In a world increasingly focused on inclusion, there are still those who roll out excuses not to be inclusive. On World Down Syndrome Day, March 21, CoorDown, the National Coordination of Associations of People with Down Syndrome, is putting those excuses forward to to affirm the right to full participation in society and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, free from all forms of discrimination and ableism.

The campaign, Ridiculous Excuses Not To Be Inclusive, was created by asking people who have Down syndrome, and their families, what excuses they have heard for being excluded from education, sports, jobs, and other opportunities. Some of these excuses were so incredibly ridiculous they deserved to be brought to life and properly celebrated. In a comic tone of voice, the campaign shares the most frequently used real excuses for denying access and legitimate space to people with disabilities, mocking episodes of everyday ableism to help get them stopped. Some of the Ridiculous Excuses Not To Be Inclusive are:

• “It’s not your fault, we’re the ones who are not prepared to take you on the field trip!,”
• “We already have a child like you in the group,”
•  “We don’t have enough chairs to invite you to the meeting,”
• “We closed registration just ten minutes ago!”

Until March 21, CoorDown’s TikTok channel will feature real testimonies from people who have Down syndrome and their families from all over the world and the ridiculous excuses they have had to hear. TikTok users will be able to add their stories inspired by the campaign’s jingle and a specially created sticker, as well as the official hashtag #RidiculousExcuses.

1. ALEX: 

2. IRENE 

3. MATT: 

4. ABBY: 

In nearly two decades since its establishment, CoorDown has witnessed many achievements in terms of rights and inclusion, but people with Down syndrome still face episodes of discrimination and exclusion every day. People with intellectual disabilities, in fact, still must fight for a place in school, summer camps, sports, the workplace and social life.

Exclusion today is almost never direct and explicit; ridiculous excuses are often made to hide a starker truth and discriminatory attitude. People with disabilities suffer systematic disadvantages in all areas of their lives due to a pervasive, treacherous, and invisible mechanism that is taken “for granted,” aka ableism.

The film, Ridiculous Excuses, will be available exclusively on CoorDown’s TikTok channel on launch day and then spread across all the organization’s platforms. The campaign is a collaboration with agency SMALL New York and was produced by Indiana Production and Tiny Giant and directed by Stoney Sharp. Music was composed and produced by Stabbiolo Music.

This year’s international campaign was again produced with contributions from several international associations including Down’s Syndrome Association (UK), Down Syndrome Australia, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, New Zealand Down Syndrome Association, Best Buddies International, National Down Syndrome Society, Karachi Down Syndrome Program and under the patronage of DSi – Down Syndrome International. 

Luca Lorenzini and Luca Pannese, Executive Creative Directors, SMALL New York: “When we heard what kind of excuses people with Down syndrome and their families were receiving for being excluded, we said that these excuses deserved to be brought to light and ridiculed. With our friends at Stabbiolo, we came up with a jingle that would emphasise how absurd these arguments really were. Wouldn’t it be nice if all those who are discriminated against learned this jingle and sang it as a response to those who, with a smirk, make excuses for exclusion? Wouldn’t it be nice if people with Down syndrome learned it, yes, but also people with other disabilities, or any other person who is discriminated against?”

Giacomo Lev Mannheimer, Head of Government Relations & Public Policy Southern Europe, TikTok, added, “We have often experienced how the creators of our community, through their originality manage to overcome language, cultural and social barriers, creating awareness and stances on issues that are taboo, niche, or not particularly ‘cool’. Their success demonstrates how authenticity can be an incredible vehicle for awareness campaigns: a global megaphone as well as a catalyst for engaging and making millions of people think about socially indispensable issues. All from stories of ‘extraordinary’ everyday life. Given this similarity of purpose and worlds, we are thrilled to embrace CoorDown’s project. The campaign is innovative and touching, and we can’t wait to see what the community will create and the positive impact the stories shared will generate.”