Mainstream media outlets routinely butcher stories about disability. I never cease to be amazed how disability based discrimination gets glossed over and turned into a feel good story or what many call inspiration porn. In 2012 video, comedian Stella Young brilliantly deconstructed inspiration porn. She defined Inspiration porn as follows:
Inspiration porn is an image of a person with a disability, often a kid, doing something completely ordinary--like playing, or talking, or running--carrying a caption like 'your excuse is invalid'... It's there so that non-disabled people can look at us and think 'Well, it could be worse... I could be that person'.
The spring is filled with dehumanizing inspiration porn. The paralyzed young man who uses an exoskeleton to walk across a stage to receive his diploma. The crowd cheers wildly. Stories abound about paralyzed wives, paralyzed moms, paralyzed dads, and people with a disability doing something, anything really, and people fawn all over them as though they are heroes. Stories also abound about non-disabled people doing something nice with a disabled person. Ordinary events like lunch, going to a baseball game, getting in or out of a car, shopping, traveling on a bus or train, etc are turned into inspiring events. In this video age such inspiration porn inevitably ends up on You Tube and major news outlets. They are used as 30 to 60 second clips at the end of a broadcast designed to make non disabled people good about themselves and the world. Comment sections under such stories all gush about how inspired they are.
I have deconstructed many inspiration porn stories on my blog. The reaction is always the same--non disabled people get angry and a hate emails fill my mailbox. Pouring a dose of reality on a supposedly tear jerking story is not the way to become popular. Indeed, I am weary of deconstructing inspiration porn because the negative reaction is swift and immediate. In post a post factual society, one replete with "alternative facts", pointing out that there is nothing real going on in inspiration porn stories is a sure fire way to alienate people. Living up to my moniker bad cripple, today, I cannot let an inspiration porn story go without comment in part because I was taken to task on twitter.
ABC and many other mainstream news outlets had stories about an incident in Michigan. Apparently Angela Peters went to a nail salon to get her nails done. Peters has a disability and it is difficult to hold her hands still. Peters was told by the nail salon that it would be too difficult to do her nails and she was refused service. An employ of a nearby Walmart, Ebony Harris, who knew Peters decided to help her. Together, Harris and Peters picked out a colorful nail polish, went to a nearby Subway seating area. There Harris set up a DIY nail set up and did Peters nails. Tasia Smith who works at Subway saw what was going on and took photographs and of Harris doing Peters nails. An essential component of inspiration porn is the non disabled person must be humble. Harris told reporters that she gave up her break to do Peters nails. Harris simply wanted to make the day special for Peters and did not want her day to be ruined. While doing Peters nails Peters apologized for her hand movements. In reply, Harris stated she was nervous too because she did not want to mess up Peters nails. Smith who took the photographs posted them on Facebook and the images went viral. Smith wrote "She did great, barely moved & was just so sweet. It's an absolute shame that they denied her for something so little". Harris has been predictably humble telling various news outlets, "I love it and it hit my soul in a very deep place. It makes me feel good, but its very overwhelming". Walmart seized on this opportunity and issued a press release stating:
Ebony simply wanted to make sure our customer's day was special, and that's the kind of person she is--someone with a wonderful attitude who goes the extra mile each day to make those around her feel important. We're not surprised at her act of kindness. Her service to customers defines the spirit of Walmart and we couldn't be more proud.
Another key component of inspiration porn is for the disabled person to be utterly silent or as humble as the non disabled "helper" being lauded. Thus news outlets were quick to point out that Harris and Peters goal was to raise awareness for people with disabilities. They did not want the nail salon to be punished or others to boycott the salon. Peters told ABC news:
I forgive the nail people for not doing my nails. When people do us wrong we must forgive, if not we harbor bitterness. I don't want anyone fired, I just want to educate people that people with different challenges like being in a wheelchair, we can have our own business and get our nails done like anyone else.
Harris agreed with Peters and told ABC news: "We want people to look at the positive side of the story, that there are a lot of good people out there".
