upworthy

disabled people

Learning

7 everyday conveniences we take for granted that wouldn't exist without disability inclusion

"A rising tide lifts all boats!"

Photo credit: Canva

7 everyday things that exist because of disability inclusion

There are some things in life that we just assume have always been there (or at least some version of it). A lot of things are taken for granted or thought to be an invention of convenience and not one of necessity or inclusion. But that's not actually true. Several of the things we consider part of daily convenience are actually a result of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts (though they weren't called that at the time).

The world is set up for able-bodied individuals and unless you're physically disabled in some capacity, it can be easy to think things exist for the ease of people just like you. But many things that make everyone's lives easier were created by or for people with disabilities to help them fully participate in the world around them. A woman who goes by the moniker "Chronically Jenni" online, recently she shared a brief history of how certain things we use daily came to be.

disability; disability awareness; diversity equity inclusion; inclusion; disabled people; adaptive items Man in wheelchair looks at stairsPhoto credit: Canva

One of the first things on the list are the little dips on the corners of sidewalks. They're used for all sorts of things, especially people pushing little ones in a stroller on a nice day. Jenni explains their intended purpose and how the sidewalk ramp is a positive for everyone, noting, "You see that ramp and the end of the pavement? That's a curb cut. They were made for wheelchair users but are now used by cyclists, people with suit cases, parents with buggies and more. That's the curb cut effect where access for disabled people ends up helping everyone."

Of course ramps on sidewalks or along side stairs outside of a building were not always common. Disability activists had to fight for this sort of inclusion in the design of the world around them. ADAPT (American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit) formed in 1983 to fight for wheelchair access on public transportation.

In order to be heard, they had to resort to extreme measures like chaining themselves to the steering wheels of busses and, at one point, they hoisted themselves out of their wheelchairs and crawled up the steps of the U.S. Capitol building. Their actions resulted in the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed into law by George H. W. Bush in 1990, making wheelchair access in public spaces commonplace in America.

Ramps aren't the only thing created to benefit people with disabilities; electric toothbrushes are also on the list. The first electric toothbrush was invented in 1954 by Dr. Phillipe-Guy Woog, a Swiss dentist, to help people with motor skill and grip issues effectively brush their teeth. Now, it's something dentists recommend for everyone because electric toothbrushes can be more effective than manual toothbrushes.

disability; disability awareness; diversity equity inclusion; inclusion; disabled people; adaptive items Smiling woman using an electric toothbrush in the bathroom.Photo credit: Canva

Jenni also points out that assistive technology like speech-to-text and voice assistance were created for blind people and those with mobility issues. Now, many of us use the technology to yell at Alexa to set a timer or play our favorite song. The same goes for audiobooks. Jenni shares, "Audiobooks, originally made for blind people, now a go to for the masses for multi-tasking or rest."

In addition to the mainstream market of children's shoes, backpacks, and more, VELCRO has also been used to great effect in disability care. Automatic and touchless doors are so helpful at hospitals, malls, grocery stores, and airports but they too started off as making those spaces accessible for disabled people.

disability; disability awareness; diversity equity inclusion; inclusion; disabled people; adaptive items Woman changing channels on the TV.Photo credit: Canva

Last but not least on the list are subtitles. Jenni shares, "Subtitles and captions. They were made for deaf and hard of hearing people but now everyone uses them on the train, at night, or just to focus better. Disability drives innovation. Accessibility helps everyone. So next time you use one of these, remember where it came from and be sure to share this so more people realize."

People loved the brief history lesson with one person writing, "So if im to understand you correctly. Disabled people make life better? I knew it."

Another person says, "Not only do these accessibility features help literally everyone, but keep in mind that it was disabled people who fought for these additions and improvements to our society. Disabled people fought for these improvements to our society — while tired, frustrated, belittled, in constant pain, and more — and we won. … and we helped to better society in the process. Always remember that."

