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"Felt like a criminal": Mother and disabled son "kicked out" of Pink concert

A distraught mother has taken to social media to recall the moment her and her seven-year-old son, who has Down syndrome, were asked to leave a concert venue. Vanessa Vasey, 48, spent over $1,000 to take her son Jesse to see Pink in London during her UK stadium tour, but when the pair arrived at the venue, things took a turn. Jesse struggled to stay still in his seat and was soon surrounded by "six security guards" who ordered the disabled boy to sit down, otherwise they would have to leave. She said she tried to explain her son’s condition to the guards but they ended up being “escorted from the premises” just as Pink took to the stage. On Facebook, Vasey wrote in detail about what happened, saying her son had been “robbed” of a special experience. “Music is his life and Pink is one of his absolute favourites,” she wrote. “We successfully saw her perform at BST Hyde Park last year and were thrilled to learn of her return again this year.” Vasey said she purchased more expensive “hospitality tickets” allowing people to move between bars and food outlets during the night “so that Jesse wouldn’t be pressured into remaining in one seat all night, as he gets overwhelmed in busy environments and finds it hard to sit still.” “We spent some time in the bar leading up to the main act, and Jesse was having a wonderful time, until about 45 minutes before Pink was due to come on, they suddenly shut all the blinds, obstructing us from seeing anything,” she wrote. “I tried to consult with the hospitality managers over this, and explained Jesse’s needs, but they wouldn’t budge on it. So not wanting Jesse to stare at a blind all night, we attempted to go into the seating zone." “We couldn’t get him to sit in his seat, but he was happy dancing and singing at the front railings, and even interacting with some of the other guests." “Doing no harm to anyone, or obstructing anyone’s view. This seemed OK for about half an hour or so. Then ... just as Pink dropped from the sky in her opening number, we had six security guards come into the zone and ask us to leave or sit in our seats.” Vasey said the security guards were “abrupt, intimidating and unpleasant”, as they "tried to force us to take Jesse to a sensory room which was soundproof, and watch Pink on a screen.” <div> </div> “Something we could do at home, robbing us of the whole experience, as if my son was some sort of inconvenience, and better off shut in a room out of sight.” When Vasey complained to venue staff, she claims that more security guards appeared and they had no choice but to leave. “We were escorted out of the building like criminals and saw no more of the Pink show. Jesse was utterly devastated, and they showed absolutely zero care or understanding." “Shame on you Tottenham Stadium,” she concluded. “My poor boy deserved so much better than this!” After UK media picked up Vasey's story, Tottenham Stadium released a statement explaining their actions. “Following further investigation, we can confirm that Ms Vasey was offered assistance by our Safeguarding and Welfare teams throughout the night to provide Jesse with a comfortable viewing experience, including access to our dedicated Sensory Room,” the statement read. “The offers of assistance were declined by Ms Vasey and the party chose to leave the event.” Vasey was soon set upon by online trolls who condemned her choice to take Jesse to the concert in the first place, to which she issues a lengthy statement about inclusivity and not singling people out for their disabilities. “Why do we take them [to events]? Because, as parents, we have the same dreams and aspirations for our children as any other parent,” she wrote. “We have the same desires to see our children’s faces light up, as any other parent would. Our children are exposed to the same world as other children, and they enjoy the same things." “They have the same likes and desires. The only thing that’s different is their needs, their abilities and their way of accessing their dreams." “Why should these things deny them of fulfilling these dreams and passions? This is meant to be a world of inclusion. So let’s start including!" “That means adapting, understanding, supporting and most importantly; changing the way we deliver these privileges so that they are privileges for all of us, and not just some of us.” Image credits: Facebook/Richard Isaac/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Travellers with disability often face discrimination. What should change and how to complain

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-stafford-1505408">Lisa Stafford</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Australia’s former disability discrimination commissioner, Graeme Innes, has settled his dispute <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-23/adelaide-airport-graeme-innes-disability-discrimination-dispute/103375068">with Adelaide Airport</a>. His complaint to the Human Rights Commission was lodged after being denied access to a body scanner with his assistance dog in <a href="https://graemeinnes.com/2022/05/17/airport-discrimination-dash-i-am-angry-as-hell-and-im-not-going-to-take-it-anymore/">May 2022</a>. Unfortunately, Innes’ experience will resonate widely with Australia’s <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/disability/people-with-disability-in-australia/contents/people-with-disability/prevalence-of-disability">4.4 million people with disability</a>. “People with disability know how challenging air travel can be, and that experience needs to be more inclusive,” said Innes, who was disability discrimination commissioner for nine years and is on the board of the <a href="https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/governance/board/board-profiles">National Disability Insurance Agency</a>. Experiences like Innes’ have been widely <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/03/australias-airlines-and-airports-urged-to-improve-treatment-of-travellers-with-disabilities">reported</a> and have happened to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/graeme-innes-fights-to-change-how-disabled-people-are-treated-when-they-fly-20220516-p5alqs.html">prominent Australians with disability</a>. The everyday experience of air travel is likely even more shocking. Change is happening, but it is moving slowly. <h2>Airport and airline ableism</h2> The Human Rights Commission received more than <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/awptor2023-submission-a16-australian-human-rights-commission.pdf">100 disability discrimination complaints against airlines</a> in the six years to 2022, including the period in which COVID restrictions saw air travel severely limited. Issues included: <ul> <li>assistance animal refusals</li> <li>inaccessible facilities</li> <li>inaccessible ticketing arrangements for people with vision impairments</li> <li>taxis and rideshare providers not turning up, long delays or refusing passengers with disability aids and/or assistance animals.</li> </ul> These issues highlight a system underpinned by unchallenged <a href="https://theconversation.com/ableism-and-disablism-how-to-spot-them-and-how-we-can-all-do-better-204541">ableism</a> – discrimination that favours people without disability. <h2>Freedom of movement</h2> An important right under the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-20-personal-mobility.html">United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities</a> is freedom of movement. This right seeks to enable all people to be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2023.2203307">included in society in ways they self-determine</a>. Ableism in air travel is a fundamental denial of independence and freedom of movement. Discrimination can be even more blatant and offensive. People have been removed from flights or denied boarding because there are <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/awptor2023-submission-a16-australian-human-rights-commission.pdf">limits on the number of wheelchair users who can access an aircraft</a> or because they require additional support to access facilities. People with disability report the removal of, or damage to, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-31/virgin-airline-wheelchair-damage-broken-compensation/103010472">personal mobility equipment</a>, and lack of suitable equipment. In the most severe cases, people have been <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australians-with-disabilities-suffer-dehumanising-treatment-at-airports-travel-news/b7de6139-258a-4e86-a615-031eb0e89074">injured during travel</a> or left stranded in dangerous circumstances. <h2>Inconsistency can fuel ableism</h2> Inconsistent policies and practices significantly impact travellers with disability. This is made worse by the fact that individual airlines and airports are encouraged by government to develop their own <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-access-forum-aaf/dafp">Disability Access Facilitation Plans</a>. So, it is not surprising when news reports highlight instances of assistance dogs being denied travel <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-15/jetstar-assistance-dog-policy-criticised/103221894">domestically</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/travel/jetblue-service-animal-dot-open-form.html">internationally</a>, even when they’ve <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-20/qantas-sued-over-assistance-dog/103223736">previously been approved</a> by other airlines. Lack of consistency, negative attitudes, stereotypes and prejudices in the air travel industry have resulted in <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/singapore-airlines-disability-discrimination-amputee-b2301471.html">reportedly aggressive eviction of passengers</a> with disability from exit rows. Others report being told to “<a href="https://qdn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Voice-of-Queenslanders-with-Disability-report.pdf">catheterise</a>” (to insert a tube through the urethra to the bladder) to avoid needing toilet facilities on an overseas flight. Many people with disability experience situations like Innes’ where they are subjected to alternative, sometimes undignified, processes. Ongoing experiences of ableism not only deny people with disability their rights to travel but can also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2023.2203307">damage their dignity</a>. Anticipation of discrimination can increase anxiety and stress for travellers with disability or prevent them travelling altogether. <h2>Slow reform</h2> These stories and many others point to the need for urgent reform. Stories shared by more than 60 participants in a special Disability Royal Commission session prompted its chair to <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/news-and-media/media-releases/chair-writes-ceos-airlines-and-airports#:%7E:text=The%20Chair%20of%20the%20Disability,their%20experiences%20with%20air%20travel">write directly to the CEOs</a> of Australian airlines and airports, urging them to work on solutions. The review and modernisation of the <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-accessibility/transport-disability-standards">2002 Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport</a> along with the upcoming release of the Australian government’s <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper">Aviation White Paper</a> could be key mechanisms to address systemic discrimination. But only if key recommendations from disability organisations and advocacy centres are adopted. They include: <ol> <li> <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/agp2023-submission-c170-australian-federation-of-disability-organisations-and-national-inclusive-transport-advocacy-network.pdf">specific standards</a> for air travel co-designed with people with disability and representative organisations. <a href="https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-04/Universal-Design-for-Transport-TAs-discussion-paper-20220421.pdf">Universal design</a> aims to make products and environments usable by all people, without adaptation. It can play an important role in overcoming the systemic barriers in infrastructure and service design to create more seamless and inclusive transport and air travel experiences </li> <li> <a href="https://piac.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/PIAC-Submission-to-Aviation-Green-Paper.pdf">reportable and enforceable standards</a> and independent oversight, such as funding the Human Rights Commission to oversee compliance. </li> </ol> <h2>Complaints are just one route</h2> The exclusion of people with disability from seamless airline travel is a violation of their fundamental right to freedom of movement. Decades of travel horror stories in the media, continuing legislative reviews and national enquiries should bring change. Everyone should be able to make journeys with dignity and autonomy. People with disability deserve the same travel privileges as non-disabled Australians. Governments and the aviation industry will need to collaborate to implement comprehensive accessibility measures, ranging from wheelchair-friendly facilities to trained staff capable of providing appropriate assistance. Embracing inclusivity in air travel not only aligns with the principles of equity but also contributes to a society that celebrates diversity. For now, there are a number of ways to raise complaints, including with the individual airline or with the <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/complaints/make-complaint">Human Rights Commission</a>. Raising complaints with the Human Rights Commission can be completed by anyone who experiences discrimination. Legal support and advice may also be sought from some state-based legal aid organisations. While complaints are one mechanism for change, more proactive methods for change include the disability royal commission’s recommendation for the design and implementation of a <a href="https://teamdsc.com.au/resources/inside-the-disability-royal-commission-s-final-report">Disability Rights Act</a>, which would see human rights enshrined in legislation and facilitate barrier-free travel. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, Research Fellow Dignity Project, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-stafford-1505408">Lisa Stafford</a>, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Inclusive Futures Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/travellers-with-disability-often-face-discrimination-what-should-change-and-how-to-complain-221740">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Heavily pregnant mum and disabled child kicked off plane

