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PSA: Communication about accessibility
Nov. 19th, 2015 11:58 amIf you know someone with a disability, and you think they're not "nice" or "gentle" or "understanding" enough when they communicate their accessibility needs, you might remember:
1) They deal with this every day. Perhaps they've given it a bit of thought.
2) They deal with this every day. Perhaps they're tired, and would like to be cut a little slack.
3) Accessibility needs are not optional. Perhaps being "nice" is not the highest priority.
4) The tone argument is a classic tool used by people with more power to silence people with less power. "If only your tone were better" effectively derails the conversation from the original topic, which is oh-so-convenient for the person being asked to improve accessibility.
This PSA brought to you by the daily struggle to communicate about fragrance-free environments.
1) They deal with this every day. Perhaps they've given it a bit of thought.
2) They deal with this every day. Perhaps they're tired, and would like to be cut a little slack.
3) Accessibility needs are not optional. Perhaps being "nice" is not the highest priority.
4) The tone argument is a classic tool used by people with more power to silence people with less power. "If only your tone were better" effectively derails the conversation from the original topic, which is oh-so-convenient for the person being asked to improve accessibility.
This PSA brought to you by the daily struggle to communicate about fragrance-free environments.