Someone else chimes in, "voice to text was being used to help us dyslexic people to write papers without having to dumb down our words and meanings but now everyone uses it right on their phone. I remember hours of training a desktop IBM to learn my voice in the 1990's now if I'm having trouble with a word I can just hit a microphone button on my phone and 9 times out of 10 I get the word I want to use rather than having to rewrite everything to make a substitute word work."

Another points out, "A rising tide lifts all boats!"

From Your Site Articles
disability awareness
LearningEducation
More

This company has huge aspirations for reducing the unemployment rate for disabled folks.

If you’re an adult with a disability, finding steady employment can be an uphill battle.

Due to some outdated, problematic stereotypes, the unemployment rate for disabled adults in the United States is nearly 10% — double the rate of those without a disability.

Those numbers are unacceptable, and one company has aspirations to make them a thing of the past.

Aspire works to support disabled adults through workforce development programs and creating job opportunities.

All photos are courtesy of Aspire.

Aspire works with adults who have many different disabilities — such as autism, those who use a wheelchair, and adults with learning disabilities — to develop several important work skills that can be used in different industries. Aspire CEO Jim Kales says it’s a positive step toward improving the job environment for disabled adults.

“While Aspire aims to lower the disability unemployment rate and include people with disabilities into our workforces, we never approach employers out of a sense of 'obligation' or moral duty,” Kales writes in an email. “We view each of our employer partnerships as a win for all parties.”

Through two ventures — the Career Academy and CoffeeWorks — adults with disabilities learn sustainable job skills and use them to support others with disabilities around the world.

Aspire supports multiple ventures to support people living with disabilities.

But how do they do it?

In Aspire’s Career Academy, students are able to dive into their personal career interests while gaining important workforce training. The students receive hands-on training from experts skilled at working with people with a variety of disabilities. To keep services effective, the Career Academy focuses on six career areas that have historically been particularly beneficial for students and graduates.

"We’ve identified six specific sectors that adults with disabilities have statistically excelled in and train participants in those tracks: warehousing and distribution, big-box retail, office and IT, culinary, hospitality, and fitness center administration," Kales says of the program structure.

Their strategy is working in the favor of the students they serve. More than 90% of academy graduates are employed full-time.

Some of them end up at CoffeeWorks — an Aspire-led organization that employs people with developmental disabilities. In addition, 100% of the net proceeds supports kids and adults with disabilities. In essence, they’re breaking down stereotypes and barriers one coffee bean at a time.

“We decided to explore opportunities in the coffee industry because, in essence, coffee brings people together, and that’s what our mission is all about — inclusion for people with disabilities,” Kales writes.

To be an outsider looking through the purview of stereotypes, the success rate might be surprising. But according the Kales, it’s exactly what they expected. Numerous reports show that adults with disabilities often excel in many fields, particularly those with creative or repetitive tasks.

"Hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense — 87% of Americans say they prefer to patronize businesses that hire people with disabilities," Kales writes. “Additionally, hiring people with disabilities helps companies increase their retention rates, saving them the time and cost accrued with employee turnover, as people with disabilities have higher than average retention rates and are proven to be dependable and loyal in their roles.”

For many of the students and employees, the work is empowering, valuable, and important for positive life trajectories.

With real employment opportunities, adults living with disabilities are able to have a more equitable chance to engage with the economy and participate in common societal practices. Society is noticing how awesome it is too.

"[We’re] seeing a wave of interest from employers seeking to hire people with developmental disabilities," Kales writes. "Twenty-one companies (including several Fortune 500’s) have reached out to us in the past six months to start their disability hiring journey."

It’s clear that giving everyone a fair chance at employment opportunities is a win-win for all.

"It comes back to Aspire’s fundamental belief that when we include people of all abilities into our communities, everyone is better for it," Kales adds. "We believe that when people with disabilities are included into our workforces, companies and communities prosper."

