I’m Natalie Dedreux. I am 25 years old and live in Cologne and have Down syndrome. And I’m an activist and journalist with Down syndrome who wants to be taken more seriously. That’s why I make myself visible. That’s why I fight for inclusion, that’s my work.
And I write, that is also my work. And I am a plain language examiner. For example, I write for the magazine Ear kiss. The Ear kiss is a magazine in which only people with Down syndrome contribute. I also wrote a book about my view of the world.
I’m looking forward to the festival. Because it’s cool that so many different people come together here. And it’s cool that there is diversity and that every person is seen and heard. This is a theater festival here. I usually like going to the theater. But I need plain language. It’s good if there is a translator for easy language. So that I can understand that. And it’s good if the information is available in plain language.
Natalie Dedreux is actively committed to the concerns of people with Down syndrome, for example here in a conversation hosted by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in 2019. Dedreux could also be seen as a presenter at the Special Olympics in Berlin in 2023.
(Photo: Federal Government/laif)
I also once took part in an inclusive theater, “Sommerblut” in Cologne. I felt very comfortable there. We all had our say. We were all able to have a say and that was good. I think it is important that people with disabilities also act in the theater. Because we, people with disabilities and people without disabilities, learn more from each other and with each other. That’s why inclusion is so important here. Inclusion means that everyone is included and can participate. This means that we, people with disabilities, are also part of our society. Actually, everywhere and everywhere.
But there is still a problem with that. Where much more inclusion needs to be done is in schools and at work. This means, for example, that we people with disabilities must also receive the minimum wage. Otherwise it’s not fair. And that we can do work that we enjoy.
There is a lack of inclusion in the culture
And where inclusion is still missing is in culture and in the theaters. Inclusion must also be made in the culture for people who use wheelchairs, and that means that they also need more elevators and ramps. And there must be descriptions of images for blind people because then they can also hear what is being seen. And for people who are deaf, there must be sign language translation. And there has to be plain language so that we can understand it better. Like the play “Antigone”. This is in plain language and I also checked it. That’s great. Take a look!
That’s exactly why my wish for culture is that more participation is made possible and inclusion is made everywhere. Inclusion also means that we, people with disabilities, are not talked about, but that we, people with disabilities, are talked about. Because we too have our own opinions. We want to decide for ourselves. That’s why, for me, barrier-free theater also means that there is more information about the performances in easy language.
And it is also important that there needs to be more diversity on stage. Because then you also see that everyone can do theater well together. That’s why my demand to politicians and to the people who create culture is: We people with disabilities also want to have more of a say! Don’t talk about us. Don’t decide for us. We belong in our society. Hear us, see us, take us seriously.
Natalie Dedreux, born in 1998, is an activist, journalist and blogger with Down syndrome. She became known when she questioned Chancellor Angela Merkel about late-term abortion in an election arena in 2018. Dedreux is committed to people with Down syndrome and to inclusion. Her book “My life is cool!” was published by Knaur in 2022.