As an advocate I can't unsee all the barriers on multiple levels for people with disabilities. Physical barriers exist. Communication barriers exist. Sensory barriers exist. And no one can ASSUME accessibility. The world is not accessible if you have to call ahead to check!
This really made me stop and think about the word “access.” Sometimes we don’t even realize that the word we’re looking for is access until we encounter a barrier ourselves.
I think that’s one of the biggest things people without disabilities sometimes misunderstand. They may look at a building and think, “There are stairs, and this person can physically climb them, so what’s the problem?” But accessibility isn’t simply about whether someone can technically get from point A to point B. It’s about whether they can access that place, service, information, or opportunity safely, independently, and without having to struggle unnecessarily.
As a totally blind person, I think about access in many different ways. For me, access isn’t just about physical spaces. It can be accessible websites, screen readers working properly, accessible documents, transportation, communication, signage, accommodations, and having information presented in ways that I can actually use. Something can be available to everyone and still not truly be accessible to everyone.
And I think there’s another important piece here: people shouldn’t have to prove that a barrier exists by struggling through it first. Sometimes the person experiencing the barrier is the one who has to explain what needs to change, request an accommodation, and educate everyone around them about why that accommodation matters. That can become exhausting.
Your point about people discovering the word “access” really resonates with me because language matters. Once we have the language to describe what is happening, we can start having better conversations about how to remove those barriers.
I’d love to hear more about how you think we can get people to understand the difference between something being technically available and something actually being accessible. How do we get organizations to start thinking about access proactively instead of waiting for a disabled person to encounter a barrier and ask them to fix it?
I have been trying to explain to my insurance that when it doesn't pick me up from somewhere because the app breaks down or something and I am left stranded at a doctor's office, that its not a customer service issue or me complaining.
The default settings, even in medical spaces, is not to be accommodating without someone having to file a complaint to possibly be heard, and most likely the results are to just get banned from access all together.
As an advocate I can't unsee all the barriers on multiple levels for people with disabilities. Physical barriers exist. Communication barriers exist. Sensory barriers exist. And no one can ASSUME accessibility. The world is not accessible if you have to call ahead to check!
This really made me stop and think about the word “access.” Sometimes we don’t even realize that the word we’re looking for is access until we encounter a barrier ourselves.
I think that’s one of the biggest things people without disabilities sometimes misunderstand. They may look at a building and think, “There are stairs, and this person can physically climb them, so what’s the problem?” But accessibility isn’t simply about whether someone can technically get from point A to point B. It’s about whether they can access that place, service, information, or opportunity safely, independently, and without having to struggle unnecessarily.
As a totally blind person, I think about access in many different ways. For me, access isn’t just about physical spaces. It can be accessible websites, screen readers working properly, accessible documents, transportation, communication, signage, accommodations, and having information presented in ways that I can actually use. Something can be available to everyone and still not truly be accessible to everyone.
And I think there’s another important piece here: people shouldn’t have to prove that a barrier exists by struggling through it first. Sometimes the person experiencing the barrier is the one who has to explain what needs to change, request an accommodation, and educate everyone around them about why that accommodation matters. That can become exhausting.
Your point about people discovering the word “access” really resonates with me because language matters. Once we have the language to describe what is happening, we can start having better conversations about how to remove those barriers.
I’d love to hear more about how you think we can get people to understand the difference between something being technically available and something actually being accessible. How do we get organizations to start thinking about access proactively instead of waiting for a disabled person to encounter a barrier and ask them to fix it?
I appreciate this article.
I have been trying to explain to my insurance that when it doesn't pick me up from somewhere because the app breaks down or something and I am left stranded at a doctor's office, that its not a customer service issue or me complaining.
The default settings, even in medical spaces, is not to be accommodating without someone having to file a complaint to possibly be heard, and most likely the results are to just get banned from access all together.