How to Create Disabled Freedom
Or: Envisioning a Path for the Future
Image Description: The word “FREEDOM” in glowing, purple neon letters against the background of a dark room.
While a fully imagined vision of disabled freedom is being painted, we can still work towards creating it. I believe the envisioning can happen as we work, and as more voices chime in to bring their unique perspectives to influence the totality.
Listening Our Way to Freedom
I think the most powerful thing we can do right now for creating freedom for disabled people is to listen to them. This starts with looking around the room and the community. Who is missing? Are disabled people part of the groups being consulted and involved? If not, why not? What are the barriers, have they been proactively invited and welcomed?
This happened recently to me where a local law that would have a huge impact on disabled people’s access to transportation was being developed without the active input of disabled people. The local government was unaware of our interest until we spoke up (very loudly) about the predicted negative consequences and were then invited into the discussions. We shared our perspectives and experiences, how past lessons should shape the future, and concrete suggestions for making the law better.
While I don’t know yet what will happen, it felt like a significant “win” just to be heard and to have recognition of the validity of our concerns and recommendations. Shaping freedom begins with acknowledging that disabled people exist, that we have wisdom to contribute, and that listening to us is worthwhile.
I am happy that disabled advocates are being listened to (at least in this specific situation), but it should have happened sooner. The local elected leaders know some of the groups of disabled advocates and could have contacted them when considering writing this legislation in the first place. It also should be noted that different segments of disabled people have different opinions on the topic, and so even in the disability community a diversity of voices should be sought out.
Believing Our Way to Freedom
So, if step one is inviting disabled perspectives and listening to them, I think believing them next is crucial. So many times, when I share my lived expertise as a disabled person, I am just not believed because the other people don’t comprehend how it could be true.
For example, when I say that every time I get on a plane it is stressful and frequently results in some sort of debacle (like a broken wheelchair), I am not always believed. Yet it is factually the truth of my experience.
I think that those without regular interaction with disabled people don’t realize the extent of daily barriers we still experience. They assume “everything is fine with accessibility” because they don’t themselves have to wage these constant battles. The invisibility of disabled people in their minds leads to an assumption that our differences in experience cannot possibly be true. I encourage these people to suspend their disbelief and step into our shoes (or wheels) to believe what we say without questioning or prejudice.
Changing Our Way to Freedom
Of course, the next step is to begin making changes (ideally swiftly, as it is taking way too long already) based on the expertise of disabled people. If we say we need a ramp, just build it without the fighting and complaining. I mean, come on. If someone told you that you need to install a door so that customers could enter, would you fight them on it?
I know this sounds silly, but I am still literally having these fights (now years-long legal battles) about basic accessibility. Our society would waste a lot less time, energy, and money if we just listened to disabled people from the start on accessibility and would bring down barriers proactively and quickly. Again, why are we still fighting about airplane accessibility when the problems are well-documented and the solutions are just waiting to be implemented? Why do other countries have ramps for all their cabs when I can’t find any reliable service in the U.S. city where I have lived for decades?
It’s very distressing to have to fight battles for my basic humanity (and that of disabled people generally) over and over again. It sucks our energy and depletes our resources. Of course, right now it is part of a purposeful campaign of diminishing the rights and dehumanizing many people (most people, to be honest). It is currently a mission of the individuals leading our government to only recognize themselves as worthwhile and worthy of respect. I hope this is a temporary drift, but the assault on disability rights will be long lasting. This means we must re-wage battles and re-litigate settled matters just to stay where we were, an extremely exhausting approach to treading water.
Creating the Vision of Freedom as We Build It
What I really hope to see is progress, acceptance, and inclusion. My vision of disabled freedom will not be diminished or tarnished by the present environment, nor will it be limited to the meager scraps that we have previously been allowed. For our society to evolve and do better we must think bigger, be bigger, speak louder, and keep persisting through it all.
I invite each and every one of you (and everyone you know and everyone they know and so forth) to participate in creating disabled freedom. We all have a role to play, a perspective to bring, a person to invite into the circle, a voice that needs to be raised so that it can be heard.
Thanks for reading Rolling With It! I love hearing from readers, so comments are warmly welcomed. If you enjoy this newsletter, please “like” it to let people know it is worth checking out. Thanks so much for your support!
I love that you spoke out and up, Kelly! And I hope they listened thoroughly. xo
Thank you for this article :)