Shifting Attitudes
Listen to the audio version by clicking the play button above.
Recently, Paula Tesoriero, the New Zealand Disability Rights Commissioner, wrote something that really resonated with me. She spoke of New Zealand’s progress towards realising the human rights of disabled people in the 14 years since we adopted the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
She also discussed the work that we still need to do. Paula said, “We need to move from compensating for an inaccessible society – founded on the notions of disability as a deficit – to recognising disabled people as equal rights holders, and actively working to create fully accessible communities.” I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and believe it is something to which we can all contribute.
Commissioner Tesoriero went on to say that implementing recommendations in the Making Disability Rights Real report, produced by the Independent Monitoring Mechanism, will create a positive change in our attitudes toward disability.
The report identifies six themes that will help remove the barriers preventing disabled people from participating equally in New Zealand society. Other than housing, these themes do not focus directly on the built environment, which is my area of work. However, if we use them to collectively and consistently shift our mindset, it will inevitably have a big impact on the built environments we create.
Currently, the majority of spaces we build seem to treat a disability as a deficit. These spaces may provide the level of accessibility required by law, but they do not actively create a space that is part of a fully accessible community.
Take, as just one example, the ubiquitous frameless glass automatic sliding doors set within a glass façade. On the one hand, they’re useful because we don’t need to open them ourselves, which benefits many people: someone using a wheelchair, a parent manoeuvring a stroller, a person with arthritis in their hands, or a shopper with their hands full of bags, for example. On the other hand, glass doors in a glass façade are hard to find when looking for the entrance, making them inaccessible to people with low vision, people who are distracted, and people who have a cognitive disability, among others. We must then add contrast or signage so these people can find the door.
When we choose features and components for landscapes and buildings that aren’t as inclusive as possible, then by default we are excluding some people from participating in that environment. It’s not intentional, of course, but more a reflection of how difficult it can be to consider a variety of experiences beyond our own.
When we create an environment that is inaccessible for some, then we have to adjust it for the group of people who cannot use it as it is. An environment that does not need compensation or compromise sends a clear message to everyone who enjoys it – you are an equal member of this community. You are worthy of participation, and we want you here.
It is hard to provide an inclusive environment without knowing all of the needs of the wonderful mix of people who make up our society. The good news is that it’s ok to ask for help.
In my experience, disability organisations and disabled people welcome the chance to review a built environment and make suggestions for improvement that would not occur to most of us. What’s more, in many cases, their suggestions can make it better for more people than expected. Alternatively, you can contact an access professional such as myself. We want your spaces to succeed and be enjoyed by everyone and we can help you create environments that support positive change in our attitudes toward disability.