Siobhan Foster, her husband, and their disabled child were kicked off their flight after she was accused of being "aggressive" by a flight attendant. Foster, who is seven months pregnant, was onboard an easyJet flight to Ibiza to celebrate her brother's wedding. She struggled to find room for her carry-on in the overhead baggage compartment, so she asked a flight attendant to help her find space, but the response was reportedly "a sharp ‘Clearly Not’", which eventually led to a dispute. When things escalated, all 180 passengers were eventually told to disembark. One of Foster's outraged friends posted the <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/23859832/easyjet-passengers-kicked-off-pregnant-mum-stewardess-fight/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> on social media, and the Newtonabbey mum was seen collecting hand luggage while struggling to carry her toddler. “We’re being thrown off the plane today because of somebody thinking they’re better than everyone else,” the friend said. The easyJet stewardess responded: “Bye, bye bye," as the upset family walked down the stairs. Foster took to Facebook to complain about her experience with "sleezy jet". “So, I asked could you help me find somewhere, her reply was ‘You’ll need to find somewhere yourself’ even though there literally was nowhere," she wrote. She then claimed that she asked for help again, because she was heavily pregnant, to which the flight attendant allegedly said: "You’re being abusive and it’s not my job to help you.” Another flight attendant reportedly backed up her co-worker, but Foster argued that other airlines have been more helpful as she is pregnant. “Writing this, I understand it would make you think was I being abusive, but I honestly wasn’t and the whole plane can vouch for me,” Foster wrote. “People were actually putting this on [Facebook] about how bad I was treated.” After eventually finding a place for her bag, the pregnant mum was allegedly confronted by two other crew members who also accused her of being “aggressive.” Foster decided to ignore them because she was "crying" and "so upset," but the flight attendant reportedly started raising her voice. They were then kicked off, and were told it was because of Foster's aggression, but when Foster’s mum and brother asked for an exact reason, the crew members allegedly couldn't give them a direct response. After an hour, everyone had to disembark and the family were met by eight police officers and two Swissport employees and were told they would not be allowed back on the flight, despite other passengers being allowed back in. “So, that whole day we were in Belfast airport from one lunchtime to nine that night with our child, my legs were so swollen and sore with being on them all this time I was crying uncontrollably that this was happening to us for no reason whatsoever. “I’m so traumatized to the point I don’t know how I’ll ever fly again,” she wrote on Facebook. EasyJet has denied any wrongdoing and a spokesperson told the Daily Mail that "a group of passengers were "behaving disruptively." “EasyJet’s cabin crew and ground agents are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. “The Captain took the decision to ask all passengers on the flight to return to the terminal so the situation could be resolved and as soon as it was they re-boarded and the aircraft continued to Ibiza.” Despite the incident, the Foster family eventually made it to Ibiza the next day, just in time for the wedding, after catching a RyanAir flight out of Dublin. “Thankfully we got to Ibiza and made my brother’s wedding to say how stressed, upset, and overwhelmed I’ve been I honestly think I’ve no words,” she wrote. “EasyJet should be ashamed of themselves and I most definitely am taking this further, I’m still in shock of how we were treated especially being seven months pregnant and having a disabled child with us.” Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Ableism and disablism – how to spot them and how we can all do better

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> When the 2022 Australian of the Year was announced, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-defining-moments-of-dylan-alcotts-time-as-australian-of-the-year/anpkgw2gw">Dylan Alcott</a> wheeled onto the stage. Australian audiences are tuning in to watch TV shows featuring people with disability: <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/7/video/LE2021H003S00?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlMCoiYLY_gIVl1l9Ch2plwHkEAAYASAAEgKiC_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">You Can’t Ask That</a>, <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/love-on-the-spectrum">Love on the Spectrum</a> and <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/employable-me-australia">Employable Me</a>. The Disability Pride movement is gaining momentum and people with disability are becoming part of the diversity conversation. On the surface, it would appear we have come a long way in our collective attitudes towards disability. But two of society’s biggest “-isms” still go largely <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-27/harry-styles-concerts-marvel-stadium-accessibility-chloe-hayden/102025124">unnoticed and unaddressed</a>: ableism and disablism. What do these terms mean? And how can we all do better to dismantle them? <h2>Two types of discrimination</h2> Ableism and disablism both refer to types of disability discrimination. The nuance between the two words can cause confusion but are important for acknowledging, detecting, and dismantling the types of barriers people with disability encounter. <a href="https://www.attitude.org.au/uploads/120/Perspective%20Shift_Series%201_Study%20Guide_Nov_FINAL.pdf">Ableism</a> is discrimination that favours “able-bodied” people, or people without disability. Ableism prioritises the needs of people without disability. A building designed without a ramp or a lift for people who require them, a lack of captions for a meeting, and stadiums without <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/what-is-a-sensory-space-and-why-are-they-so-important-20230227-p5cnwy.html">low-sensory spaces</a> are all examples of ableism. <a href="https://www.sense.org.uk/information-and-advice/ableism-and-disablism/">Disablism</a> is the inherent belief that people with disability are inferior to those without disability. It is discrimination against people with disability, like those shared in the <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Rights%20and%20attitudes.pdf">Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability</a>. Disablism can be a more direct, conscious act of discrimination and abuse. Using disability slurs, ignoring someone, or speaking in a patronising way are common examples. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Weekly reminder: If your event doesn't have a virtual option, it's not inclusive or accessible. Thank you for coming to my Twitter talk on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ableism</a> — chantzy (@chantz_y) <a href="https://twitter.com/chantz_y/status/1653033877105934339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <h2>Ingrained and everywhere</h2> If we are honest, we can acknowledge ableism and disablism are ubiquitous in our language, our homes, children’s stories, media, at work and in our daily social interactions. Indeed, ableism and disablism can be so ingrained in our daily lives that most people are unaware of them. Both forms of discrimination can be subtle and insidious, making them difficult to detect and address. They often operate at systemic levels and are not identified as discrimination. A good example of systemic ableism is the forced segregation of people with disability into <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2022-03/Issues%20paper%20-%20Education%20and%20learning.pdf">“special” schools or “sheltered” workplaces</a> through limited choice and structural support of these options. Although the process of forcing people into these options no longer occurs in such blatantly disrespectful ways, the result is the same. Ableist and disablist attitudes are frequently encountered in daily conversation. Subtle ableism manifests in the use of well-intended “empathetic” comments, like “I can’t imagine losing my eyesight. That would be the worst.” These remarks, even when intended to prompt a connection between two people, reveal deep-seated beliefs and create a greater divide. People with disability, along with other marginalised communities, categorise these types of interactions as “<a href="https://hbr.org/2020/07/when-and-how-to-respond-to-microaggressions">microaggressions</a>”. Disablist attitudes are more overt. Comments like “If you are unable to walk down the ramp then you shouldn’t have gotten tickets to this concert” demonstrate the low expectations and damaging beliefs that impact on people’s opportunities for education, employment and social interaction. <h2>Challenging but worth it</h2> Combating disablism and ableism is a great challenge but one that is worthwhile. A broad spectrum of challenges is at play: confronting and disrupting the status quo, valuing diverse types of knowledge and experience and acknowledging the unconscious biases we all have. At a systemic and societal level, the way we design and deliver systems, polices, virtual and physical environments, products and experiences need to be co-designed in partnership with people with disability – or better yet, through disability-led initiatives. Generating new ideas and better ways of working will contribute to improvements in daily life for all people – just like ramps benefit parents pushing prams and people using mobility aids. The emphasis on <a href="https://anzsog.edu.au/research-insights-and-resources/research/the-promise-of-co-design-for-public-policy/">co-design</a> and engagement with people with disability is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">increasingly prevalent</a>. However, it is critical to conduct co-design in ways that are not tokenistic and don’t merely validate current practice. Frameworks like the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12847">Dignity Project Framework</a>, which includes principles of importance for engaging with people with disability, can better support a dignified process of co-design and citizen partnership. <h2>‘Not yet disabled’</h2> At an individual level, we all have a part to play in creating an inclusive future. Disability has been called the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html">world’s largest minority</a> and is a group any person can join at any time in their life. The late disability rights activist <a href="https://judithheumann.com/">Judith Heumann</a> preferred to use the term “not yet disabled” to emphasise that we will all experience impairment and disability at some stage. Thus, we may all confront ableism and disablism at some point. The way to prepare for that time is to actively acknowledge and challenge personal biases, learn about and advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the spaces where you live, work and play and amplify the voices of people with disability at every opportunity. As advocate <a href="https://tiltingthelens.com/about-us/#:%7E:text=As%20a%20passionate%20writer%2C%20podcast,of%20Fashion%2C%20and%20many%20more.">Sinead Burke from Tilting the Lens</a> says in <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-disability-portfolio-2023">British Vogue’s</a> May issue, "Accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and opportunity. This is a movement, not a moment. And it involves all of us.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204541/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />" <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelsey-chapman-1345505">Kelsey Chapman</a>, Research Fellow Dignity Project, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angel-dixon-1412256">Angel Dixon</a>, Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elizabeth-kendall-210342">Elizabeth Kendall</a>, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-kelly-1436986">Katie Kelly</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ableism-and-disablism-how-to-spot-them-and-how-we-can-all-do-better-204541">original article</a>.

