Accessibility and Intersectionality - Rethinking Inclusivity?

by Hannah Gardiner

About this series

This series covers the eight curatorial focal points that support the PopTech 2023: Nuance. Our theme conveys an affirmation, a learned approach to "Finding Balance in an Imbalanced World" (PopTech).?

In this article, Hannah Gardiner has authored a lived experience that brings attention to essential topics related to accessibility, ableism, and intersectionality.

If you're interested in attending or partnering, please email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Understanding Accessibility?

When was the last time you pondered over accessibility? Can you define it?

For most, accessibility is something they hardly ever think about. It’s something trivial that they don’t typically consider. But for some of us, accessibility is one of the most essential pieces of our lives, and we’re tired of it being ignored.

Accessibility, as it relates to disability, means more than being within physical reach. It means unobstructed participation, regardless of setting. It’s inclusivity and a true sense of belonging.?

We All Excuse Ablesim?

I first realized how important accessibility was in my own life during a visit to the oral surgeon’s office for my wisdom teeth removal consultation. I remember the surgeon walking in and reviewing my chart.

“So,” he said, “it says here that you’re autistic.”

I nodded, hopeful he was about to ask what extra support I might need as we prepared for the procedure.

He peered down at me skeptically. “You aren’t…you aren’t going to attack any of the staff here, right?”

“No,” I replied, stunned. “I would never do that.”

I assumed my surgeon was referring to the misconception that autistic people are inherently violent and that we might lash out at any moment. Though some autistic people with higher support needs may struggle to regulate and thus “lash out,” stereotyping all autistic people as violent disturbed me.

Although my surgeon was completely out of line asking me such a question, I couldn’t help but apologize for him. He was trying to make things accessible for me, he just didn’t know how. Maybe he’s had bad experiences in the past. Maybe he didn’t know how to ask about my needs. I realized I was spiraling down a path of excusing ableism.?

I’m not alone in my experiences with ableism. It’s everywhere.? Ableism pervades our society, and the antidote lies in amplifying accessibility and fostering education.

Nothing About Us Without Us

Disabled people have been pushing for accessibility in all aspects of life for years. Can you lower the level of this door threshold so my wheelchair can make it through? Can you put warnings before concerts with flashing lights? Can you provide earplugs for those of us with sensory issues?

We've sought modifications, warnings, and provisions to enhance our own experiences. Yet, the question remains: Who advocates for us, if not our community??

The questions go on and on. And yet, where are the answers? Who is fighting for us besides us? It’s time for able-bodied people to step up. It’s time for disabled allies to stand with disabled people.

Intersectionality: The Converging of Identities

?Intersectionality is about the interconnectedness of identity—how race, gender, sexual orientation, class, sex, and ability intersect to create complex, unique experiences for individuals and communities.?

Intersectionality is a constant in all social constructs, so it’s a constant in ability. The challenges disabled people of color experience are different from the challenges that white queer disabled people experience, which are different from the challenges undocumented disabled people experience…the list goes on and on.

It’s important to acknowledge these nuances in experience and work to make a more equitable world for every disabled individual.?

Universal Benefit of Accessibility

When we discuss accessibility, it's crucial to understand that its benefits extend far beyond the immediate recipients.? The principles of inclusive design often lead to innovations that benefit everyone. For instance, closed captioning, initially designed for the deaf and hard of hearing, is now widely used in noisy environments like gyms or bars and by those learning a new language.

Accessibility isn’t something you should think about because you feel like you have to. It should be something you think about because it benefits you, too.?

Most people are either born disabled or develop a disability as they age---everything from fibromyalgia to arthritis to dementia. Creating a more accessible world is good for everyone in the long run.

Accessible environments ensure that everyone, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, can participate in community and social functions. This inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging, reducing feelings of isolation or alienation.

Your Role

The issues surrounding disability are very complex, but, at its core, accessibility isn’t. Should I use person-first or identity-first language? How do I ask questions about someone’s disability? What should I do if my kid stares at someone in a wheelchair? Can I pet someone’s service dog? There are countless questions able-bodied people, as well as disabled people with differing disabilities (disability is a spectrum), have for those in the realm of disability.?

You don’t have to have everything figured out. But, what you can do is work to make your world more accessible to disabled folks. You can adopt a forward-thinking approach that acknowledges our global population's diverse and evolving needs. By championing accessibility today, we're investing in a more inclusive, efficient, and harmonious tomorrow for everyone.

In the end, it’s better to try to be accessible than to write accessibility off as something too difficult to do. Disabled people don’t want your pity. We don’t want to be your inspiration.?

We want equity—and we want it now.

Like this article?

Do you have any specific personal experiences or insights to incorporate into this piece? Contact PopTech to attend or partner for the conference.?

Be on the lookout for other topics in the series, and the links below will be updated as they are published:

• AI: Promise or peril
• Creativity: Pragmatism?
• Climate: Rights of nature
• Access: Intersectionality?
• Well-Being: Outdoors
• Work: A vibrant hybrid reality
• Loneliness: Epidemic of despair
• Resuscitate: Nuanced thinking

Credits:

• Edited by Leetha Filderman, FRSA, and myself.