As a person with a disability, I often get frustrated when people treat my need for accessibility as if it were a special privilege. I have heard people say, “Oh, you are so lucky you have a handicap parking placard.” I am not lucky that I need one. I would give anything to park at the far end of a lot and walk in without pain, fatigue, or risk. That is simply not an option for me.
Accessibility is not a favor. It is a basic right in our society. We have laws that are supposed to protect that right, yet those laws are not enforced the way they should be. Too many people, both in leadership and in the general community, still do not see accessibility as essential, so they ignore it, assuming nothing will happen if they cut corners. Most of the time, they are right and nothing does happen.
Even with laws in place, people with disabilities have to do extra work before going out. They search online for entrance photos, call ahead to ask about elevators, ramps, and accessible restrooms. and make backup plans in case those features are broken or blocked. Most people never have to think about any of this. For a person with a disability, it is part of daily life.
As a person with a disability, this is my reality because accessibility is often overlooked or an afterthought. Sometimes, the automatic door doesn’t work. The ramp might be hidden behind the building near the trash dumpster. The front door may be open, but the door leading from the ramp may be locked. There might be an accessible restroom, but it could be out of order for weeks or down a hallway made too narrow by chair storage. I’ve learned to expect these problems, but I shouldn’t have to.
So understand, I refuse express gratitude for the bare minimum. I’m not going to gush with thanks because a public space has a ramp or an elevator. They are basic requirements that allow disabled people to participate in everyday life. They are required. Expecting us to be thankful for access to the world around us is so unfair.
Real progress will only happen when businesses and public places stop treating accessibility as a charitable gesture and start treating it as a core responsibility. This will happen when enforcement is taken seriously and accessibility is seen as nonnegotiable. Equal access is not a special privilege. It is a fundamental right.
I Couldn’t Even Get in the Door – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life
Why Disabled People Are Still Shut Out of Leadership – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life