Caring

"Broke my heart": Mum's outrage at stranger's comment about her disabled son

A Sydney mother has shared her shock and outrage after a stranger made "rude" comments about her son. Tori Boyadji and her friend Lyndal were walking through Collaroy Park in Sydney's north with Tori's two-year-old son Isaac, who has Down syndrome. The friends were stopped by a woman who looked at Isaac and exclaimed, "Ohh is this a little downsie?" Tori, 28, went on to recount how the stranger said she would "never want a kid with Down syndrome" herself. Ms Boyadji told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-mum-tori-boyadji-shocked-by-strangers-taunt-to-her-son/news-story/d8e3ee46ad9ed07ded6776987ff220f7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> that the stranger's comments left her feeling very upset. "Lyndal and I just looked at each other in disbelief – I’m not easily offended but this comment truly broke my heart," she said. "Why would you say that to two mums with their adorable kids right there?" Tori said Isaac is just like any other toddler, as he loved The Wiggles and going to the beach. "He also happens to have Down syndrome — but this is the least interesting part of him," she said. Rhonda Faragher, Associate Professor of Inclusion and Diversity at Queensland University, weighed in on the exchange, and shared her thoughts that the major issue lays with the fact that people believe those with Down syndrome need to change in some way. "In my view, it's not the language itself, it's what's behind the language," she explained to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-mums-shock-at-strangers-rude-comment-about-disabled-son-073246046.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a>. "That somebody in the community would feel [a child with Down Syndrome] would not be a child they'd like to have in their family without even knowing the child." "I think it's [disappointing] that other people don't understand that this is not a tragedy," she added. "Having a person with Down syndrome in your family, in your life, is actually a terrific blessing." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

How on-demand buses can transform travel and daily life for people with disabilities

People with disabilities arguably stand to gain the most from good public transport, but are continually excluded by transport systems that still aren’t adapted to their needs as the law requires. <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/ee5ee3c2-152d-4b5f-9901-71d483b47f03/aihw-dis-72.pdf.aspx?inline=true">One in six people</a> aged 15 and over with disability have difficulty using some or all forms of public transport. One in seven are not able to use public transport at all. Under the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00125">Disability Discrimination Act 1992</a>, Australia’s public transport systems were expected to be fully compliant with the 2002 <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-accessibility">Transport Standards</a> by December 31 2022. Not only have many of our bus, train and tram systems <a href="https://www.disabilitysupportguide.com.au/talking-disability/public-transport-remains-inaccessible-as-20-year-targets-are-not-met">failed to meet these targets</a>, but the standards themselves are outdated. The standards are <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-accessibility/2022-review-transport-standards">under review</a> and public consultation has begun. For buses, the standards <a href="https://www.mcw.com.au/why-public-transport-operators-must-review-their-vehicles-in-2022/">largely focus on the vehicles themselves</a>: low-floor buses, wheelchair ramps, priority seating, handrails and enough room to manoeuvre. But just because a vehicle is accessible doesn’t necessarily mean a bus journey is accessible. There are difficulties getting to and from the bus, limited frequency of accessible services, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17450101.2022.2126794">poor driver training, passenger conflict</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gusalexiou/2021/02/17/for-disabled-people-inclusive-transportation-is-about-much-more-than-lifts-and-ramps/?sh=322fc9c62b08">travel anxiety</a> and a lack of <a href="https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/transport-accessibility-intellectual-disability/">planning for diversity</a>. In all these ways, bus travel excludes people with disabilities. <div data-id="17"> </div> Infrastructure alone cannot overcomes these issues. <a href="https://translink.com.au/travel-with-us/on-demand">On-demand transport</a>, which enables users to travel between any two points within a service zone whenever they want, offers potential solutions to some of these issues. It’s already <a href="https://sifted.eu/articles/viavan-on-demand-transport/">operating</a> in <a href="https://ringandride.org/">cities</a><a href="https://www.bcgomi.com/">overseas</a> and is being <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-million-rides-and-counting-on-demand-services-bring-public-transport-to-the-suburbs-132355">trialled in Australia</a>. <h2>Accessible vehicles are just the start</h2> Making vehicles accessible is really only the tip of the iceberg. Focusing only on infrastructure misses two key points: <ol> <li> our public transport journeys begin before we board the service and continue after we’ve left it </li> <li> accessibility means providing people with quality transport experiences, not just access to resources. </li> </ol> Let’s imagine a typical suburban bus journey. It is industry accepted that passengers are <a href="https://australasiantransportresearchforum.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2013_rose_mulley_tsai_hensher.pdf">generally willing to walk about 400 metres</a> to a bus stop. That is based, of course, on the assumption that passengers are able-bodied. Long distances, steep hills, neglected pathways, few kerb cuts and poorly designed bus shelters all hinder individuals with disabilities from getting to the bus in the first place. This issue resurfaced in the 2020 report <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/ee5ee3c2-152d-4b5f-9901-71d483b47f03/aihw-dis-72.pdf.aspx?inline=true">People with Disability in Australia</a>, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. More than one in four respondents with disabilities said getting “to and from stops” was a major obstacle to using public transport. But other barriers to making services inclusive are even more difficult to see. People with disabilities are forced to plan extensively when to travel, how to travel, who to travel with and what resources they need to complete the journey. Even the best-laid plans involve <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gusalexiou/2021/02/17/for-disabled-people-inclusive-transportation-is-about-much-more-than-lifts-and-ramps/?sh=322fc9c62b08">added emotional energy or “travel anxiety”</a>. <h2>What solutions are there?</h2> <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-million-rides-and-counting-on-demand-services-bring-public-transport-to-the-suburbs-132355">On-demand transport</a> offers potential solutions to some of these issues. Its key feature is flexibility: users can travel between any two points within a service zone, whenever they want. This flexibility can be harnessed to design more inclusive bus services. Without a fixed route or timetable, on-demand services can pick up passengers at their home and drop them directly at their destination. This door-to-door service eliminates the stressful journey to and from a bus stop and their destinations. And with services available on demand, users can plan their travel to complement their daily activities instead of the availability of transport dictating their daily activities. The technology behind on-demand transport also helps reduce the need for customers to consistently restate their mobility needs. Once a customer creates a profile, extra boarding and alighting time is automatically applied to all future bookings. This eliminates the exhaustive process of added planning, and enables drivers to deliver a better experience for all of their passengers. <h2>Examples of on-demand services</h2> Cities around the globe are already using on-demand services to overcome transport disadvantage for people with disabilities. BCGo is one such service in Calhoun County, Michigan. A recent yet-to-be-published survey of BCGo users shows 51% of respondents face mobility challenges that affect their ability to travel. Some 30% have “conditions which make it difficult to walk more than 200 feet” (61m). That means the industry’s assumed walkable distance (400m) is 6.5 times the distance that’s realistically possible for many users of the service. Ring & Ride West Midlands is the UK’s largest on-demand project. It operates across seven zones with over 80 vehicles. The service, recently digitised using <a href="https://www.liftango.com/">Liftango</a>’s technology, is designed to provide low-cost, accessible transport. It can be used for commuting, visiting friends, shopping and leisure activities. Ring & Ride serves as an example of how on-demand service can provide sustainable and equitable transport at scale. It’s completing over 12,000 trips per month. <h2>A call to action for Australian governments</h2> Government policy needs to address not only inadequate bus infrastructure, but those invisible barriers that continue to exclude many people from bus travel. We need a cognitive shift to recognise accessibility is about creating quality experiences from door to destination for everyone. This needs to be paired with a willingness to explore solutions like on-demand transport. Transport authorities worldwide are already embracing these solutions. We cannot continue to rely on the community transport sector to absorb the responsibility of providing transport for people with disabilities, particularly as <a href="https://theconversation.com/eight-simple-changes-to-our-neighbourhoods-can-help-us-age-well-83962">our populations age</a>. Now is the time to have your say. The Transport Standards are <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-accessibility/2022-review-transport-standards">open for public consultation</a> until June 2023. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-on-demand-buses-can-transform-travel-and-daily-life-for-people-with-disabilities-199988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Woman slammed for asking disabled man to move on the bus

