I'm not surprised this was voted #1. Your writing makes it so easy to identify with you in this scenario, Kelly! You are educating us all, and I am grateful.
Ah Kelly thank you for this, made me feel angry and exhausted at the same time. So much work to do here still. Every time I encounter similar I say I’m going to write to said restaurant/cinema etc but as yet haven’t found the energy to do so! The other way I deal with it is to research the hell out of every place I go beforehand but that can be equally exhausting! Occasionally there is a little gem like my local independent cinema which was recently redesigned with accessibility in mind! Yes! A permanent ramp in the form of a beautifully designed gradual slope up to the entrance, push button entrance, plenty of different accessible seating options etc etc 💗
Hi Jane! Thanks for the comment! It’s amazing how much work we have to do just to go out, isn’t it? And even when we do plan and research, how many unexpected barriers pop up! Love the sound of your movie theater! Enjoy a movie for me!
That's so awful and frustrating and why are we still so bad at this? My PMB place recently got called out for not being accessible by a person who knew the law and was going up and down the street, reporting inaccessible stores. Of course the owner of the building wouldn't just reconfigure the steps to a ramp, so a manually-placed metal ramp is there for when someone needs access, the tables and Dutch door were lowered, labels were affixed to boxes that are wheelchair accessible, the back parking reordered to offer handicapped parking. They weren't thrilled with the costs...but oh well! I'm excited for the Roll Mobility app and what that can do, and hopefully OpenTable, Resy, Yelp and the like will start integrating that info. Great post, Kelly. But so sorry that you and Richard had to go through all of that in order to write it. xo
I say we change that. I’m able-bodied (for now), but I’m happy to report. It really starts with the cities/building and safety, who approve new structures without access or grandfather in places that need to be updated. And ramps make it easy for everyone! You’d think insurance companies would force them to reduce trip-and-falls. xo
Yes! Thank you for your non-disabled allyship! In fact, most people don't even know how much they routinely take advantage of features that wouldn't be there if disabled people hadn't fought hard to get them. The best example of this is curb cuts. Non-disabled people use them all the time to ride bikes, pull carts, etc., across the street without having to fight with the curb on each side.
So true, LC! Mothers with strollers alone should be sending thank-you cards. And think of all the people face down in their screens that are alerted that they can cross the street now by the sound the indicator makes for the visually impaired!
And we are all in this together. More people just need to realize it (before it affects them/someone they love). xo
Thanks for this. I think it doesn't matter that most of these obstacles are due to negligence rather than intention. Most marginalization, that happens because of any form of systemic oppression, is not "on purpose." The privileged so often use "I didn't mean to" or "I had good intentions" as an excuse not to hold themselves accountable or try to do better. The analogy I like to use is this: Suppose you are standing in a crowd, and you take a step back and accidently stomp on someone's foot. They cry out in pain. Do you turn around, apologize, and make sure they're OK, or do you just shrug and ignore them because you didn't mean to step on them? Anyone with even a shred of empathy would apologize, acknowledging that regardless of their intention, they caused someone else pain. But when it comes to ableism, lack of harmful intention seems sufficient to most people to excuse themselves or others from tending to the impact of their in/action.
I'm not surprised this was voted #1. Your writing makes it so easy to identify with you in this scenario, Kelly! You are educating us all, and I am grateful.
Thanks Mary!
Ah Kelly thank you for this, made me feel angry and exhausted at the same time. So much work to do here still. Every time I encounter similar I say I’m going to write to said restaurant/cinema etc but as yet haven’t found the energy to do so! The other way I deal with it is to research the hell out of every place I go beforehand but that can be equally exhausting! Occasionally there is a little gem like my local independent cinema which was recently redesigned with accessibility in mind! Yes! A permanent ramp in the form of a beautifully designed gradual slope up to the entrance, push button entrance, plenty of different accessible seating options etc etc 💗
Hi Jane! Thanks for the comment! It’s amazing how much work we have to do just to go out, isn’t it? And even when we do plan and research, how many unexpected barriers pop up! Love the sound of your movie theater! Enjoy a movie for me!
I will 💖
That's so awful and frustrating and why are we still so bad at this? My PMB place recently got called out for not being accessible by a person who knew the law and was going up and down the street, reporting inaccessible stores. Of course the owner of the building wouldn't just reconfigure the steps to a ramp, so a manually-placed metal ramp is there for when someone needs access, the tables and Dutch door were lowered, labels were affixed to boxes that are wheelchair accessible, the back parking reordered to offer handicapped parking. They weren't thrilled with the costs...but oh well! I'm excited for the Roll Mobility app and what that can do, and hopefully OpenTable, Resy, Yelp and the like will start integrating that info. Great post, Kelly. But so sorry that you and Richard had to go through all of that in order to write it. xo
Second! Why is inaccessibility so rampant and accepted in 2024?!
I say we change that. I’m able-bodied (for now), but I’m happy to report. It really starts with the cities/building and safety, who approve new structures without access or grandfather in places that need to be updated. And ramps make it easy for everyone! You’d think insurance companies would force them to reduce trip-and-falls. xo
Very well said! It is everyone’s problem to worry about eventually.
Yes! Thank you for your non-disabled allyship! In fact, most people don't even know how much they routinely take advantage of features that wouldn't be there if disabled people hadn't fought hard to get them. The best example of this is curb cuts. Non-disabled people use them all the time to ride bikes, pull carts, etc., across the street without having to fight with the curb on each side.
So true, LC! Mothers with strollers alone should be sending thank-you cards. And think of all the people face down in their screens that are alerted that they can cross the street now by the sound the indicator makes for the visually impaired!
And we are all in this together. More people just need to realize it (before it affects them/someone they love). xo
Thanks for this. I think it doesn't matter that most of these obstacles are due to negligence rather than intention. Most marginalization, that happens because of any form of systemic oppression, is not "on purpose." The privileged so often use "I didn't mean to" or "I had good intentions" as an excuse not to hold themselves accountable or try to do better. The analogy I like to use is this: Suppose you are standing in a crowd, and you take a step back and accidently stomp on someone's foot. They cry out in pain. Do you turn around, apologize, and make sure they're OK, or do you just shrug and ignore them because you didn't mean to step on them? Anyone with even a shred of empathy would apologize, acknowledging that regardless of their intention, they caused someone else pain. But when it comes to ableism, lack of harmful intention seems sufficient to most people to excuse themselves or others from tending to the impact of their in/action.