The above story is an absolute text book example of inspiration porn. The reality of what actually took place is not inspiring. The nail salon flagrantly violated the law. Peters could and should have filed a formal complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Department of Justice. Peters civil rights were violated. The fact Walmart used its public relations department to disseminate the story to all the major news outlets is not mentioned. The fact people with a disability are routinely turned away from nail salons, hotels, motels, airlines, restaurants, museums, mass transit systems, housing, schools, universities, and denied services in every state of the nation is also not mentioned. The word ableism remains unknown for this reason. Peters wants others to be educated and enlightened about disability. Good luck with that. All the education in the world will not eliminate disability based bigotry. Education was not the reason 40 years of progressive legislation designed to empower people was passed into law. Civil disobedience and protests that shamed others led law makers to write laws that protect the rights of people with a disability. When I read Peters comments about forgiveness and bitterness I was repulsed. As a person with a disability if I have learned one thing it is that being nice and being quick to forgive others will insure our constructed environment will remain grossly inaccessible now and forever. As Stella Young noted in her talk about inspiration porn all the longing looks in the world will not make a staircase go away and get an elevator installed to provide equal access.
Equal access. Equal rights. This is the lost story. As I see it we have moved into a new era of disability rights. Those of rabble rousing age grew up in post ADA America. As people with a disability came of age they knew lots of laws existed regarding disability. Most people agreed the laws about access and equal rights should be adhered to. Out right bigotry of the sort I experienced has morphed into a formulaic politeness. Heads nod that any and all "reasonable accommodations" should be made. The problem is those accommodations can take years to get. Need a note taker in your class? Fill out these forms, see a physician to see if you qualify, talk to the ADA coordinator, disability services, and your professor, and hopefully by the end of the semester a note taker will be found. Worse, virtually no people with a disability are in positions of power hence a "reasonable accommodation" will be decided by a person that is almost certainly non disabled and most likely knows nothing about disability. Add in "reasonable accommodations" are resented and seen as some sort of scam and an underlying hostility exists in most institutions. Here in Colorado for example I have worn out the rug to my physician office with all the forms required by the state. Such forms must also be filled out to perfection. No blue ink. Ink must be black. Form rejected. None of this includes the time and labor involved. For example, I was in the Department of Motor Vehicles for over 5 hours getting license plates. I get to do this all over again to get a handicapped placard.
After thinking about the story above, I have concluded to be valued as a human being one must be able in the extreme. By able I mean young, active, absent any sort of disability, fit (not obese), employed, and preferably attractive, white and heterosexual. Based on my drive across the nation and the hatred being spewed out by the GOP on a daily basis, I can only conclude intersectionality is bad. Difference is feared and I sure as hell am different. As a society we are not merely regressing but taking giant strides backwards. Unlike Peters who is eagerly willing to forgive others who violate her civil rights, I feel like am a throwback to a time gone by. I stand up for my civil rights. When people violate my rights I get angry. I do not meekly do as I am told. I am willing to point out disability based injustice. I am willing to upset others. None of this is easy. As noted above, I live up to my moniker.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
A Wheelchair Can Be Too Light
Last weekend I went for a drive with two friends. I had been told repeatedly that the drive to the Mount Evans Summit was nothing short of spectacular. The Mount Evans road is certainly not for the faint of heart--it is the highest paved road in North America. There are no guard rails and the road is very narrow with multiple hair pin turns. I would venture to say it is the most challenging road I have ever driven. The best section of the road and most challenging is the 28 mile segment from Idaho Springs to just below the summit of Mount Evans. In that distance one goes from 7,540 feet to 14,130 feet. The views from the summit are nothing short of breathtaking. According to the National Park Service, traveling to the Mount Evans summit is akin to driving through Canada to Nome, Alaska. Every 1,000 feet gained in the mountains is the equivalent to traveling 600 miles in latitude.
I did not take any photographs on the drive. The drive required 100% concentration and once pass Summit Lake there is virtually no safe place to pull over. When we left Denver it was warm and sunny--mid to upper 80s. In the West however weather can change fast. In addition, we were going to gain 7,000 feet in elevation. By the time we got to the Mount Evans road clouds had moved in and it was raining. The temperatures dropped rapidly--more than the average drop of 3.5 to 5 f. per 1,000 feet of elevation gained. Half way up to the summit it was 42 f. and windy--a drop of over 40 f. At the summit parking lot the temperature was 37 f. with sustained wind gusts at 40 to 50 mph. The wind chill made it feel like it was in the low teens. I was thrilled! I love the cold. I wanted to explore as I knew the hike to the summit itself was wheelchair accessible and a mere 1/4 mile. We never got out of the parking lot. Once in my wheelchair the wind was so strong it was almost impossible for me to independently control my wheelchair. I have felt strong wind gusts before. Sitting in my new light weight wheelchair is almost like being a sail. To date, this has been great fun or great work. The fun is allowing the wind to move me at break new speeds. The work is going against the wind. Wind in a wheelchair as light as mine is major variable and something I have never thought about.
