You must certify that you have a disability to buy an ADA ticket. Why should you be able to resell it at an inflated price to someone without a disability? In the US, public shows such as sporting events, live…
What it’s like to be a liberal, female, disabled archery competitor
My last two tournaments have involved some terrible comments from other competitors. I won the last one anyways. 23 months ago, we had a group of teammates visiting from Austin and the Pacific Northwest. We wanted to do a group…
What do American employers owe their employees with mental health conditions
This situation will become more prevalent thanks to the pandemic. This article will start with a general discussion on accommodations and then move on to the specifics of a mental health condition. Is the employer required to provide accommodations? Unless…
Naomi Osaka cancels the French Open
Why her actions are so important to people with mental health issues and disabilities Naomi Osaka: was the 2nd seed in the French Open is ranked the #2 female tennis player in the world is a 4-time grand slam winner…
Why I wrote “Giving a Damn About Accessibility” and why you should read it
I wrote the accessibility book I needed 17 years ago when I made my career shift to focus on disability and accessibility. In 2004, I was struggling with a miserable career. I finished law school in 1997. I spent a…
What does an “accessibility flywheel” look like?
Flywheels distill complicated sets of business processes down to the most critical inflection points, enhancing stakeholder focus. A business flywheel is an alternative to the more traditional “funnel” that graphically portrayed processes must follow to get and keep customers. The…
Physical Campus Accessibility – More than just an occupancy certificate
Originally published in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Diversability Every day in the US, a conversation like the following one occurs: Employee with disability: I can’t do X because of Y. Some examples of this might include, “I can’t use…
Six actions that will destroy disability/diversity ally credibility
Believe me when I say that for all underrepresented communities, including disability, actions speak WAY louder than words. Most organizations want to claim they are inclusive. You don’t find many that proudly shout publicly that they intentionally exclude underrepresented minorities,…
What types of media representation do people with disabilities want to see?
If you ask a disability activist, the answer to this question is more complicated than you might think. Media representation of people with disabilities is at an all-time high. But the numbers don’t tell a complete story. For starters, that…
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…