We want to be spectators. Many of us want to be or are, participants. So why is it that we face so many freaking barriers? As a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan for more than four decades and compound archery 2024 Paralympic…
Do you have a disability if you don’t have an official diagnosis?
The short answer is “absolutely.” The long answer, of course, is more complicated than that. First of all, disabilities are almost always thought of in either the medical or legal contexts. The CDC’s definition of a disability, which is medical, is…
Sustainability starts with disability inclusion and accessibility.
For starters, for every 1 % increase in people with disabilities working, $25 billion would be added to the US economy. Many people start the year with New Year’s resolutions: Reduce, reuse, recycle Purchase more sustainable solutions Buy local But each of…
How people with disabilities can be ableist
TL;DR: They internalize the dominant paradigm: abled is good, disabled is bad. Exhibit #1: Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott Greg Abbott is a wheelchair user, only the third wheelchair-using governor in United States history. What happened that caused him to…
Convincing People to Be Accessible
I’ve broken the suggestions I am making below many, many times. I’m trying harder not to do that in the future. Product owners and people above them in the executive hierarchy frequently hold the position that current customers and what…
Accessibility issues that can’t be solved by tech
You can’t consider yourself accessible in the broadest sense of the word without considering non-technical factors that disproportionately impact people with disabilities There are two different categories of thought on the WCAG accessibility guidelines: WCAG is a goal, something that…
Female leaders are better at ensuring people with disabilities aren’t excluded
Good news, but simultaneously depressing because female leadership is so vastly underrepresented in both government and private business In the article “What Do Countries With The Best Coronavirus Responses Have In Common? Women Leaders,” the female leaders of Denmark, Iceland,…
Ten basic accessibility facts
All accessibility managers should be comfortable communicating the following facts and the reasons behind them. Fact #1: All accessibility (digital and physical) is a civil right. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law for people with disabilities.…
I’ve given up on the ADA to protect my rights as a person with a disability
The ADA requires you to litigate. Why isn’t there an office where I can just file a complaint? The ADA turned 30 on the day I published this article. Anyone who views the ADA as a complete success doesn’t understand…
Types of discrimination women with disabilities face while looking for work
Women are 20 % more likely to have a disability than men. Workforce discrimination of any form impacts us more. Note: every “bad” HR behavior listed in this article, I have had personally happen to me, or heard about first-hand…