Disabled people are constantly navigating inaccessibility because we live in a world that is designed for non-disabled people, and life is harder than has to be. Some changes have been made toward making the world more accessible, and I like that disabled people are being heard, but there is still so much more we can do because disabled people are still being isolated and aren’t able to access things like non-disabled people can. Non-disabled people will never understand what it’s like to be denied access and often think that accessibility is too expensive, and should be a choice. Accessibility should not be optional, and it’s necessary because disabled people cannot function or participate in activities with their non-disabled friends if it’s not accessible. We have made some progress in making the world a more accessible place, but unfortunately, a lot of non-disabled people still don’t think that accessibility is important and will only prioritize accessibility if they are forced to. Accessibility benefits everyone and does not always cost thousands of dollars, like people think it does, because there are simple things you can do to make the world more accessible. How can we make the world more accessible for disabled people? In this post, I am going to talk about a few easy ways we can make the world more accessible for disabled people.
Put readable Braille on every product– If you are blind, sometimes it can be difficult to navigate the world because you can’t pick up a product and see what it is, like a sighted person can. I wear glasses, but I am not blind and can pick up a product and see what I am buying, but blind people can’t do that. Blind people do not have the privilege of being able to look at a product and have to feel the product and try to figure out what it is, but if there were readable braille on every product, it would make it easier for blind people to shop independently. Some blind people do not read Braille, but it’s important to have that option for those who do. There are apps that can help describe images for those who don’t read Braille, but you’d be able to do it faster if you didn’t have to take out your phone to have an app do it for you. I have seen Braille on some products, but it needs to be on everything, not just on some things, because readable Braille would give so many blind people independence.
Make houses with larger doorways- Moving can be stressful for disabled people with physical disabilities, and a lot of the time, you have to get some kind of modification to your house because they don’t make doorways large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. As a disabled person, I am able to walk and do not use my wheelchair in my house unless I am recovering from a surgery and don’t have the strength to walk. My wheelchair barely fits in my bedroom, but if I wanted to take my chair in my bathroom, there is no way I would get it through because the opening is too small to accommodate even a smaller wheelchair. Why do they not make doorways in homes large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and do people think that disabled people don’t buy houses or live in apartments? Most of the time, I don’t use my wheelchair in my home, but if I am recovering from a surgery my wheelchair is often necessary, and it is frustrating that you have to knick up your wall to get it through. Disabled people cannot have as much independence if spaces aren’t accommodating of our assistive devices.
Make sure your business has a safe ramp- If you are a business and there are stairs to access your building, even if it’s only one or two steps, it is so important that you prioritize accessibility and get a safe ramp for your disabled customers that at the bare minimum is within ADA requirements. People often think that they are accessible because they have a ramp, but your ramp is just as inaccessible as not having one if it’s too steep and I flip my chair when I get toward the end. I have gone to stores that I could not access due to the lack of accessibility, and it is frustrating because all businesses should have a way for disabled people to access their facility but sadly, a lot of them don’t. It is unacceptable to not have something as simple as a ramp and forget about your disabled customers. I should be able to access your building without needing assistance, and if I need help, it’s not accessible.
Make labels larger- When I am taking a shower, I have to put my shampoo and conditioner on different ends of the shower because the label is too small, and I struggle to read it. Why do they make labels on shampoo bottles so small, and do people not realize that not everyone has perfect vision? When I am not wearing my glasses, I can see a little but can’t read any small print, and I wish companies would make their labels larger because it’s not like I am showering with my glasses.
Check to make sure your elevator is working- If your business is on the second floor, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a working elevator because not all disabled people can walk up a flight of stairs. Elevators need regular maintenance, and I don’t fault businesses when their elevator stops working because that is not within your complete control, but it is frustrating when you know your elevator is down and do not call your disabled customers or have any kind of sign. There is nothing more frustrating than wasting your time going to a doctor’s appointment that you ended up doing virtually because you couldn’t access it. It is a common courtesy to notify disabled people when your elevator isn’t working because when you don’t do that, it wastes a disabled person’s time.
Make exam rooms larger- Some doctors’ offices are more accessible than others but most doctors’ offices have some level of inaccessibility. Doctors’ offices should be one of the most accessible places, but often it has almost no accessibility and we could change that by simply making exam rooms large enough to accommodate a larger wheelchair, because it seems like they are getting smaller and smaller. Why are doctors’ offices so inaccessible? Disabled people are going to be your most repeat customers, and I don’t understand why accessibility is so poor in doctors’ offices. Do you want disabled people to go to the doctor? Disabled people often avoid going to their doctors until they are very sick and have no choice because the lack of accessibility is stressful, and the only way we can change that is by making doctors’ offices more accessible.
Accessibility matters and is not just for disabled people because everyone can benefit from a more accessible world. Non-disabled people sometimes think they don’t need to care about accessibility, but everyone should care because anyone can become disabled, and all it takes is a horrific accident or illness. It can be harmful to tell disabled people that accessibility is an inconvenience, and it tells me that my challenges do not matter to you. You don’t have to be disabled to care about accessibility, because if you care about me struggling less, you’ll care about accessibility. These are things that I think would make the world a more accessible place, but I am only one disabled individual and do not speak for all disabled people. It is impossible to make the world fully accessible for all disabled people because everyone has different access needs, but we can make steps toward a more inclusive world by listening to the disabled community. How do you think we can make the world more accessible? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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