accessibility reinvented

27•10•2023

Accessibility in 2023, is a hot fad as well equity, diversity and inclusion. The value behind the intention has always be a service of charity for those in needs, including conscious and unconscious tokenism to polish for the institution’s shiny image. 

We have always been divided, still to this day. The able-bodied givers (interpreters included) who earn money and those in “needs”, the receivers who do not earn money.

22% of Canadians have disability/disabilities (1) and those Canadians (and not to mention women, indigenous people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2+ and all sort of people looked down upon) struggle to work, to find a job that we enjoy doing and are very good at. The 2023 society is still not ready, even though they say they are trying – it is still not enough because we are still divided.

Accessibility Canada Act is pushing for institutional accessibility plan development, that ends with an individualized institutional plan supporting the internal decision of what is perceived as “access”. How can the society ensure the standardization of the plan and of the full access, equity, diversity and inclusion is followed through?

Here and there, us and you, we and they.

If we really want the society and institutions be fully “IDEA”-friendly, the division between two circles cannot continue anymore. Invite everyone, hire everyone, listen to everyone. We are capable of being in your place, to serve.

Cease the service of charity and the division. Pull everyone through the institutional doors to fill the paid positions and to benefit from any field-related expertise from anyone. I am not talking about narrow accessibility field coming from people with the lived experience(s) but the field(s) that we have always wanted to do, that we have studied in and that we are passionate about.

REFERENCE

(1) https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2022062-eng.htm

location: canada.

language: english.