"Say it," I said. I knew I was being forceful, but she just wouldn't say it. I wanted her to say it and the tone in my voice made that clear.
I'm doing this more often, and I may have written about this before, but I'm liking this new strategy, new kind of reasonable stridency regarding my freedom of movement, my access and welcome and my realistic expectations of businesses and community offerings.
I had called to ask if a restaurant was accessible.
I was told that it was.
"Do you have an accessible toilet?"
"Well, no."
"Then you aren't accessible."
"No, no, we are, we have a flat entrance and you can easily get to our tables."
"But I can't go to the toilet when I'm there."
"No."
"And this is a restaurant?"
"Yes."
"And do many customers use your facilities on arrival or before leaving?"
"Yes, most,"
"But I wouldn't be able to?"
"No."
"Then say it.
"Say what?"
"We are not accessible."
"But we are."
"No, you are not. What are we supposed to do after having something eat and drink and we need to go to the washroom."
"I told you we don't have an accessible toilet."
"Then you aren't accessible."
"YES WE ARE."
"No, you aren't."
"Just say that you aren't accessible and I'll hang up the phone and leave you alone."
"..."
"Just say it."
click
This happens a lot. They don't want to say they aren't accessible even when they aren't. Isn't it odd. They make it that we have to call them and talk to them about the toilet because they aren't honest in their answers about accessibility.
I want them to have to say it.
Or refuse to say it.
Either is good with me.
9 comments:
First came the non-denial denial, now we have the silent non-denial denial. Thanks for your championing our just cause sir Dave!
Arrogant Cowards!
Dave it's people like you that help the everyday individual. While advocating for yourself you also advocate for everyone that faces everyday barriers. It unfortunate that these establishments provide false information. I found your blog while doing a assignment for one of my classes. Iv been following your blog for the last two weeks. I've enjoyed reading your daily posts
Thank you Dave for all your posts. It is very inspirational and thought provoking for me as a DSW student. I was following your blog around two weeks for my assignment. But when I read more and more blogs I really became interesred in your each thoughts you share with us.
While working with people with disabilities, we always think of accessibility, but truely saying we never think if all things including washroom accessible or not? It was a powerful reminder for me to think about this. Then I absolutely agree with you that, while saying the word accessible it should include all services they provide not just the entrance and exit.
Once again thank you for sharing your valuable thoughts with the life experiences you have. It really motivates me for working in the field of people with intellectual and developmental disability.
I am So inspired Dave its very thought provoking and inspirational.Your life experiences are so helpful and it gives me encouragement to work with people with disabilities.
It is an inspirational blog. When the staff again and again doing negative argue with him and spoke lie to him. When there is planning for construction of anything, nobody noticed that is it accessible for people with developmental disabilities or not? When somebody said them they are not accessible then they negative argued with them.
Dave your life experiences encourage me to do my best as a Developmental services worker student
Your blog is an inspirational blog and your experiences help me to do best as a DSW student.In this blog staff show negative attitude and spoke lie to him that restaurant is accessible but it was not.
I am so thankful for all your blogs.These all blog posts are really helpful for students like us especially for the DSW students. These posts help us to think about the things that happen in our daily life. The post "Just say it" has inspired me a lot, which talks about people’s minds and their behaviour when they are working with people having disabilities. You showed the common human behaviour here. I completely agree with your words and especially with the term "Accessible”. I like the twist and turns that you just find from that word, this word changes my entire mind thoughts. I am really thankful on this post which makes change in me lot.
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