Is It Accessible? (What Wheelchair Accessible Really Means)
- Azure West
- Aug 19, 2024
- 10 min read
Trigger Warning: mention and talk of Anorexia
All questions in this article are rhetorical unless specified otherwise
My personal thoughts and opinions are italicized. They are also sometimes underlined for emphasis.
I am writing this as a full-time/non-ambulatory wheelchair user
I was invited to a family member’s wedding. Unfortunately, because of inaccessibility and ableism, I was unable to attend. And I want to talk about it.
About four months before the wedding I emailed the venue and texted my family member asking about how accessible the venue is (I really shouldn’t have to do this but that’s another topic).
My family member told me, although there are multiple examples of inaccessibility, it is wheelchair accessible (not exact quote).
What my family member told me about the venue is almost complete inaccessibility and not at all okay.
The first thing I was told is the driveway to and from the venue is gravel. I have a problem with this because unless I’m with an able-bodied or nondisabled person who can help me and push me in my wheelchair, I cannot get across gravel. I shouldn’t have to depend on someone else to get to a destination because wheelchair users probably weren’t considered in the making.
The back deck has a ramp that leads to an entrance to the venue. I acknowledge and appreciate that, but I fully believe the back shouldn’t be the only place I can enter through and exit from. Why would you want to hide us [wheelchair users]? Along with no ramp, the front is also all grass. Kind of like gravel, I am mostly unable to move through grass without help. And, depending on the height of the entrance and if there are stairs, I may need help. Wheelchair users don’t always travel with able-bodied or nondisabled people and we shouldn’t have to just to get into places.
There are two things I was told that are most important to me. One of those things is that there are no metal bars in either bathroom (to transition from my wheelchair to the toilet and vice versa). Apparently the people in charge of the wedding venue said they are or were going to. If that’s true, that’s cool, but there is no telling how long that would take. I have no idea if I would’ve been able to use the bathroom if I had gone to the wedding. This bothers me because I shouldn’t have to watch what I consume and/or consume less than I normally would just because I may not be able to use the bathroom. First of all, I have Anorexia. I’ve only recently (after the wedding BTW) started eating two “meals” a day. I’ve spent years avoiding food in fear of gaining weight. Barely (or not at all) eating or drinking things would help me continue the cycle, not heal. Secondly, as a living being, I need food and water. It could be dangerous to avoid things BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE BATHROOM.
The other most important thing to me is being told where the ceremony was to take place is completely grass and rocks. I already mentioned what it’s like for me to roll on gravel or grass. Grass AND rocks is literally rolling on a combination (of gravel and grass). What is the point of going to a wedding (with the intention of attending the ceremony) and not being able to attend the ceremony?
That is not wheelchair accessible. Either of those alone means the venue isn’t accessible, so both of them is a huge problem.
I also emailed the venue asking them details about their accessibility.
Someone got back to me and said they’re ordering more ramps. They also asked me the date of the wedding so they “can make sure the ramps are there by the wedding” then they’ll get back to me and answer my questions. Spoiler alert: no one ever got back to me.
If I google the venue, it says in an “About” section that it has a wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lot. This may look promising on the surface, but most places’ “About” sections say this, so it honestly doesn’t give me any hope. Also, I cannot find any information about accessibility of the venue on its website. I believe it does not makes sense for somewhere to claim to be “wheelchair accessible” and not actually list how they’re accessible.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I decided to not attend their wedding.
It breaks my heart so much that I was not able to celebrate the love of my family member and their new spouse with the rest of my family because wheelchair users weren’t thought about. Because when this venue was being made or advertised, it was never a thought in someone’s brain that a wheelchair user (gods forbid more than one) would be there in whatever context.
I could’ve gone (I understand that and I’m not saying I couldn’t), but I am extremely uncomfortable being at (what is supposed to be) a joyous event and not being able to do a lot. Either independent or at all.
It’s important to note that I do not blame my family member or their spouse for the inaccessibility. At all.