The powerful wind at the top of Mount Evans moved me in ways I have never felt before. I was on the verge of being completely out of control and unable to stop my wheelchair. At over 14,000 ft. I was winded from transferring from the car to my wheelchair and moving across a small parking lot. I was also chilled to the bone. In a visceral way Mother Nature demonstrated her power and my hubris. I was not prepared for the weather or wind. In more ways than one I was blown away. From the summit one can see most of the Continental Divide in Colorado. One can also see Longs Peak, Denver, Pikes Peak, and Mount Bierstadt. The drive and summit views were incredible experiences. Better yet I learned a basic fact without injury. My wheelchair is too light in sustained high winds. I never thought I would live long enough to write that statement. I look forward to going back on a day when I am well prepared for the weather and altitude. It looks like I will need to dust off my ancient back up wheelchair and refurbish it if I am going to hike around the top of Mount Evans. Simply put, I need a far heavier wheelchair if I am going to make the short hike to the summit. Amazing.
I did not take any photographs on the drive. The drive required 100% concentration and once pass Summit Lake there is virtually no safe place to pull over. When we left Denver it was warm and sunny--mid to upper 80s. In the West however weather can change fast. In addition, we were going to gain 7,000 feet in elevation. By the time we got to the Mount Evans road clouds had moved in and it was raining. The temperatures dropped rapidly--more than the average drop of 3.5 to 5 f. per 1,000 feet of elevation gained. Half way up to the summit it was 42 f. and windy--a drop of over 40 f. At the summit parking lot the temperature was 37 f. with sustained wind gusts at 40 to 50 mph. The wind chill made it feel like it was in the low teens. I was thrilled! I love the cold. I wanted to explore as I knew the hike to the summit itself was wheelchair accessible and a mere 1/4 mile. We never got out of the parking lot. Once in my wheelchair the wind was so strong it was almost impossible for me to independently control my wheelchair. I have felt strong wind gusts before. Sitting in my new light weight wheelchair is almost like being a sail. To date, this has been great fun or great work. The fun is allowing the wind to move me at break new speeds. The work is going against the wind. Wind in a wheelchair as light as mine is major variable and something I have never thought about.
The powerful wind at the top of Mount Evans moved me in ways I have never felt before. I was on the verge of being completely out of control and unable to stop my wheelchair. At over 14,000 ft. I was winded from transferring from the car to my wheelchair and moving across a small parking lot. I was also chilled to the bone. In a visceral way Mother Nature demonstrated her power and my hubris. I was not prepared for the weather or wind. In more ways than one I was blown away. From the summit one can see most of the Continental Divide in Colorado. One can also see Longs Peak, Denver, Pikes Peak, and Mount Bierstadt. The drive and summit views were incredible experiences. Better yet I learned a basic fact without injury. My wheelchair is too light in sustained high winds. I never thought I would live long enough to write that statement. I look forward to going back on a day when I am well prepared for the weather and altitude. It looks like I will need to dust off my ancient back up wheelchair and refurbish it if I am going to hike around the top of Mount Evans. Simply put, I need a far heavier wheelchair if I am going to make the short hike to the summit. Amazing.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Driving Across the Country
I drove from Denver to New York and back in my new car. In less than a week I drove a little over four thousand miles. I needed to bond with my car. We are truly bonded. Getting my wheelchair in and out is a snap and my little fuel sipper averaged 36 mpg on the trip.
Random thoughts as I drove across the heartland without a satellite radio meaning I listened to a lot of bad country music, right wing talk radio and even worse religious talk.
Billboard in Ohio: "When you die you will meet God. You have been warned".
Talk radio in Iowa: "Elizabeth Warren is a radical whose socialist agenda is designed to destroy all that America stands for. She is amassing hundreds of millions of dollars to run for president. We can't let that happen. Socialism is the enemy of this nation. She is more dangerous and leftist than Bernie Sanders. Trump and Pence will make America great again"
Talk radio in Nebraska: "Democrats want to undermine our faith and belief in God. Religion is under attack and the leftist Democratic Party wants heathens to pour into our country from Mexico, assault our women, and destroy our churches. We are under siege"
Laura Ingraham: Of course I know who Ingraham is. I have read many of her controversial statements and know she is a so called ardent nationalist who is a vigorous supporter of Trump. I also know she has a radio program. It is one thing to know these facts and another to listen to her spew hatred and disinformation on her radio show. I was shocked by her lies and the venom directed at gay people and immigrants. After 30 minutes I was so flabbergasted and disturbed I changed the station. Bad music or silence was preferable.