A woman has been slammed online for asking a disabled man on a bus to move so that she and her daughter could sit together. The 32-year-old mother took to Reddit’s “Am I The A**hole?” platform to ask social media users if she was in the wrong. In the post, she wrote that her and her five-year-old daughter boarded the bus at a “busy stop”, noting that “there were no empty seats available, except for one near a person using a wheelchair” – who she described as a man aged about 40. “I asked the person if [he] could move [his] wheelchair to another spot so that my daughter and I could sit together, but the person declined,” she wrote. The man in the wheelchair responded to her request and said no, saying he needed the space for his “mobility device”. “I was taken aback and frustrated by his response,” she wrote. She told the man that her daughter “was very young and needed to sit next to me for safety reasons” – yet the person still “refused to move”. “I ended up having to stand for the entire ride with my daughter in tow, which was uncomfortable and tiring for both of us,” she said. The woman recalled how she told her friend about the public transport incident, to which her friend told her she was being “insensitive and ableist”. The writer’s friend told her “that the person in the wheelchair had a right to the space” he needed, and “that it was unfair” of her to ask the man in the wheelchair to move on such a crowded bus. “Now, I’m questioning whether or not I was wrong for asking the person to move,” the mother concluded her post. The post, which has racked up thousands of comments, was flooded by horrified users questioning how someone could ask a disabled person to move out of their designated space. “Imagine being so entitled that you genuinely think standing up on your perfectly good, working legs is so awful and tiring that you ask someone who is physically unable to stand to get out of your way,” one person wrote. “The five-year-old could have just stood. Seriously, when did five-year-olds become so fragile that they can’t stand for a bus trip. Parenting like this damages children. They are being taught that they are pathetic,” someone else wrote. Another person defended the mum’s insistence that her daughter be able to sit down for the bus ride. “It’s about safety. Children can easily fall in buses because they can’t reach the places to hold onto, since those are made for adults,” they wrote. But others who “used to take the bus a lot” declared that “mothers with kids are the most entitled bus users [that] exist”. “One can only hope [the woman] comes to realise how lucky she is she can even stand and walk without any trouble at all, and that the next time there are no seats on the bus, she would just suck it up for a few minutes of the ride,” one wrote. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Disabled woman slams Jetstar for “extremely humiliating” treatment

A woman has said she was humiliated at the end of her flight after Jetstar staff couldn’t provide her with a wheelchair for her, forcing her to leave the plane by crawling. Natalie Curtis has been in a wheelchair since high school but said she has never been as humiliated as she was left to crawl to her wheelchair after flying from Singapore to Bangkok. While she was provided a standard “aisle” wheelchair to board the plane, Ms Curtis was told she would have to pay to use another chair to get off the plane - a service which is usually free. “I didn’t really comprehend it and I was like, ‘No, I’m not paying to be able to get off this plane’,” Ms Curtis told Sunrise. With her friend Natasha Elford unable to carry her due to a knee injury, Ms Curtis crawled on the floor past eight rows until she could reach her chair. “It was extremely humiliating,” she said. Ms Elford said she was in shock while watching the ordeal and that she was “absolutely gutted”. “I was like, ‘Is this actually happening?’” she told the program on Monday. “I couldn’t physically lift her so I felt really hopeless and I couldn’t believe this was really happening.” She added that she tried to find out if a wheelchair could be fast tracked to Ms Curtis, but said the flight attendants “didn’t really try to do anything”. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnatalie.hodges.50%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0ewJHd3156WaV46vd8LHJWCwLrxBQraSgSfAP1dZqcfPc47oo4WkNmCj7VWjda6Rl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="393" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> A spokesperson for the budget airline said Jetstar had sincerely apologised to Ms Curtis and had offered her a refund and additional compensation. “We unreservedly apologise to Ms Curtis for her recent experience while travelling with us,” they said. “We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable travel experience for all our customers, including those requiring specific assistance.” The spokesperson added that Jetstar staff don’t charge for using a wheelchair, and that an inquiry into the incident had found a language barrier led to the miscommunication of a fee. “At no point was an aisle chair withheld due to a request for payment,” they said. Ms Curtis isn’t the only person to have experienced such an incident over wheelchair use, and her experience comes as disability advocates call for a complete overhaul of the treatment of passengers by airlines. In August, Brad Wszola had to be carried by his wife and a staff member over the gap between the air bridge and the Jetstar plane he was trying to board to fly from Darwin to Cairns, per <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/06/second-class-citizen-man-lifted-on-to-plane-as-darwin-airport-had-no-ramp-for-wheelchair-users" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a>. “Watching these people having to lift me, to bend down, Jen had to bend down below the level of the floor of the plane, bend over and grab the bottom of the aisle chair to lift me … That put myself at risk, also the staff at risk and Jenny at risk,” Mr Wszola said. “She was the one helping lift me into the plane.” Mr Wszola even encountered issues prior to leaving Darwin, with his wheelchair being sent to the baggage carousel rather than the air bridge on his arrival. After his wife made multiple requests via email to Darwin airport and Jetstar, she was told a ramp wasn’t provided to bridge the gap as it was a low-cost airline - but a ramp has since been provided to the airport after The Guardian contacted Jetstar. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Just made a cute little video about how <a href="https://twitter.com/Qantas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Qantas</a> broke my wheelchair and won’t fix it 🙃🙃🙃🙃 <a href="https://t.co/CnFXazJ1ox">pic.twitter.com/CnFXazJ1ox</a> — Zoe Simmons | she/her (@ItbeginswithZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ItbeginswithZ/status/1577502974796247041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2022</a></blockquote> Earlier this month, Qantas reversed its decision not to refund Zoe Simmons, whose wheelchair was damaged on a flight from Sydney to Canberaa, after she took her complaints to social media. In a column for <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/disability-advocate-lashes-qantas-over-broken-wheelchair/news-story/72ae759ca7960ab607610c5ebd6c8bca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, Simmons explained that damage to her chair brakes had left it “unusable” and was initially told Qantas wouldn’t reimburse her or repair her chair, which she needs as someone living with the nerve disorder fibromyalgia. “I am so angry that this is how wheelchair users are treated by airlines, over and over. And it’s not just Qantas: it’s a systemic issue, because the system is so very broken,” she wrote. With the airline reaching out to apologise and offering to pay for her wheelchair repairs, Simmons questioned whether she would have received such a response if she hadn’t taken matters into her own hands. “I wonder: would this resolution have occurred, had I not made a fuss about it?” she wrote. “I shouldn’t have to hope to be an exception to the norm. The norm should be that disabled people are looked after, treated well, and able to get the same resolution I’ve been able to get here.” Image: Sunrise

Travel Trouble

"I am devastated": Disabled boy's modified tricycle stolen

A tricycle that has been modified to service a child with severe disabilities has been stolen from his front yard, just days after he received it. Mayer Dow, a 12-year-old boy who lives with Coffin-Lowry Syndrome, had waited years for the custom-designed piece of equipment, only for it to be stolen from his place in Melbourne. "I am devastated," Mayer's mother Rosalie told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/boy-with-disability-has-specially-built-tricycle-stolen-melbourne/d34cd40d-00e5-453c-b65d-9a6a80319c9d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. "I really don't understand. I understand desperate people do desperate things." The tricycle was specifically designed for Mayer's special needs, as using it is the only exercise he gets aside from using his walking frame. Rosalie said it took years of special requests and paperwork to get him the trike, making it useless to the thieves as it has been heavily customised to meet Mayer's needs. After being diagnosed with Coffin-Lowry Syndrome, a rare disorder which affects his intellectual and physical development, Mayer was unable to take part in simple childhood activities like riding a bike, until he received his tailor-made tricycle. "He is extremely excited because he's seen other people riding a bike and he's never had the capacity," Rosalie said. The devastated mother said she simply wants the tricycle returned, as the theft has been reported to Victoria Police. Image credits: 9News

Caring

Not just ramps and doorways – disability housing is about choosing where, how and who you live with

