cups-she-was-grateful-and-also/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [When people say there are people who are faking it, if I had a choice I wouldn't want to have a disability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/when-people-say-there-are-people-who-are-faking-it-if-i-had-a-choice/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [“I wanted to share the realities of living with a disability since birth. My book is my attempt to promote increased inclusion and greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-torreno/i-wanted-to-share-the-realities-of-living-with-a-disability-since/) [Stephanie Torreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-torreno/) > [Woman has so long been subject to the disabilities and restrictions with which her progress has been embarrassed that she has become enervated, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/woman-has-so-long-been-subject-to-the-disabilities-and-restrictions/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [It feels amazing to be a role model for people with and without disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/it-feels-amazing-to-be-a-role-model-for-people-with-and-without/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I didn't know anything was wrong with me when I was growing up. 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