Dear Enabled People or how to be an ally

Dear Enabled People and those wishing to be an ally to disabled people,

I hope you are enjoying a nice day, somewhere in the world, and I hope you find something to enjoy today.

I’ve called you enabled as I believe in line with the social model of disability, if I’m disabled by the environment then I’m guessing you are enabled by it.

Did you know that in order to leave my home, I have to do so much pre work in discovering access at places, that it can take me weeks just to plan an evening out. And even with meticulous planning I can still arrive somewhere and have access failures. (Yes there may be an ‘accessible loo’ but if it’s not large enough for my powerchair, then I’d argue it’s name is misleading!)

It usually takes days to weeks to discover very basic things. Everyone wants to know they can get in, go to the loo and have a drink/be included with whatever activity. Yet that is only guaranteed for some.

Too often, venues don’t even bother to put this information up publicly, for example on their website. If you want to be an ally to disabled people, then look on a venue’s website before you go. See if they have information available. As a hint if it doesn’t describe the access in detail, eg just says it’s ‘wheelchair accessible’ then it rarely is.

If you want to be an ally to disabled people ask the venue for information on their accessibility, whether or not there’s a disabled person coming with you. The more people who ask the more likely venues will start improving at least their website information.

Remember that access is more than wheelchair users, that a good venue would describe things for multiple different disabilities.

The greatest form of allyship is not using or spending money at these venues that aren’t accessible. It feels like a dream til we get to this situation when even events for disabled people don’t always do this (to be fair there’s very little choice in fully accessible and inclusive spaces to book!).

I doubt there are people that would take their allyship to a level of not using inaccessible venues as that is just too hard and inconvenient for most people. But please, do think about whether you can always seek to at least know if the venue you have booked is accessible, partially accessible or not at all accessible.

It may be an eye opening experience to you all.

Thank you to everyone that makes us feel included, for the small and great things people do to help break down the disabling of people by the society around us. We notice you.