Add for an unnamed political candidate, Indiana: "Candidate is endorsed by the NRA and is a gun owner. Candidate will protect the rights of the unborn and will broker no assaults on religious freedom. The candidate served honorably in the airforce. He is a leader of God faring men. If you love this country and want to defeat radical democrats this is our man."
Gas station in Ohio. I am being stared at as I pump gas by two men in a 1960s era pick up truck covered in mud. They have a conversation about how they now let anyone drive. They appear to be offended by my existence and the fact I am driving a Honda. Clearly unimpressed with me and my driving ability they discuss how to get to their destination without getting on the interstate because they let people like me drive.
Checking in at a cheap motel: Me: "Do you have a wheelchair accessible room". Desk clerk: Who are you with? Where is your caretaker?" Me: "Do you have a wheelchair accessible room?" Desk Clerk, confused and a little annoyed: "I think so". After looking at a computer screen for a long time, looking beyond me and outside as though he is expecting a caretaker to arrive finally answers yes.
Cheap motels: Wheelchair accessible at national motel chains is iffy at best. Days Inn, Baymont Inn, Red Roof Inn, Super 8, Microtel, etc. accessible rooms range from very accessible to not accessible at all. I had an accessible room with a roll in shower that had a step to enter the shower. All rooms I stayed in did not have the bathroom towels, iron, ice bucket, hanger rod etc. were within reach. The motels pools had wheelchair lifts. 50% of the lifts were broken.
Thanks to ADAPT: In one of ADAPTs first national efforts in the early 1980s was to convince all McDonalds to be accessible. The initial reaction from the McDonalds corporation was predictably negative. Fast forward to the present day and McDonalds food may be terrible but I knew with certainty any and all McDonalds bathrooms were accessible.
Local Museums in Iowa: Two little museums in Iowa were an oasis of fun. The Iowa Museum of Aviation is a wonderful small museum that displays historic aircraft. The museum's collection concerns Iowa aviation and its archive is first rate. The Bob Feller museum was a hoot. Feller grew up in rural Van Meter, Iowa and found himself as a 17 heard old playing professional baseball. He threw a fast ball over 100mph. I cannot imagine the culture shock he experienced leaving Iowa for New York and forging a Hall of Fame career with the Yankees.
Nebraska and Colorado. The speed limit is 75 mph. I was content to drive in the right lane at 80mph. Cars were blowing by me at over 100mph.
All of middle America. Giant pick up trucks abound. With gas at $3 a gallon what does it cost to fill up these beasts.
My drive across America was educational. I learned in a visceral way why Trump was elected. There are millions of angry conservative, white, Christian, rural Americans who are afraid of change. The white bubble in which they live is changing. This change is perceived as an attack on their lives. In Iowa I heard a lot about hog and soy bean prices but thrown in with such news was a healthy dose of fear. Anything and everything outside the United States is suspect. Trump has tapped into middle American fear with simple statements--the most famous of which is "make America great again". This is meaningless rhetoric to me but to rural residents in middle America and conservative Christians this is exactly what they want to hear. There is no need for education. No need to Google and learn. Indeed, there is an anti intellectualism that is deeply disturbing. The answers are obvious and need no explanation. I felt this. My kind are not wanted. Oh yes conservative Christians love to pray for me but they deeply resent special education, accessible rooms, pool wheelchair lifts, accessible buses etc. I am as threatening symbolically as any non white person. As such, I was referred to as "you people" daily at gas stations and motels across the nation. I was openly stated at every time I put gas in my car. More than ever, I am aware I live in a little bubble here in Denver. I am equally aware we have a national problem fostered by Trump. We have elected a demagogue who has all the answers and any person or organization that defies his pronouncements are an "enemy of the people"--his words not mine. These are truly troubled times.
Random thoughts as I drove across the heartland without a satellite radio meaning I listened to a lot of bad country music, right wing talk radio and even worse religious talk.
Billboard in Ohio: "When you die you will meet God. You have been warned".
