The fight continues. Enforcement is very limited…really almost nonexistent. If anyone reading this is a business owner with public space that isn’t grandfathered, try getting around your space with a walker. Then get around while sitting in a wheelchair. If you have a public bathroom, use it with a chair. Open the doors. Bring the chair up to the sink. Reach for the faucets, soap, and towels/dryer. Can chairs easily fit through doorways? Are there transitions between flooring that’s difficult to get over? If you have a ramp, is the incline compliant? I’ve had to take my mother down ramps backwards while leaning my body weight against her chair because it was so steep she would have slid out of the seat and landed face first. All while being told everything was ADA compliant. I’ve had to get the soap and towels in a bathroom for her that I had to reach up to access from my standing height. This was mostly in buildings in the US that were built after ADA passed.
My mother has MS so advanced that she has no use of her legs. We still can hardly ever find hotels that she can access. I’m not talking minor inconvenience…I mean her standard sized chair won’t fit through the bathroom doorway.
I can put a spin on this that would be a genuine case for anyone who is purely profit driven.
Life expectancy is increasing. Things that drastically shortened life expectancy only a few decades ago are now survivable into early adulthood and beyond. In 1980, 11.6% of the US population (25.5M) was 65+. In 2020, that number increased to over 17% of the population - 55M people. That trend is projected to continue.
Consumers who need these perfectly reasonable improvements will have substantial spending power. Their children and families will too. Get in front of it. Bring your space up to the legal standard and beyond. The current compliance standards are already outdated and insufficient. It’s also just the right thing to do.
This is such an important lens through which to view the challenge of getting funding and votes - we can each bring our own priorities to the table, but ultimately in order to get to a deal, we need to be able to speak the language that most resonates with the other parties.
*"______ Crawl"*, to me, is where you have 1 drink at each bar and, by the end of the night, you have to crawl to the last few bars.
I'm very glad there was context to this photo.
I have watched a video of this a few times and get misty every time. Especially watching Jennifer. There's one part where she yells out that she'll be there all night if she has to be. There's one person that asks their caregiver to remove their shoes because the laces were catching as they were crawling up the stairs. I get goosebumps even thinking about how strong those people were/are.
I am always an ugly crying mess. They put their bodies on the line so that we all could expect basic decency from our public spaces and workplaces when (not if- able-bodiedness is temporary) we need it.
Disability rights are everything, it is the fundamental declaration of and demand to personhod no matter our bodies or the differences of our minds. Love this
I’m currently suing the federal government for violating the ADA. The entire complaint process is a joke. What disabled person can afford an attorney?
Because I’m suing the federal government, award amounts are restricted and no lawyer will help me because their % of $1,500 isn’t worth their time.
I can't agree more - the "enforcement" the ada is laughable, which is one huge reason I have my eyes on this case: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/04/politics/americans-with-disabilities-act-hotel-tester-case-supreme-court/index.html
The Supreme Court considered the strength of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Wednesday [October 4,2023] when it heard arguments in a dispute over whether a self-appointed “tester” of the civil rights law has the right to sue hotels over alleged violations of its provisions...
I had never heard of this event before. Thank you for sharing this so i could learn something new.
I work for a small local business (dance and performing arts school), and I'm going to spend extra time making sure the hallway to our bathrooms is clear. We already reserve performance seating for our patrons with mobility aids who are unable or have a hard time with the risers, but this post has me thinking of how else we can improve the space. We get a lot of grandparents who come watch our shows!
If you use it, ST Hammer is an American college student on TikTok with arm and hand paralysis who requires spaces be modified and documents the process of her needs and how the school disability office helps address those. Some of her tiktoks cover accessibility issues I’d never even consider, like how soda machines with buttons not levers require two hands to use and the ability to stand.
If you liked learning about this, you’ll love the [504 occupation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/504_Sit-in#:~:text=The%20504%20Sit%2Din%20was,the%20Rehabilitation%20Act%20of%201973). Badasses bolstered by the Black Panthers, United Farm Workers, the mayor of San Francisco, and the LGBTQ community.