Home ownership among young people is falling sharply, while renters face worrying insecurity. Nowhere is this more pronounced than for the 4.4 million Australians living with a disability and, in particular, the 660,000 plus Australians with an intellectual disability. For the majority of these people, owning a home is impossible without financial support from their families. With the loss of this support, they can find themselves in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-forgotten-660-000-locked-out-of-home-ownership-74926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">precarious or even abusive situations</a>. Stuck in a cycle of temporary accommodation or forced into group homes (or even nursing homes) <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/202203/Overview%20of%20responses%20to%20the%20Group%20homes%20Issues%20paper.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with little control</a> over where and who they live with. If the entire premise of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is to give people more choice and autonomy over their lives, then that must extend to people’s fundamental needs for appropriate housing. To uphold the <a href="https://accessandinclusionindex.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access and inclusion</a> rights of people with a disability, their housing needs must be a priority. One alternative gaining traction in Australia is the <a href="https://buildinglifeskills.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co-design, co-living model</a> which could offer a range of benefits for people living with a disability. Living at the end of the road People in Australia living with a disability have <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-just-leave-it-to-the-ndis-to-create-cities-that-work-to-include-people-with-disability-93419" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less access</a> to services, social activities, and green spaces compared to people without a disability. Over the last decade, market-driven approaches to disability housing in Australia have favoured cost effectiveness and replication, leading to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10901-016-9499-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">limited design diversity, innovation and choice</a>. At a planning level, this has produced <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272366148_Movement_on_Shifting_Sands_Deinstitutionalisation_and_People_with_Intellectual_Disability_in_Australia_1974-2014%20&%20https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/disability-accessibility-and-sustainable-urban-development.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">socially isolated dwellings</a> with inadequate consideration of mobility, access to nature, and access to community spaces and services. We know the built environment around us can have <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/built-environment-and-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">positive and negative effects on our health</a> – from determining activity levels, to food access, to our contact with nature and social spaces. It also affects the air we breathe, water we drink and shelter from the elements. Residents of highly green neighbourhoods, for instance, have <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5420708_Associations_of_neighbourhood_greenness_with_physical_and_mental_health_Do_walking_social_coherence_and_local_social_interaction_explain_the_relationships" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.37 and 1.6 times greater odds</a> of better physical and mental health than those who perceive their neighbourhood as less green. Profit-driven design In general, commercial housing developments are not accessible. Designs are driven by costs and wide scale trends. When required, housing may meet the minimum accessibility requirements but almost never considers the end-user needs. This can create inappropriate environments, which then <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275226130_The_Provision_of_Visitable_Housing_in_Australia_Down_to_the_Detail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">require modification</a> for individuals – a wasteful and costly approach. Even housing with the express design purpose of being accessible can fail. A recent survey found <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275226130_The_Provision_of_Visitable_Housing_in_Australia_Down_to_the_Detail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only 44% of accessible housing</a> complied with the <a href="https://livablehousingaustralia.org.au/design-guidelines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liveable Housing Design Guidelines</a>. Conversely, when we focus on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2022.2060343" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successful housing projects</a> for people living with a disability, we see common architectural features: inviting communal spaces; private individual dwellings; commercial opportunities for residents; and on-site support. Well-designed buildings “speak” to their environments too – be it the footpath or the grove – and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/arq-architectural-research-quarterly/article/abs/sustainable-community-and-environment-in-tropical-singapore-highrise-housing-the-case-of-bedok-court-condominium/E65ABF71130F6881C1904F651C1DDA4F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foster community</a> connection. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> We look forward to working with <a href="https://twitter.com/billshortenmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@billshortenmp</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianLabor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianLabor</a> to get <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NDIS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NDIS</a> participants the housing they need, when they need it. That means faster, accurate decisions on housing and support. Australians with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/disability?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#disability</a> deserve the security of living in their own home. <a href="https://t.co/47TULoiptM">pic.twitter.com/47TULoiptM</a> — Summer Foundation (@SummerFoundtn) <a href="https://twitter.com/SummerFoundtn/status/1537601252116381699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote> Could co-housing be the answer? Many recipients of the NDIS would <a href="https://theconversation.com/ndis-needs-the-market-to-help-make-up-at-least-60-shortfall-in-specialist-disability-housing-93479" target="_blank" rel="noopener">like to live independently</a> in their own home but with easy access to onsite support. A connected model could be the answer. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10901-016-9499-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Co-housing</a> is the idea of semi-communal living that includes shared facilities and public space, self-governance, and design input from potential residents. Studies show how health and well-being is improved by living in deliberate and dedicated co-housing. This may be explained by <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Exploring-the-relationship-between-social-and-Wardle/b4b89ebee41b03434bf2df234930d9e705679b1c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greater social inclusion and less loneliness</a>. People in co-housing also have reduced care needs compared to those living in conventional circumstances – <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.17269/s41997-018-0163-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13% of residents compared to 22%</a>, a gap which widens significantly with age. More research is needed, but there also seems to be a link between less <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263247830_Community_and_Civil_Society_Returns_of_Multi-generation_Cohousing_in_Germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chronic disease and lower impairment</a> and co-housing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> One in four Americans has a serious cognitive or physical disability. Could co-housing change their lives forever? <a href="https://t.co/S0og5JTALe">https://t.co/S0og5JTALe</a> <a href="https://t.co/dMVCCjEUm4">pic.twitter.com/dMVCCjEUm4</a> — Reasons to be Cheerful (@RTB_Cheerful) <a href="https://twitter.com/RTB_Cheerful/status/1304801963645730818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2020</a></blockquote> These ideas in practice We were involved as designers of a proposed co-housing project in Perth’s south-east in Western Australia. The idea was instigated by the clients and families of <a href="https://buildingfriendships.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Building Friendships</a>, a disability service provider that facilitates social outings and short trips to assist with developing life skills through community interactions. The project uses co-site selection and co-design sessions with end-users to create better design outcomes and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262690855_Transformational_Practices_in_Cohousing_Enhancing_Residents'_Connection_to_Community_and_Nature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">build social capital</a> from the beginning. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465305/original/file-20220525-13-lxxvsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="artist's image of proposed housing development with trees around" /></a><figcaption>The Perth project is based on a co-housing model. Author provided</figcaption></figure> The design includes 20 private pod houses with a central hub where residents gather, cook, socialise, and learn new skills including gardening in an existing and successful veggie growing enterprise. There are also on-site support services. The project draws inspiration from domestic projects such as <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/625274/walumba-elders-centre-iredale-pedersen-hook-architects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walumba Elders Centre</a> in Warman, WA, and international examples such as the <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/981031/group-home-on-hilltop-sogo-aud?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Group Home on Hilltop</a> in Hachioji, Japan. At the heart of these examples lies good locations, good buildings, and opportunities to live alongside others: community, amenity and quality of space. This shouldn’t really be unusual or remarkable. Fundamental to this approach is simply raising the bar for people living with a disability to that of everyone else.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183523/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-cameron-1328562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robert Cameron</a>, Associate Lecturer/Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/daniel-jan-martin-1349031" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Jan Martin</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-van-eyk-1349999">Emily Van Eyk</a>, Lecturer & Architect, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-just-ramps-and-doorways-disability-housing-is-about-choosing-where-how-and-who-you-live-with-183523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Real Estate

DJ slammed for playing offensive song to disabled prom queen

A DJ has faced major backlash online after playing Ed Sheeran’s hit single “thinking out loud” as a handicapped prom queen took to the dance floor in her wheelchair. The opening line of the song being “when your legs don’t work like they used to before” was played for Sarah – who was in her wheelchair set to dance with the prom king. Things certainly turned awkward as those in the crowd gasped. Sarah Mendenhall, 23, suffers from a rare neurological condition called Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), which causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, was crowned as prom queen at her school dance when the unfortunate incident took place. A video posted to TikTok by classmate Celeste Orozco showed the two standing in the center of the dance floor while someone placed crowns on their heads; but when the song came on, many people at the event became uncomfortable. Numerous onlookers in the crowd showed their discomfort by letting out gasps and yelling at the DJ, whose identity remains unknown. 'This would haunt me the rest of my life if I were the DJ,' Celeste captioned the clip, which has been viewed more than 17 million times. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@celesteiliana__/video/7114819205861608747" data-video-id="7114819205861608747"> <section><a title="@celesteiliana__" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@celesteiliana__" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@celesteiliana__</a> a prom queen crowning moment to remember <a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyp</a> <a title="foryoupage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#foryoupage</a> <a title="highschool" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/highschool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#highschool</a> <a title="promqueen" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/promqueen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#promqueen</a> <a title="♬ original sound - Celeste Orozco" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7114819186958715694" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Celeste Orozco</a></section> </blockquote> However, Sarah wants everyone to know that she wasn't offended by the song choice. 'Hey everyone so this is me,' she wrote in the comment section of the viral clip. 'I found it really funny and ironic.' She added that she 'didn’t know what was playing until way after' because she was so focused on trying to 'dance.' Celeste added, 'We had a great prom night and a good laugh about it the next day.' It appeared that Sarah, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease in October 2016, had an amazing night despite the mishap, posting a clip of herself spinning around in the wheelchair on the dance floor to her own TikTok account, writing, 'Just making a core memory. Thats all.' Images: TikTok

Body

“Not treated as human beings”: Disabled children left behind in Ukraine

An investigation by a human rights organisation has found that children with severe disabilities have been “dumped” in children’s homes that are too overrun to care for them. <a href="https://www.driadvocacy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disability Rights International</a> carried out the investigation, finding that the children were tied to their beds in understaffed institutions whose remaining staff were unable to cope. Halyna Kurylo, a representative of the organisation, visited an institution in south west Ukraine and said the children there were not being “treated as human beings”. “Because of their disabilities, they’re not treated as human beings, they are only kept alive here,” Ms Kurylo said. “My heart breaks as a mother of two children. “Even though they’re in a safe place, their state will deteriorate because they are not getting any kind of stimulation, any kind of rehabilitation and to me, this is further disabling them.” After gaining exclusive access to a western Ukrainian institution, the BBC reported that its staff has been caring for 22 teenage girls from the east who were left behind by their carers, who fled to other countries with “the less disabled children”. “They (former carers) were so selfish that they ran out of here as fast as they could,” Vasyl Markulin, the director of the institution, told the BBC. “I thought they would come here and tell us who had epilepsy, who was incontinent and so on. “But then they sat here until lunchtime and left.” The report from the human rights organisation comes just over a month after the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities warned that the lives of an estimated 2.7 million people with disabilities could be at risk in the conflict. “People with disabilities have limited or no access to emergency information, shelters and safe havens, and many have been separated from their support networks, leaving them unable to respond to the situation and navigate their surroundings,” the council said in a statement. The council indicated that a lack of reports of people with disabilities having reached the border or been internally displaced suggests that many haven’t been able to flee to safety. #Ukraine: As a result of Russia's military aggression, the UN Cttee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities urges States+UN+civil society+stakeholders to ensure people w/ #disabilities are accounted for, protected+provided w/ access to humanitarian aid: https://t.co/mTHVpZ1Lbn pic.twitter.com/JorLknN3kx — UN Treaty Bodies (@UNTreatyBodies) April 14, 2022 “The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires States to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities when meeting their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law,” the statement continued. “Ratified by both the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the Convention requires States to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of people with disabilities in situations of risk, including armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies.” The committee called on Russia to end its hostilities immediately and urged both countries, UN agencies, and others involved in the conflict to “recognise and respond to the pleas and requirements of people with disabilities” caught in the middle. “Measures need to be taken to ensure that all people with disabilities are accounted for, protected and provided with immediate access to humanitarian aid, taking into account their individual support requirements,” the committee said, concluding that it would continue to monitor the situation. To see the full BBC story, click here. Image: BBC News (YouTube)

Caring

What is adaptive clothing and how can it make life easier for people with a disability?