I blame the venue and the people in charge of the venue. It should be accessible. It not being equipped for wheelchair users’ needs is not my family member’s or their spouse’s fault.
This is also not just about my family member or this one instance. This is about everyone who calls places “wheelchair accessible” when they clearly aren’t. Let’s talk about what is and isn’t wheelchair accessible and why.
IMPORTANT: ALL QUESTIONS AND NOTES ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY ARE MY OWN THOUGHT PROCESSES AND NEEDS.
NO DISABILITY IS A MONOLITH. WHAT I NEED MAY NOT COMPLETELY BE WHAT ANOTHER WHEELCHAIR USER NEEDS.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING ACCESSIBLE FOR ONE PERSON, ASK THAT ONE PERSON WHAT THEY NEED. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING ACCESSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE PEOPLE, ASK MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
When I ask if a place is wheelchair accessible this is what I mean:
What is the parking situation like? How many accessible parking spots are there? If there are more than one person (in multiple vehicles) in need of a spot, at least one person is screwed. This means at least one person won’t be able to park or at least one person won’t be able to get in and/or out of their vehicle. If there are no accessible parking spots available, at least one person has to park in a non-accessible spot (if they can park at all) which would make it (mostly if not completely) impossible for someone to get in and/or out of their vehicle. If a wheelchair user(s) isn’t with someone that can help them, it could be difficult or impossible for them to open the door and/or get out of the vehicle. Also, regardless of how or where someone’s wheelchair is stored, there is considerably less room for it between two inaccessible spots compared to one or two accessible parking spots. With that, someone would be lucky to be able to get in their chair - the thing that helps them get around. If a wheelchair user(s) is with someone that can help them, that other person might be able to open the door for the wheelchair user, but that doesn’t change the width of either parking spot. The other person might be able to assist the wheelchair user with getting in their wheelchair but that’s not a guarantee. (All that being said, though, as I stated earlier, no wheelchair user should have to travel with someone else to navigate the world.)
Where are the curb cuts and/or ramps located in regards to where I need to go? If it’s near the door/entrance (12 feet), I can get to it easier and spend less energy. If it’s farther/too far from the door/entrance (more than 12 feet), I have to push more (with and/or without help) therefore spending more energy and having less for whatever I’m going to.
How grassy is it? (“It” being honestly wherever I have to roll.) As I stated earlier, it is almost (if not completely) impossible for me to roll through grass. When I roll through grass I am so focused on not getting stuck and not falling that I have no energy for anything at the end.
What is the entrance like? Is it wide enough (at least six to seven inches wider than my wheelchair on each side)? If the entrance isn’t wide enough, I either can’t get in the building at all or I can get in the building, but my hand gets squished, scratched, and hurt between my wheel and the doorway. If the entrance has a step too high for me to get over (higher than an inch), I most likely can’t get into the building or whatever. If I do try to get in, I could fall face-forward onto the floor - which could severely hurt me and is extremely unsanitary.
Do I need to go a different way than able-bodied or nondisabled people because it’s the only accessible entrance? If this is the case, I AUTOMATICALLY deem something as less or not at all accessible. If able-bodied and nondisabled strangers, my family, and my friends can enter and exit one door, I should be able to too. It is not okay to deny wheelchair users the same access as non-wheelchair users. (1) Having to go a different (and always) longer way than non-wheelchair users makes me spend more energy and, again, having less energy to do whatever I’m going to do (saving my energy means a lot to me). (2) If there’s an accessible entrance separate from the “regular” one, it usually, if not always, means the accessible entrance is at the back of whatever building. That, to me, signals the owner of the building don’t want wheelchair users to be seen entering and exiting it. There might be multiple reasons for this desire, but the one I hear of most often is a lot of able-bodied and nondisabled people view wheelchair users as “unaesthetically pleasing”.