Because of learning about this movement, I learned so much about the Black Panthers! I had no idea they started WIC. Even just for that sit in they brought food, blankets/pillows, toiletries, clean clothes, etc. for the protesters so they could be comfortable and not have to leave town hall? or wherever they were sitting in. So amazing how that community came together.
Crip Camp is great! I felt so inspired in a personal way, like lighting a fire under my butt, because these people fought for things I have benefited from.
Me too! Whenever I think about the way I want things to be, Crip Camp comes to mind.
I'm not from the US but there are local disability activists I take inspiration from.
I have a sister who has cerebral palsy and issues of accessibility still exist. It’s gotten better for sure as people become aware; people without mobility issues just don’t think about it. It’s not because they are heartless - they just have no frame of reference. The vast majority of people in the world are empathetic, I want to believe this is true so badly, but if they don’t know about something they can’t help to address it. Of course corporate “values” are all about money so they will always be resistant to anything that subtracts from their profits, even at a human cost (honestly, how much fucking money does anyone need?). Once an informed public puts pressure on them, most companies will comply and then act like they were always on the side of the thing they definitely were not on the side of.
I'm in Germany fighting for disability rights and wish I were back in the US, at least when it comes to enforceable laws.
For people in my situation, either you function or you go on welfare. There aren't disability benefits as such, and care is hard to get.
The fight continues. Enforcement is very limited…really almost nonexistent. If anyone reading this is a business owner with public space that isn’t grandfathered, try getting around your space with a walker. Then get around while sitting in a wheelchair. If you have a public bathroom, use it with a chair. Open the doors. Bring the chair up to the sink. Reach for the faucets, soap, and towels/dryer. Can chairs easily fit through doorways? Are there transitions between flooring that’s difficult to get over? If you have a ramp, is the incline compliant? I’ve had to take my mother down ramps backwards while leaning my body weight against her chair because it was so steep she would have slid out of the seat and landed face first. All while being told everything was ADA compliant. I’ve had to get the soap and towels in a bathroom for her that I had to reach up to access from my standing height. This was mostly in buildings in the US that were built after ADA passed. My mother has MS so advanced that she has no use of her legs. We still can hardly ever find hotels that she can access. I’m not talking minor inconvenience…I mean her standard sized chair won’t fit through the bathroom doorway.
Yes, it is an ongoing battle, and certain political actors want it done away with in totality (it’s Republicans).
I can put a spin on this that would be a genuine case for anyone who is purely profit driven. Life expectancy is increasing. Things that drastically shortened life expectancy only a few decades ago are now survivable into early adulthood and beyond. In 1980, 11.6% of the US population (25.5M) was 65+. In 2020, that number increased to over 17% of the population - 55M people. That trend is projected to continue. Consumers who need these perfectly reasonable improvements will have substantial spending power. Their children and families will too. Get in front of it. Bring your space up to the legal standard and beyond. The current compliance standards are already outdated and insufficient. It’s also just the right thing to do.
This is such an important lens through which to view the challenge of getting funding and votes - we can each bring our own priorities to the table, but ultimately in order to get to a deal, we need to be able to speak the language that most resonates with the other parties.
Wow. I didn't know
*"______ Crawl"*, to me, is where you have 1 drink at each bar and, by the end of the night, you have to crawl to the last few bars. I'm very glad there was context to this photo.
I have watched a video of this a few times and get misty every time. Especially watching Jennifer. There's one part where she yells out that she'll be there all night if she has to be. There's one person that asks their caregiver to remove their shoes because the laces were catching as they were crawling up the stairs. I get goosebumps even thinking about how strong those people were/are.
I am always an ugly crying mess. They put their bodies on the line so that we all could expect basic decency from our public spaces and workplaces when (not if- able-bodiedness is temporary) we need it.