Have you ever tried to do up a zip or button a shirt one-handed? Put on a pair of jeans while seated? Do you know someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder, who can’t stand the feeling of certain fabrics against their skin? If your feet are different sizes, or you only have one foot, how do you buy shoes? Advances in “adaptive clothing” aim to address these problems. Adaptive clothes are specially designed for people with a disability. This can mean providing <a href="https://hypebeast.com/2013/10/under-armour-creates-the-worlds-first-one-handed-magnetic-zipper">one-handed zippers on shoes</a>, replacing buttons with <a href="https://au.tommy.com/tommy-hilfiger-adaptive">magnetic closures</a> or designing clothing and footwear so you can get dressed while in <a href="https://jamthelabel.com/pages/adaptations">a seated position</a>. The key to effective adaptive clothing is catering for the vast array of needs different consumers have, while maintaining style and fashionability. Recently, fashion brands have begun to provide on-trend clothing with new styles, combining fashion and technology for people with a variety of disabilities. Here are five different ways fashion is approaching adaptive clothing. <h2>1. Magnets, not buttons</h2> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/behold-the-worlds-first-one-handed-zipper-7278212/">Under Armour</a> were one of the first to adopt a magnetic zipper in clothing. Their redesigned jacket zip called MagZip uses magnets to connect the ends of the zip, making clothing easier to do up one-handed. Magnets have also been used in shirts, pants and other garments in lieu of buttons. These enable individuals who don’t have the dexterity or ability to use buttons to better dress themselves. <h2>2. Shoes without laces</h2> Different iterations of shoes also aim to make the process of tying laces easier, or remove the need all together. Zips can <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/au/kids%E2%80%99-freshfeet%E2%84%A2-adaptive-high-top-trainers-5-small---7-large/p/P60282243.html">replace traditional laces</a>, enabling shoes to be done up one-handed. Another design is Nike’s <a href="https://news.nike.com/news/nike-go-flyease-hands-free-shoe">Go FlyEase</a>, a sneaker utilising a hinge design. The wearer steps into the shoe and the hinge opens, holding the shoe in place. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZTRsiWa79rY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The first FlyEase shoes proved popular with a wider audience, <a href="https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/nike-go-flyease-resale-prices/">creating supply issues and a large resale market</a>. This shoe is an example of <a href="https://universaldesign.ie/what-is-universal-design/">Universal Design</a> – a principle which proposes products should be designed in such a way that anybody can use them. <h2>3. Clothing for the wearer</h2> Many people with autism <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-021-05140-3">are sensitive</a> to certain fabrics or to tags and clothing labels. Adaptive brands, such as <a href="https://jamthelabel.com/pages/adaptations">JAM the Label</a>, screen-print labels, avoiding physical tags and offer a range of hyposensitive bamboo and linen fabrics. Baby onesies and traditional bathers which cover the stomach are not always practical for everyone. Their design can be restrictive to people who are tube feed or use ostomy pouches. Among other designs, Australian adaptive clothing manufacturer <a href="https://wonsie.com.au/">Wonsie</a> sells garments with stomach access for both children and adults who require frequent access to the stomach, meaning medical devices need not be a barrier to fashion. <h2>4. 3D printing and custom designs</h2> In the past, adaptive products were often designed to be unobtrusive, such as black wheelchairs or flesh-coloured prostheses and hearing aids. But this is changing too. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434889/original/file-20211201-13-qghrsa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434889/original/file-20211201-13-qghrsa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="A boy with a blue hearing aid plays guitar" /></a> Advances in 3D printing technology means devices, such as hearing aids, can come in many different designs and colours. Shutterstock 3D printing and advanced manufacturing are allowing for great flexibility and customised designs of various devices and fashion items. Open Bionics used 3D printing to create the <a href="https://openbionics.com/hero-arm/">Hero Arm</a>, a bionic arm powered by muscle movements. By using 3D printing to customise the arm to the user, the company is also able to provide users options around designs ranging from colours to branded content: a blend of function and fashion. <h2>5. Unique sales platforms</h2> The technology behind adaptive fashion is not limited to product design: it is also used in sales and marketing, too. <a href="https://everyhuman.com.au/pages/single-shoes">Every Human’s Unpaired system</a> allows consumers to purchase single shoes, while searching by size, width and a range of adaptive features such as easy to put on, and friendly for those who are wearing ankle/foot orthosis. This can benefit people who have different sized or shaped feet or with prosthetics, where traditional shoes would not suit. While it seems like a relatively simple idea, this requires brands to have more sophisticated ordering systems. Products must be itemised individually, rather than in traditional pairs, and tagged with additional features such as left or right shoe, and which adaptive features each side possesses, so consumers can search by their needs. <h2>Adapting beyond technology</h2> Like many consumers, people with a disability simply want to be able to shop in physical or online stores and find clothing they like and that fits. So while technology is helping retailers offer an increasing range of adaptive clothing, it is not the only solution. The next step is to not only think about the clothing itself, but also about the wearer and how they want to shop. All fashion brands should be adapting their items to the vast array of consumer needs: the technology is already here.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171496/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gary-mortimer-1322">Gary Mortimer</a>, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-pallant-8729">Jason Pallant</a>, Senior Lecturer of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-pallant-551705">Jessica Pallant</a>, Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-adaptive-clothing-and-how-can-it-make-life-easier-for-people-with-a-disability-171496">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Beauty & Style

Good design lies at the heart of normalising disability – NZ’s new Ministry for Disabled People must make it a priority

While working as a nurse in a busy hospital I began to use a magnifying glass, as I could no longer read the small print on medication vials. I regarded this adaptation as a part of my professional responsibility to keep patients safe. Others didn’t see it the same way. I was asked to stop using the magnifying glass because it apparently reduced public trust in the care I provided patients and families. This is just one personal example of how those with a disability are often forced to confront negative language, values and beliefs to engage with the world personally and professionally. This goes right to conventional definitions of the word “disability” itself, which stem from a medical model that promotes the disability over the person, manifesting in the kinds of attitudes I and many others encounter in everyday life. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432072/original/file-20211115-27-1l55r4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni says the new ministry will ‘replace a fragmented system where there is no single agency responsible’. GettyImages <h2>Shifting attitudes</h2> Historically, disability was identified as an individual health problem, rendering invisible the variety and normality of living with a disability. So the creation of a <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/454501/government-announces-new-ministry-for-disabled-people-and-accessibility-law">Ministry for Disabled People</a>, and the principles set out in the <a href="https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/information-releases/cabinet-papers/2021/accelerating-accessiblity/accelerating-accessibility-in-new-zealand-october.html">Accelerating Accessibility in New Zealand</a> cabinet paper, offer a unique opportunity for progress. The new ministry aims to place disability alongside gender, age and ethnicity in terms of state representation. It should help raise the profile of disabled people while normalising their need for access to things others take for granted. But while the ministry can potentially change the narratives around disability at a structural level, the challenge will be in shifting societal and individual attitudes. As <a href="https://workbridge.co.nz/">Workbridge</a> CEO Jonathan Mosen has stressed, disabled people face an employment crisis due to their low “visibility” in the community and consequently low societal expectations that in turn reduce their opportunities. <h2>Better design for disability</h2> Improving visibility and accessibility at a practical level will depend to a large extent on good design. Take the <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-resources-and-tools/nz-covid-tracer-app">NZ COVID Tracer app</a>, for example, where accessibility relies on the environment in which it’s used. How often have you seen the QR code for shops or cafes placed high up on a window or counter? For those with restricted mobility these are impossible to scan independently. Similarly, people who are blind or have low vision have difficulty finding the QR code and lining up their smartphones to scan. While guidelines for the placement of QR codes are specific, the environment they’re used in often precludes better accessibility. Improvements such as near field communication (<a href="https://nfc-forum.org/what-is-nfc/about-the-technology/">NFC</a>) technologies (currently being tested by the Ministry of Health) and size reduction of QR codes all help. But imagine a world in which the built environment was designed from the outset for accessibility. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432079/original/file-20211115-13-1bv392u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Woman scanning QR code on shop window" /> Everyday activities like scanning a QR code should not be a challenge for disabled people. GettyImages <h2>Harnessing lived experience</h2> Meeting recently with several app project managers to discuss accessibility, I was reminded of the need for accessible design to be considered from the inception of a project. While intentions were good, the lack of guidelines and limited lived experience of disability were evident. Good results are overly dependent on the motivation of the project team, rather than on established rules and goals. Many industries include the input of the eventual end users in the design process, but other user subsets – such as disabled people – have long been overlooked. Separating disability from the health sector at a socio-political level is a good start because it turns traditionally negative perceptions into ones of possibility. But is it enough to overcome both structural barriers and unconscious bias in the community? I believe harnessing the lived experience of disabled people is key to changing the face of disability and design at both a societal and personal level. <h2>Changing the narrative</h2> As the <a href="https://www.gcop.co.nz/">Global Centre of Possibility</a>’s Minnie Baragwanath explains, tackling some of the limitations of dominant design practices will be key. New design paradigms will be required that respond to the complexity, volatility, uncertainty and ambiguity that disabled people often navigate in the contemporary world. New Zealand could learn from the UK and US, where equity for the disabled is being pursued through regulation and legislation. In 2019 I attended several conferences in London and travelled to meet friends and family. While accessible design was not always perfect, the acceptance and normalisation of disability at community and professional levels was profound. So, while it’s exciting to see the new ministry’s plans to change the narrative around disability, it remains to be seen how this will filter down to reach everyday New Zealanders. Perhaps now is the time to take the government at its word and expect opportunities for people with disabilities to participate meaningfully in reshaping that narrative. With this in mind, perhaps the new ministry could be renamed the Ministry for Possibility.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171720/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-britnell-1259807">Sally Britnell</a>, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-design-lies-at-the-heart-of-normalising-disability-nzs-new-ministry-for-disabled-people-must-make-it-a-priority-171720">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Aged Care