Learn more about Aspire's Career Academy below:

More
More

There's an unexpected downfall to banning plastic straws. Here's what to consider.

Cities are starting to ban plastic straws in an effort to minimize waste. Great news, right?

Well, that depends.

Nobody likes waste, but sometimes in our rush to eliminate it, we don't think through the consequences of our actions. Take, for example, the push to ban plastic straws.

As of July 1, restaurants in Seattle are banned from giving customers non-recyclable plastic utensils or straws. Restaurants can still provide customers with a number of durable or compostable utensils or straws upon request.

Other cities that have banned or restricted the use of straws include Edmonds, Washington; Miami Beach and Fort Myers Beach, Florida; Monmouth Beach, New Jersey; and a slew of California towns including Alameda, Berkeley, Carmel, Davis, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Oakland, Richmond, and San Luis Obispo.

Photo by Ayotunde Oguntoyinbo/Unsplash.

But for some people, the disappearance of plastic straws is really bad news.

Flexible, single-use plastic straws are what make it possible for many disabled people to drink beverages. Eliminating them means requiring people to drink directly from the lip of their cup — a function that many disabled people simply aren't able to perform.

Many have suggested commonsense alternatives to plastic straws, like paper or metal ones. But in an interview with iNews, Scottish disability rights activist Jamie Szymkowiak explained exactly why popular alternatives don't meet the needs of some disabled individuals.

Permanent straw options, like metal or bamboo, are too hard for some people who rely on the flexibility of a plastic straw. (Injury is also a risk.) Biodegradable paper straws have a tendency to disintegrate when placed into heated drinks — which can pose a hazard of its own — and porous silicone straws require cleaning immediately after use.

Some might ask why people who need access to old-school plastic straws don't just purchase and bring their own wherever they go.

And sure, that is technically a solution. But making disabled people pay for something that's available to everyone else for free is a type of tax. While it's not necessarily an expensive tax, these types of things add up, and implementing a policy that makes the simple act of drinking prohibitive to certain groups sets a bad precedent.

Photo by Horia Varlan/Wikimedia Commons.

The real problem is that cities considering restrictions simply aren't taking disabled voices into account.

Gabrielle Peters, a disabled writer living in Vancouver, has been keeping tabs on her city's plans to ban straws. What's concerning to her is that even after disability advocates presented information to elected officials, she felt their concerns were largely ignored.

Also troubling to Peters is the fact that the specific push to ban straws appears to be driven by a viral video about a turtle with a straw stuck in its nostril rather than on researched facts and statistics.

"We should feel compelled to act," she says. "But it is essential we temper our emotional response with considered thought so we don't respond in a way that ends up doing something that causes additional, different, and potentially more widespread suffering."

Peters' solution is simple: "People who don’t need straws should not use them. People who do should."

"We need to make straws accessible to those who need them," she says. "Don't turn them into a medical item, which will negatively affect availability and lead to increased expense and stigma."

As someone with dysphagia, a condition marked by a difficulty swallowing, Peters has at points relied on straws to avoid burns, broken glasses, and spilled drinks. (She's careful to note, though, that straws won't necessarily help all people with dysphagia.)

"Our solutions and adaptations are not something you can neatly chart. We figure out what works for our bodies AND our lives," she says.

In this case, that might mean people who don't need straws voluntarily choosing not to use them while also letting them remain available for those who do.

This photo shows an injured Marine, but it's important to remember that disability takes many forms and isn't necessarily something the average observer can see in someone else. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

It's important to look clearly at a problem before jumping to a  "solution" that doesn't actually make sense.

Maybe a plastic straw ban wouldn't personally affect you; maybe it seems like a small price to pay if it has a big impact on improving the health of the world's oceans. But here's the thing: It doesn't!