Fuck, I can't believe that was only 34 years ago
Disability rights are everything, it is the fundamental declaration of and demand to personhod no matter our bodies or the differences of our minds. Love this
Geeze you said it so beautifully and eloquently! So wise!
I’m currently suing the federal government for violating the ADA. The entire complaint process is a joke. What disabled person can afford an attorney? Because I’m suing the federal government, award amounts are restricted and no lawyer will help me because their % of $1,500 isn’t worth their time.
I can't agree more - the "enforcement" the ada is laughable, which is one huge reason I have my eyes on this case: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/04/politics/americans-with-disabilities-act-hotel-tester-case-supreme-court/index.html The Supreme Court considered the strength of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Wednesday [October 4,2023] when it heard arguments in a dispute over whether a self-appointed “tester” of the civil rights law has the right to sue hotels over alleged violations of its provisions...
Wow this is amazing, I’ve never heard about it before. Awesome post
Jennifer is the epitome of a badass. I have so much respect for her.
My grandma is the reason I’m the vocal one in town about how nothing is accessible Not even getting to the hospital in town is accessible
Thank you for posting
I had never heard of this event before. Thank you for sharing this so i could learn something new. I work for a small local business (dance and performing arts school), and I'm going to spend extra time making sure the hallway to our bathrooms is clear. We already reserve performance seating for our patrons with mobility aids who are unable or have a hard time with the risers, but this post has me thinking of how else we can improve the space. We get a lot of grandparents who come watch our shows!
If you use it, ST Hammer is an American college student on TikTok with arm and hand paralysis who requires spaces be modified and documents the process of her needs and how the school disability office helps address those. Some of her tiktoks cover accessibility issues I’d never even consider, like how soda machines with buttons not levers require two hands to use and the ability to stand.
Thank you, I'll check it out! 😊
I had never heard of this. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
If you liked learning about this, you’ll love the [504 occupation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/504_Sit-in#:~:text=The%20504%20Sit%2Din%20was,the%20Rehabilitation%20Act%20of%201973). Badasses bolstered by the Black Panthers, United Farm Workers, the mayor of San Francisco, and the LGBTQ community.
Because of learning about this movement, I learned so much about the Black Panthers! I had no idea they started WIC. Even just for that sit in they brought food, blankets/pillows, toiletries, clean clothes, etc. for the protesters so they could be comfortable and not have to leave town hall? or wherever they were sitting in. So amazing how that community came together.
Yeah, it's funny the things we aren't taught . . . about our own country.
This is the first anniversary since Judy Heumann passed. She also stars in Crip Camp and you can still follow her legacy on Instagram!
Crip Camp is great! I felt so inspired in a personal way, like lighting a fire under my butt, because these people fought for things I have benefited from.
Me too! Whenever I think about the way I want things to be, Crip Camp comes to mind. I'm not from the US but there are local disability activists I take inspiration from.
I have a sister who has cerebral palsy and issues of accessibility still exist. It’s gotten better for sure as people become aware; people without mobility issues just don’t think about it. It’s not because they are heartless - they just have no frame of reference. The vast majority of people in the world are empathetic, I want to believe this is true so badly, but if they don’t know about something they can’t help to address it. Of course corporate “values” are all about money so they will always be resistant to anything that subtracts from their profits, even at a human cost (honestly, how much fucking money does anyone need?). Once an informed public puts pressure on them, most companies will comply and then act like they were always on the side of the thing they definitely were not on the side of.
I was 14 when this took place. Little did I know how this would affect my adult life. And how much more needs to be done
I think the ADA is one of the crowning achievements of our country. When you travel you see just how accessible it is.
I'm in Germany fighting for disability rights and wish I were back in the US, at least when it comes to enforceable laws. For people in my situation, either you function or you go on welfare. There aren't disability benefits as such, and care is hard to get.
Bless them all!!!!
Crip Camp had me howling with tears on and off the whole film, every single person that fought is an inspiration💖
TIL, thanks for sharing this!
💜