accessibility fail

[forthwritten]

SO. I have been at the NUS LGBT conference since Friday and just got back. I am beyond tired, thoroughly peopled-out and may well be losing my voice. I think I've had approximately 12 hours sleep since Thursday night and and my 5 portions of fruit and veg per day has mainly consisted of gin and lurid green apple stuff. I went to trans activism workshops and gave people backrubs and made horrible, horrible jokes with some of my favouritest people ever.

I also argued for a motion because of the epic, epic fail. I was tired, had a splitting headache from trying to read from a projection screen when I could barely make out the words, hungry due to last night's main course (a roasted vegetable and possibly sage & onion stuffing affair) containing Surprise Pineapple which I'm mildly allergic to and so unable to eat without my mouth burning, profoundly unimpressed with this state of affairs and complaining vehemently to anyone who'd listen, and therefore the disability rep decided I should be the one to speak. I only had a minute to speak; we came up with the following in about ten minutes and I am really rather pleased with it.

Conference, I do not define as myself as disabled. I have high degree myopia and without my glasses, I would be legally blind. Because I am able to make accommodations, I am aware of the potential but do not claim this identity.

I have been disempowered by this conference. This lack of thought has shown itself at nearly every level; the lack of ingredients listing, alternatives for food containing well-known allergens, limited working lifts, a venue impossible for those with spatial organisation issues to navigate, problems reading the powerpoint and problems hearing speakers so as as to make it impossible to make an informed vote.

Elis, disabled rep, wanted me as a non-disabled identified person to speak for this motion to highlight the fact that accessibility is not an identity issue but an issue regarding rights and frankly, common sense [the crowd goes wild]

Vote for this motion so everyone can take part in conference and represent our fellow students as we came here to do.

The motion was for proper planning when it came to accessibility issues, a knowledgeable survey of the building and more attention paid to dietary issues.

The motion was passed unanimously and, as far as I could see, with no absentations.

So much credit goes to Dreamwidth for making me aware of these issues and giving me the language to express them. I know I'm rubbish at commenting, but I am inspired by so many people here and the way accessibility issues are approached - with thoughtfulness, consideration and compassion. Today, I have changed conference policy, made things better for people and, I hope, inspired people who might never have been aware of accessibility issues. Perhaps they, in their turn, will find themselves standing up and fighting for accessibility.

Comments

[littlebutfierce]

Wow, go you! That's fantastic.

[forthwritten]

Thanks - wish accessibility hadn't even been an issue though. Still, there is lots of energy and discussion and awareness over it now, and we will be informing the hotel chain of exactly why we are boycotting them.

[askygoneonfire]

Good for you. That's some good policy right there- although a shame it took a motion to bring common sense - as you say - to the attention of the conference goers and organisers.

[forthwritten]

The hotel's organisation was terrible. There was another party there, members of which threatened and abused our delegates; hotel staff refused to do anything and we had to get the police involved. Ended up passing an emergency motion to never use that particular chain of hotels in future. Am really angry about that, but also rather ashamed - I wanted everyone to see how great Liverpool is, and instead it's going to be remembered as hostile and deeply unwelcoming.

[liseuse]

Wow! That's amazing, although incredibly sad that such epic fail took place and had to be reacted to.

[forthwritten]

Thank you, and yes, I wish that it hadn't even been an issue.

[such_heights]

Sent here by liseuse - I was also at conference! And thank you so much for what you said today, it was fantastic. I was relatively lucky with my access issues, as they were all food-related and there I could just go out and get my own stuff, but the wider problems were pretty terrible.

Also, this is possibly slightly embarrassing, but I spent the whole weekend thinking you were pretty fantastic - from Trans 102 and the mental health fringe (you might possibly remember me as the 'yay meds!' girl, haha) as well as conference floor, so excuse me while I subscribe. :)

[forthwritten]

I'm so glad you liked it!

Haha, I spent the weekend thinking you were pretty fantastic - I was so glad that someone was all "yay meds!". I mean, talking therapies are all well and good, mental health should be treated holistically but for crying out loud, not all mental health issues are going to be solved by a nice chat with someone aware of LGBT issues *subscribes back*

[liseuse]

I totally just did a 'proud parent' smile and mini-squee. I'm creating connections! It feels good!

[forthwritten]

N'awwww, look at your proud parentness! Yay networking!

[liseuse]

This kind of thing keeps happening on DW. It's awesome!

[yasaman]

That's so awesome that you spoke up, and came up with something so eloquent and thoughtful to say on such short notice!

[forthwritten]

Thank you! I really do not like public speaking - I was shaking before it - but I gave myself a kick up the arse and did it :D

[ironed_orchid]

That's excellent work.

[forthwritten]

Thank you :)

[jae]

Wow. How awesome are you folks? Hear, hear.

-J

[forthwritten]

I was so, so pleased with the response - it was so strongly supportive.

[marshtide]

Terrible that these things hadn't been thought through before, but damn good job on speaking about it.

[forthwritten]

Thanks. I think it's mainly the hotel's fault; they were awful both for allowing homophobic and transphobic abuse and for their epic accessibility fail. This will not be an issue that will go away.

[jeshyr]

The accessibility fail indeed seems impressively epic (horifically epic?) but CONGRATS on having the guts to stand up about it! And on behalf of myself as a crip, thank you - it's rare that an able bodied person will stand up and say about accessibility in a loud and public way. Thank you.

[forthwritten]

The gratitude is all mine - I've learnt so much from you and I don't think I would have had the words to say anything had it not been for you and the DW accessibility team.

I was pretty angry about it too (with all the outrage of a usually able-bodied person being reminded suddenly and forcefully of their limitations, hah) so it wasn't entirely altruistic, but it's not fair on the same few people to have to fight for this over and over again.