What does Dave Stone find so unpalatable about the statue of Alison Lapper that is due to occupy the vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square (Letters, March 22) ?

Is it her gender, her pregnant state, her nakedness or her disability? Or is it that Mr Stone has never heard of Alison and does not consider her enough of a figurehead to be worthy to grace Trafalgar Square?

Mr Stone should consider what Alison has achieved compared with the great and the good he would prefer to see up there.

This world has systematically segregated, ignored, patronised, excluded, impoverished and exterminated disabled people and continues to do so to this day.

Alison and others have fought life-long battles to be recognised as people first and have refused to allow society's deeply entrenched prejudices to force them to disappear as others would like them to.

This may lack the drama and profile of a Churchillian war and Alison may lack the commonly accepted beauty of Princess Diana (and without the superficial advantage of beauty, what was Diana other than a messed-up human with pots of money and influence who, like countless others, did some good with the vast opportunities at her disposal?).

Alison has faced unthinkable obstacles with guts, determination and energy on a level that Mr Stone would marvel at if only he knew. She is not "brave", she is just herself, a triumph of ordinary humanity.

So, Mr Stone, let's celebrate the fact that a Sussex girl is going to grace Trafalgar Square. Look beyond your prejudices and see how beautiful she is.

-Manny Rogers, Brighton