Bride's touching gesture for blind husband on wedding day

Kelly Ann Ferraro surprised her husband, Paralympian, musician, motivational speaker and blind man Anthony S Ferraro, by wearing a tactile wedding dress on their big day. "I've also said she's my eyes in this world, but for her to have a dress custom made so I could feel and touch it meant the world to me," Anthony Ferraro told USA TODAY. "I could feel her. I could feel she looked beautiful." Kelly Ann was continuing a tradition she started on the couple’s first date in 2018, when she wore a velvet dress so he could “feel how she looked”. Her wedding dress was embedded with woven cotton flowers and lace, and in a Tiktok video shared by Anthony, he sounded overjoyed that he was able to “feel how beautiful she was” on their wedding day. <blockquote style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7018660125703556357"><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@asfvision" target="_blank" title="@asfvision">@asfvision</a> 🤍🎥I married my camera person @turmericteatime <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/blind" target="_blank" title="blind">#blind</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/wedding" target="_blank" title="wedding">#wedding</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/relationshipgoals" target="_blank" title="relationshipgoals">#relationshipgoals</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lucky" target="_blank" title="lucky">#lucky</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/pov" target="_blank" title="pov">#pov</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/A-Thousand-Years-224206288400887808" target="_blank" title="♬ A Thousand Years - Christina Perri">♬ A Thousand Years - Christina Perri</a></blockquote> The couple’s first date took place at the New York premiere of Anthony’s documentary, ‘A Shot in the Dark’, which chronicles his journey as a blind wrestler and athlete. After meeting Anthony, Kelly Ann researched blindness, including blindness experienced by those who can perceive some light, like Anthony. She learned to place pillows and bubble wrap around sharp objects in their shared apartment, and after learning that he loved the feeling of velvet and soft fabrics, a tactile wedding dress seemed like an obvious choice. Kelly Ann collaborated with Loulette Bride to create a dress that featured woven cotton flowers, a velvet waistband, and soft, gentle fabris like chiffon and lace. Speaking to USA Today, Kelly Ann said, "The whole time at the aisle I was whispering to him 'touch my dress, touch my dress,' and it made me so happy to know he could feel and enjoy my dress as much as I did.” Kelly Ann and Anthony’s mother planned the whole wedding with Anthony’s comfort in mind. Prior to the ceremony, Kelly Ann wrote Anthony a letter in braille. They were married on a beachfront property in Maine, and the wedding was held during the day since Anthony can perceive shadows and light. The reception was held in a tent, and the poles were wrapped in bubble wrap disguised with decorations so Anthony could safely move around. "The thoughtfulness and work behind making our wedding accessible for me meant everything. She's truly my best friend and like I said, 'my eyes in the world,'" Anthony said. Describing Kelly Ann as his “partner in crime”, Anthony says in the viral video of their wedding day, “I can’t wait to spend so much more time together and create so many more beautiful memories on our adventures in life.” "Our story sheds a lot of light on just joy and unity, even for those with disabilities like me who didn't think love was possible," Anthony said. "The world needs more light and I hope our story shows some of that." Image: Anthony S. Ferraro/Tiktok

Beauty & Style

How the travel industry still ignores people with disabilities

As restrictions are gradually lifted, travelling abroad will be a high priority for many people. But for a disabled person, getting away on holiday can seem like a distant dream – with or without a pandemic. People with disabilities are still subjected to systematic discrimination when it comes to travel. They face barriers that non-disabled people do not, which can prevent them from going on holiday – or at least drastically limit their choice about where to go and what to do. Even before COVID-19, <a href="https://www.visitbritain.org/new-accessible-tourism-market-research">one survey</a> found that 52% of adults with a disability in the UK had not taken a holiday anywhere in the previous 12 months. The reasons are well known. Disabled people are often deprived of key three things: good information, appropriate facilities and positive attitudes from other people. To this end, many countries, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance">including the UK</a>, have introduced specific legislation to address these inequalities. The United Nations’ <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/RightsOfDisabledPersons.aspx">Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities</a> asserts the rights of disabled people to participate in cultural life, leisure, recreation and sports. You might expect this kind of political action means disabled people have equal access to travel. But when <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353520748_Strategic_approaches_to_accessible_ecotourism_Small_steps_the_domino_effect_and_paving_paradise">I interviewed</a> disabled travellers and people who work in ecotourism – in the UK, US, Australia, Canada and Sweden – it became apparent that many holiday providers fail to value their disabled customers. There are some for example, who merely aim to comply with regulations. They do not think there is a sufficient market for disabled guests, so they only made practical changes – such as investing in ramps – if the law strictly demanded it. One disabled traveller told how he mentioned to an ecolodge manager: “You just need to fix a couple of things in the room and it’ll be good.” The manager replied: “Why should we bother? We don’t make enough money out of you guys to really justify it.” Other business owners found such changes expensive to implement, but were motivated by keeping up with “good practice”. For this group, being disability-friendly made good business sense – but their efforts were often incomplete, only featuring in certain parts of the site for example, or for one particular kind of disability. As one study participant noted: “Instead of having the whole place accessible, mobility-wise, we just make sure at least two of the units and the main public areas are. That’s an alternative that seems to have worked.” It may seem odd that ecotourism – a form of tourism that values ethics and sustainability – does not appear to be leading the industry in tearing down barriers to disabled travel. But <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2021.1951278">recent research</a> found that even businesses with the highest level of ecotourism accreditation did little to accommodate the needs of disabled guests. <h2>Universal travel</h2> With respect to information, only 2% of the websites in that study – which focused on Australia – had a detailed information pack for disabled people to download. And while some businesses considered themselves to be disability-friendly, facilities tended to only consider wheelchair access. Even then, only 40% of all the websites provided any information to wheelchair users, while 6% mentioned visual disabilities and 8% referred to hearing loss. When it came to intellectual disabilities, only 8% even mentioned them. Almost all of the websites failed to extend simply courtesies, such as using captions (known as alternative text) to explain to people with visual disabilities what is depicted in a photograph, or subtitling video material to help people with hearing disabilities. A quarter of the businesses required disabled people to contact them ahead of the visit to enquire about suitable facilities. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413637/original/file-20210728-19-ry5ucm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Tourist looking at pine forest." /> Thankfully, there are also operators who believe ensuring that disabled people have an equal quality of experience to non-disabled people is an essential condition of being in business. This kind of approach needs to spread more widely. Disabled people will only truly have a right to a holiday when tourism businesses start to invest in adaptations for them. This means making provisions not only for wheelchair users but for all disability groups. It also means adapting business practices, updating websites and training staff to be able to serve their disabled guests appropriately and sensitively. It is estimated that there are around a billion disabled people across the world, representing around 15% of the world’s population. If the tourism industry is not willing to ensure these guests are treated as equals, that should make everyone uncomfortable. If society wants to see travel as a human right, it should be a right for everyone.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163685/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-garrod-1236487">Brian Garrod</a>, Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swansea-university-2638">Swansea University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-travel-industry-still-ignores-people-with-disabilities-163685">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