What makes the entire debate over straws that much more confusing is the fact that disposable straws don't actually contribute much to the abundance of plastic waste relative to other items in the ocean. So by proposing a ban on them, we're asking disabled people to sacrifice a lot in order to gain just a little in the fight for environmental health. And by doing that, we're demonstrating a frightening lack of empathy.

As a society, we are far too quick to write off the concerns of marginalized groups as insignificant or inconvenient.

The next time someone comes to you with a concern, especially if it relates to inclusion or accessibility, try to make a real effort to actually hear what they have to say, and then maybe ask yourself why something like banning a plastic straw is so important to you, anyway.

If we can't take care of each other, we can't take care of the earth. So let's start there.

From Your Site Articles
More
More

Shopping can be stressful for disabled people. These 6 tips can help immensely.

Shopping for that perfect outfit can be an ordeal. But for a lot of disabled people, it can be downright hellish.

In fact, many folks will opt to shop online because of the inaccessibility and ableism they often encounter in-store.

In 2014, Trailblazers, UK-based disability rights campaign, interviewed a group of 100 disabled people between the ages of 16 and 30. According to the report, three-quarters of the respondents said they feel coerced into shopping online due to the limited accessibility at stores. In fact, two-thirds said that a place's physical accessibility determines whether they will visit it or go somewhere else.

But it's not just accessibility that makes a shopping experience unpleasant for disabled: About half of respondents say retail workers' attitudes dissuade them from returning to a store.

Millions of people around the world are physically disabled, which deserves better attention and awareness.

On June 26, Frances Ryan, a disability rights journalist, took to Twitter to address some of the obstacles people with disabilities deal with just to go shopping. "What would make clothes shopping more accessible for you?" she asked. "Are there any shops you particularly love for getting it right?"

Her tweet received hundreds of replies. Here's a few of their suggestions:

1. Make fitting rooms accessible.

A lot of disabled people either use wheelchairs and/or need a relative or caretaker to help them try on clothes. Larger fitting rooms would give the space they need to figure out whether that sundress or trousers are worth buying.

In addition to creating more space, some simple adjustments could also be made: hooks to hang canes on, grab bars, and/or more seats, to help prevent toppling over when trying on things like jeans.

2. Lower the checkout counter.

High checkout counters can make a simple purchase extremely difficult for wheelchair users. Some stores have recognized this issue and made adjustments: The UK clothing company Primark, for example, offers a checkout counter for disabled shoppers.

3. Keep the sales floor clear of clothes or accessories.

This is something able-bodied shoppers and retail workers can help out with. If the floor's covered with dropped clothes or boxes of product, it gets in the way of shoppers who use wheelchairs, canes, motorized shopping carts, or any other mobility device. That's an added — and completely unnecessary — hassle.

4. Offering at-home try-ons for online shoppers.

Making online purchases can be anything but fruitful, since clothes often fit awkwardly or are the wrong size altogether. The return process can be hectic and stressful, too, when there are limited time periods for returns and refunds.

One way retailers can minimize this frustration is to follow MM.LaFleur's example: Ship items for an in-home try-on before purchasing.

5. Include disabled models in advertisements and online stores.

While inclusivity is important, featuring both ambulatory and wheelchair-using disabled models provides a realistic depiction of the items available for purchase. Beyonce's "Formation" athleisure line featured a wheelchair user in her online store — that's how it's done.

6. Offer more detailed descriptions of items.

Many blind and low-vision people navigate the internet using text-to-speech apps or screen readers. Providing more details — from the specific color to the style of a dress — would allow them to make more well-informed and accurate purchases.

These are just a few ways that stores can make shopping a little bit easier for disabled shoppers.

But the onus is not just on companies and retail workers. It's easy for able-bodied people to take the little things for granted, but speaking up and advocating for accessibility is something that we should all take part in.

Whether that's by writing letters to theaters to screen movies with subtitles or suggesting a store manager add seating and grab bars in the fitting rooms, every bit of help can go a long way.

From Your Site Articles
More
Trending Stories