Talk radio in Iowa: "Elizabeth Warren is a radical whose socialist agenda is designed to destroy all that America stands for. She is amassing hundreds of millions of dollars to run for president. We can't let that happen. Socialism is the enemy of this nation. She is more dangerous and leftist than Bernie Sanders. Trump and Pence will make America great again"
Talk radio in Nebraska: "Democrats want to undermine our faith and belief in God. Religion is under attack and the leftist Democratic Party wants heathens to pour into our country from Mexico, assault our women, and destroy our churches. We are under siege"
Laura Ingraham: Of course I know who Ingraham is. I have read many of her controversial statements and know she is a so called ardent nationalist who is a vigorous supporter of Trump. I also know she has a radio program. It is one thing to know these facts and another to listen to her spew hatred and disinformation on her radio show. I was shocked by her lies and the venom directed at gay people and immigrants. After 30 minutes I was so flabbergasted and disturbed I changed the station. Bad music or silence was preferable.
Add for an unnamed political candidate, Indiana: "Candidate is endorsed by the NRA and is a gun owner. Candidate will protect the rights of the unborn and will broker no assaults on religious freedom. The candidate served honorably in the airforce. He is a leader of God faring men. If you love this country and want to defeat radical democrats this is our man."
Gas station in Ohio. I am being stared at as I pump gas by two men in a 1960s era pick up truck covered in mud. They have a conversation about how they now let anyone drive. They appear to be offended by my existence and the fact I am driving a Honda. Clearly unimpressed with me and my driving ability they discuss how to get to their destination without getting on the interstate because they let people like me drive.
Checking in at a cheap motel: Me: "Do you have a wheelchair accessible room". Desk clerk: Who are you with? Where is your caretaker?" Me: "Do you have a wheelchair accessible room?" Desk Clerk, confused and a little annoyed: "I think so". After looking at a computer screen for a long time, looking beyond me and outside as though he is expecting a caretaker to arrive finally answers yes.
Cheap motels: Wheelchair accessible at national motel chains is iffy at best. Days Inn, Baymont Inn, Red Roof Inn, Super 8, Microtel, etc. accessible rooms range from very accessible to not accessible at all. I had an accessible room with a roll in shower that had a step to enter the shower. All rooms I stayed in did not have the bathroom towels, iron, ice bucket, hanger rod etc. were within reach. The motels pools had wheelchair lifts. 50% of the lifts were broken.
Thanks to ADAPT: In one of ADAPTs first national efforts in the early 1980s was to convince all McDonalds to be accessible. The initial reaction from the McDonalds corporation was predictably negative. Fast forward to the present day and McDonalds food may be terrible but I knew with certainty any and all McDonalds bathrooms were accessible.
Local Museums in Iowa: Two little museums in Iowa were an oasis of fun. The Iowa Museum of Aviation is a wonderful small museum that displays historic aircraft. The museum's collection concerns Iowa aviation and its archive is first rate. The Bob Feller museum was a hoot. Feller grew up in rural Van Meter, Iowa and found himself as a 17 heard old playing professional baseball. He threw a fast ball over 100mph. I cannot imagine the culture shock he experienced leaving Iowa for New York and forging a Hall of Fame career with the Yankees.
Nebraska and Colorado. The speed limit is 75 mph. I was content to drive in the right lane at 80mph. Cars were blowing by me at over 100mph.
All of middle America. Giant pick up trucks abound. With gas at $3 a gallon what does it cost to fill up these beasts.
My drive across America was educational. I learned in a visceral way why Trump was elected. There are millions of angry conservative, white, Christian, rural Americans who are afraid of change. The white bubble in which they live is changing. This change is perceived as an attack on their lives. In Iowa I heard a lot about hog and soy bean prices but thrown in with such news was a healthy dose of fear. Anything and everything outside the United States is suspect. Trump has tapped into middle American fear with simple statements--the most famous of which is "make America great again". This is meaningless rhetoric to me but to rural residents in middle America and conservative Christians this is exactly what they want to hear. There is no need for education. No need to Google and learn. Indeed, there is an anti intellectualism that is deeply disturbing. The answers are obvious and need no explanation. I felt this. My kind are not wanted. Oh yes conservative Christians love to pray for me but they deeply resent special education, accessible rooms, pool wheelchair lifts, accessible buses etc. I am as threatening symbolically as any non white person. As such, I was referred to as "you people" daily at gas stations and motels across the nation. I was openly stated at every time I put gas in my car. More than ever, I am aware I live in a little bubble here in Denver. I am equally aware we have a national problem fostered by Trump. We have elected a demagogue who has all the answers and any person or organization that defies his pronouncements are an "enemy of the people"--his words not mine. These are truly troubled times.