International Travel

Young woman hits back at claims she “doesn’t look disabled” enough

A young Melbourne woman has hit back at critics who dispute her use of disability parking spots because she “doesn’t look disabled”. Rhiannon took to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@daddyrhi?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoney.nine.com.au%2F&referer_video_id=6981250889914830081&refer=embed&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1">TikTok</a> to explain that she has been receiving criticism for using disability parking spaces even though she is “legally disabled”. “I am legally disabled and as much as old motherf***ers would like to square up with me about it, I’m legally disabled,” she said at the start of the video. Rhiannon has fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes muscle pain and tenderness throughout the body, often accompanied by fatigue and problems with memory and concentration. Starting to experience symptoms when she was 20, the model was diagnosed with the condition at 21 after seeing multiple doctors and pain specialists. In the clip, she can be seen holding up her disability parking permit, which is usually displayed on the left-hand-side of the car’s windscreen, and says, “See this, [this permit] is really hard to get.” “I park in my disabled parking, and put up [my permit] - tell me why this old f***er comes up to me and thinks that it is their business to go, ‘You don’t look disabled’. “I’m about to make you legally disabled in a minute, I will tell you that much,” Rhiannon said, before explaining that some people don’t understand that disabilities aren’t always physically visible. “Do you want me to cut off my f***ing legs so that I look disabled enough for you?” she said. “What the f***. Like, ‘Oh let me get out of the car and be bent over and limping just so I fit your idea of disabled.’ Shut the f*** up.” The video soon went viral, receiving 226,000 likes and 1.3 million views in just one day. Commenters were quick to share their support and similar experiences of their own. “I have a sticker on the back of my car that says ‘Invisible disabilities are still disabilities’ … it happens CONSTANTLY,” one user commented. “I get it all the time. I have arthritis and [am] on chemo. I can literally walk into a shop and barely make it back. And still get abused. Lord feel,” another wrote. In a follow-up video, Rhiannon explained her condition for viewers who didn’t know what fibromyalgia was, joking that if she had known her other video would get so many views, she “definitely would have sworn less”. Rhiannon explained that she doesn’t use the disability parking spots very often, as she understands “there are people who are not as lucky as [she is] in [her] disability, and need it more” since some days she feels “perfectly fine” and can take a different spot. On the day she posted the original video, she explained she was going to an appointment to help with her pain and that she was “finding it a harder day than normal and felt the distance walking from another car park was a bit too much for [her]”. She said she didn’t understand why people had an opinion on where she parks, and that if she could “give up” her condition and be able to park in a different spot, she would. “To anybody that is going through what I have been now, my heart is with you, I’m sending you all the love in the world,” she said at the end of the video. “I know it’s really hard, just don’t give up.” Image: daddyrhi / Instagram, TikTok

Legal

Elderly man fined over DIY zebra crossing for his disabled wife

An elderly man is paying the price for painting a zebra crossing near his home after multiple requests to his local council went ignored. Laurie Phillips, 78, was forced to take matters into his own hands when his local council ignored multiple requests to introduce a safer crossing on his busy street for his disabled wife. Mr Phillips, from Dorset on England’s south coast, painted the crossing early one morning with two friends. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839882/zebra-crossing-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c972e78a2844e86b5e4995be2d3dfae" /> However council workers were quick to report him to the police and his creation was quickly removed. Mr Phillips argued his DIY crossing had made the area “dramatically safer”, but local authorities agreed and was slapped with a fine of AU$233 after being interviewed by police. He said he warned the council he would install the crossing for his 76-year-old wife Estelle, who uses a mobility scooter, if they failed to do so. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839881/zebra-crossing-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dca54c26bbae4917a2fe1dbfa9d0475c" /> He went on to argue that he was never told not to install a crossing and believes the debacle is a waste of police resources a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have since said they will “carefully assess” if a crossing was needed at the location. Images: Bournemouth News/Australscope

Legal

Paralympian shamed for using disabled spot

A double amputee Paralympian has shared the moment a stranger sneered in disgust when she parked in a disabled car space. Jessica Long, 28, revealed the incident in a TikTok video that has received over 4.2 million views. "I was never bullied as a kid and I didn't know that I was going to be bullied by adults because I park in handicap [spot]," the American athlete shared. Long said a woman had given her a disgusted look for parking in the disabled-only spot, before telling her she shouldn’t be allowed to use it. "So, it just happened again. I was parking my car — and I hope she sees this — this woman just has the nerve to look me up and down disgusted that I parked in the handicapped spot," the Maryland local explained. "She just kind of rolled down her window and proceeded to be like, 'You shouldn't park there.'" Long said she informed the woman she was an amputee, saying, "I don't have legs!" <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJwBEq2JQYZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJwBEq2JQYZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Long (@jessicatatianalong)</a> </div> </blockquote> "That's why I'm parked in the handicapped [space]. That's why I have the handicapped pass. And she kind of just drove off." The athlete ended her video with a message for "all the handicap police out there". "Just be kind. You don't need to know why someone is parked in handicapped." Long was born missing bones in her lower legs as a result of a birth defect called fibular hemimelia. She told Buzzfeed her adoptive parents had her undergo an operation to amputate her legs when she was 18 months old so she "could be fitted with prosthetic legs and learn to walk." Long has endured more than 25 surgeries, but found a new redemption in swimming. Long has gone on to win 13 Paralympic gold medals for swimming and has competed in four Paralympic Games. Long said the incident with the woman was not an isolated situation, and says she gets "two to four comments" per week about her normal routine. "I've had people yell at me, leave notes on my windshield, knock on my car window, or wait for me to get out of my car just to tell me I can't park there," she said. Long told BuzzFeed people like to assume she doesn't "look handicapped." "I've been through more surgeries than I can count. My whole life I've had to adapt. I rely on my handicap pass," she said. "I'm open to explaining why I use my pass if someone asks, but I don't understand blatant rudeness, especially based on assumption. “I am always try to be kind and give people the benefit of the doubt first, and I hope more people will choose that as their first response."

Legal

5 Australian books about living with disability

Fiction and non-fiction works about disability and Deafness are often hampered by stereotypical representations. A disability is frequently presented as something to “overcome”, or used to characterise someone (ever notice all those evil characters portrayed as disfigured?). These representations obscure the joys, frustrations and creativity of living with disability and Deafness. Dutch author Corinne Duyvis started the #OwnVoices movement on Twitter because she was frustrated that calls for diversity within the publishing industry did not extend to diverse authors. Originating in discussions of young adult fiction, #OwnVoices aims to highlight books written by authors who share a marginalised identity with the protagonist. Life writing also provides firsthand accounts of disability and Deafness, showing what it is like to navigate a world designed for able-bodied people. In addition, these books help people with disability and Deafness learn more about their condition, and create community. Australia has an established literary tradition of writing about disability. Here are five books by Australian disabled writers that reveal insights into their lives and conditions. Read more: Creating and being seen: new projects focus on the rights of artists with disabilities 1. Alan Marshall’s Hammers Over the Anvil (1975) Many readers will be familiar with Marshall’s I Can Jump Puddles (1955), the first book in his series about growing up and living with polio in rural Australia. Where that book is a cheerful and somewhat sanitised account of living with a disability, Hammers Over the Anvil (1975), the fourth and final book in Marshall’s series, is more realistic. Marshall’s publisher refused to publish the book, thinking it would tarnish his image. Despite — or perhaps because of — his brutal treatment, Marshall shows a keen sympathy for disenfranchised people and also for animals. 2. Donna Williams’ Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic Girl (1991) Donna Williams was not diagnosed with autism until she was an adult; prior to that she was thought to be deaf and psychotic. Her story begins at age three and is thick with sensory details, which both delight and overwhelm Williams. She recounts interactions with hostile people — including her own mother, who wanted to admit Williams to an institution. This book was the first full-length, published account by a person with autism in Australia. It became an international bestseller, spending 15 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and was translated into 20 languages. 3. Gayle Kennedy’s Me, Antman & Fleabag (2007) In this book, Gayle Kennedy, of the Wongaibon people of south west New South Wales, uses a series of engaging vignettes to describe her life as a First Nations woman who had polio. Kennedy was sent away for treatment. When she returned, her parents seemed like strangers; it took a while to readjust. Though the subject matter sounds heavy, this humorous and accessible work is rich with stories about the importance of family (including dogs!) and the impact of racism. It is also an important book because it chronicles some of the experiences of First Nations people with disability. It won the David Unaipon award in 2006. 4. Andy Jackson’s Music Our Bodies Can’t Hold (2017) Poet Andy Jackson, who has a condition called Marfan Syndrome that affects the body’s connective tissue, began performing poetry to give himself more control over representations of his body. His collection consists of biographical poems of people with Marfan Syndrome, some of whom he interviewed, and historical figures who are thought to have had the condition, including Abraham Lincoln, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, Mary Queen of Scots, composer Sergei Rachmaninoff and blues guitarist Robert Johnson. Poetry, with its focus on voice, is strongly connected to the way that bodies express themselves, often in unique ways. As Jackson writes at the end of his poem Jess: now look at this photo and tell me you still want sameness. 5. Carly Findlay (ed), Growing Up Disabled in Australia (2021) The final book on my list is one I haven’t read yet — but I cannot wait until I can. Edited by Carly Findley, who has ichthyosis, this collection to be released early next year, will highlight the range of childhoods experienced by people with disability in Australia. We will be able to read about how young people manage ableism and the (sometimes) soreness of not fitting in, and interviews with prominent Australians such as Senator Jordon Steele-John and Paralympian Isis Holt. I lost most of my hearing when I was four, and when I was growing up I didn’t read a single book that featured a character who was Deaf. Books like Growing Up Disabled will help young Deaf and disabled people recognise themselves in Australian literature. In my own hybrid memoir, Hearing Maud, I weave together my experiences of Deafness with those of Maud Praed, the Deaf daughter of 19th century expatriate Australian novelist Rosa Praed. Maud and I were born 100 years apart, and although our lives went in radically different directions many of our circumstances are the same — especially the expectation that we conform to a hearing world. My disability is often invisible, and I wanted to explain the relentless and exhausting attention that is needed for me to function. Deafness is far more complex than simply not hearing. There are thousands more examples of the ways authors can write about living with disability. The International Day of People with Disability is a great time to start reading. Written by Jessica White. This article first appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-our-own-voices-5-australian-books-about-living-with-disability-150543">The Conversation</a>.

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Bride's touching gesture for blind husband on wedding day

How the travel industry still ignores people with disabilities

Young woman hits back at claims she “doesn’t look disabled” enough

Elderly man fined over DIY zebra crossing for his disabled wife

Paralympian shamed for using disabled spot

5 Australian books about living with disability