If it’s a pull (or push) door, is there a button to open it automatically? When it comes to pull doors, there is no telling if I’ll be able to open it on my own. If there is some kind of ramp behind me, trying to open a pull door could cause me to roll down the ramp and ultimately get hurt. Even if there’s not a ramp right behind me, having to try to open a pull door could still be dangerous. Trying to pull a heavy door could cause me to pull a muscle and/or hurt a joint. I already have wrist problems and hurting my wrist more could make it impossible to roll on my own. Trying to open a heavy door could make it literally impossible to be independent (which I treasure having). When it comes to push doors, there is, again, no telling if I’ll be able to open it on my own. If there’s a bump in front of the door I have to get over, I have to do both at the same time. While also making sure I don’t fall. If there’s not a bump and I just have to worry about pushing the door open, it’s a little easier. (It can still be difficult though.) Also, carrying things makes opening doors almost impossible. Having a working button (it not working is a different thing) I can push to open the door automatically, is incredibly helpful.
As soon as I get inside, is it comfortably wide enough for me to freely move? If I can’t turn and/or move forward and backward (either independently or at all) and able-bodied and nondisabled people can, the environment is not accessible. If I’m stuck and forced to not move unless something and/or someone is moved so I don’t run into them, that is not okay.
If it’s a building with multiple stories, is there at least one elevator? Ideally, there is more than one elevator on each floor. That way, if one elevator is “out of service” hopefully another is still up and running and no wheelchair users are left stranded. Sometimes there is only one elevator, though, and that could spell disaster. If whatever place is busy, the elevator could be cramped, leaving no room for a wheelchair user with their wheelchair. If the one elevator is “out of service”, wheelchair users could literally be left stranded on whatever floor. If the elevator(s) is “out of service”, tell people! In person but also on your website and social medias. If that’s the only wheelchair accessible way to get to another floor, the building isn’t accessible and people need to know.
How much carpet is in the place - and where is it? It is incredibly difficult for me to roll on carpet. I honestly equate it with grass. It may not be completely impossible, but it definitely takes more energy than rolling on some flat surfaces.
Is there a metal bar or two on the wall next to the toilet so I can transfer? Again, I shouldn’t be forced to watch what I consume more than able-bodied and nondisabled people so I don’t have to need to use the bathroom.
Is the bathroom wide enough for me to use? If it’s not, I can’t get into it. Meaning I can’t use the bathroom - no matter if there is a metal bar(s). If I can’t get into the bathroom, I can’t use the bathroom.
Is the sink(s) (whatever sink(s) is available) low enough for me to wash my hands? If it’s too high, I can’t reach over or across it. I can’t (either comfortably or at all) reach the faucet and/or soap. Is the sink(s) high enough for me to slide under? If it’s not, it will 100% press into and hurt my legs (if I can even fit underneath it).
Is the hand dryer (whether towels or air) low enough for me to comfortably reach it in my wheelchair? If it’s too high, I might not be able to dry my hands and that could be dangerous because if I’m going fast in my wheelchair, I am less likely to be able to slow down and/or stop with wet hands. If that happens, I could run into something and physically get hurt.
When I ask how accessible a place is, every single one of these things need to be thought about. If only some things apply, say that. Specify how somewhere is accessible and inaccessible.
And, like I said, this could easily be different for each individual wheelchair user. Because of that, I would honestly love input from other people on what accessible means to you!
Also, an important but maybe random thought:
When people talk about accessibility, wheelchair accessibility is mentioned. While that’s all fine and dandy, why don’t we switch that to asking if something is wheelchair user accessible? Because (1) as far as I’m aware, that is what is always what is meant by if or that something is wheelchair accessible. I know that’s what I always mean.
(2) I’m not a wheelchair, I’m a human being. I’m a wheelchair user, I use a wheelchair to get around. It’s been acknowledged it’s rude and not okay for (mostly, if not always, able-bodied and nondisabled) people to refer to wheelchair USERS as “wheelchairs” so why do we (wheelchair users) still say “wheelchair accessible”?
Overall, many people need to learn what “wheelchair accessible” actually means. And if you’re unsure, ASK!
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