It will never cease to infuriate me that something as simple as taking the tube is regularly so disastrous and panic-inducing as a wheelchair user -- in ways that are perfectly avoidable if we prioritized disabled people's experience of transport as much as we do nondisabled people's.
Later in the day another TfL staff member told me that at this time of year they have lots of staff covering from different stations, so that may have been the problem -- if his usual station doesn't have ramps. But surely that's something we can foresee/prevent!
7/8
I guess Christmas miracles do happen. It's a shame they're just of the surviving-shit-tube-accessibility variety, and never the TfL-actually-lives-up-to-its-accessibility-claims variety.
Alas.
Jokes aside, TfL, can we address this sort of thing pls.
6/8
I debate whether to fight that battle with him, but given that it looks ... sort of okay, and the people behind me are really freaking out about not being able to get off the train (amateurs, those able-bodied folk), I decide to risk it and go down the ramp.
I do not die!
5/8
The man next to me on the train is now getting involved, also telling him "No, flip it!"
He flips it.
However, the raised bit on the ramp that fits into a slot in the train to secure it is not secured. I am aware that the ramp may move or fall once I get on it.
4/8
He turns the ramp around, but just so the bottom end is now at the top. It's still upside down.
Me: Ah ... no, not that way! Flip it! LIKE A PANCAKE. FLIP IT LIKE A PANCAKE."
(I suddenly recall that pancakes are different in England and hope they still involve flipping)
3/8
"'I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE! I'M NOT RAMP TRAINED!"
He staggers over, puts the ramp down clumsily ... upside-down. Handle-side up.
Me: "It's upside down! It has to be flipped over."
At this point people behind me are panicking and trying to push past me to get off.
2/8
A hilarious play-by-play of the worst ramp deployment I've ever experienced today (@ TfL)
The train doors open -- no ramp in sight. I get my wheelchair as close to the edge as I can and see staff member w/ ramp down the platform. I flag him down.
Him: "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!
1/8
“Who counts as disabled then?”
I get extra ‘disability studies bingo’ points if they do finger air quotes around the word disabled
There's a misconception I see a lot wrt to the social model of disability and disability pride more broadly that when we say these things we mean that disability isn't real or that our impairments don't cause real problems for us.
I cannot tell you how many tech journalists at prominent media organizations do not understand this
"Common decency stigmatizes people that do not participate in it—removes them from voluntary association. We indeed have to live with one another, but terms and conditions apply."
me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually
www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...
As a disabled pregnant woman currently taking paracetamol (tylenol) for back & pelvic pain...
I don't yet have a response for the ableist, eugenicist, evidently pro-life movatived "announcement" from the US President.
But I will say this. If you don't want a disabled child, don't have children.
Here's to hoping the House of Lords gives the Assisted Dying Bill the scrutiny, safeguarding, & open debate it failed to get in the Commons. Lives -- of disabled and ill people, already under attack in this country -- are quite literally at stake.
Lucy Webster for @theguardian.com ⬇️
Medieval-style illustration of a group of disabled people being burnt at the stake
Are we repeating history? @annalandre.com provides a satirical take on today's disability politics.
disabilityarts.online/magazine/opi...
As researchers, scientists, & innovators in the disability space, we at @gdihub.bsky.social wrote an open letter on the UK government's proposed disability cuts:
They lack an evidence base & don't address the employment barriers disabled people face.
cdn.disabilityinnovation.com/uploads/imag...
Priscilla Chan’s decision to stop funding the school she opened to help struggling families shows the risks for communities reliant on wealthy private donors.
The Assisted Dying Bill will soon be voted on in Parliament.
We need all Disabled people and allies to urgently write to your MP and let them know why this dangerous bill can't go ahead. 📢
Use resources from Not Dead Yet to help you speak out:
If you're a disabled person whose mobility devices are damaged at anti-ICE protests by the police etc and you have evidence of it, I'm always interested in you contacting me for a potential @motherjones.com story at jmetraux@motherjones.com or signal: juliametraux.49.
Our Global Research & Response Lead, @annalandre.com represented The Partnership this week in Geneva at the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform that brings together leaders from around the world on Disaster Risk Reduction.
On a train near a man who just said to his friend:
“Like, people can become paralyzed at any time — become a burden to themselves & others. Sometimes it’s better to be dead.”
But yeah, the UK should totally legalize nondisabled people deciding when suicide should be allowed for us. ♿️
A Guardian article titled “Disabled celebrities urge Keir Starmer to scrap ‘inhumane’ benefits cuts” by Frances Ryan with text “More than 100 of the UK's most high-profile disabled people, including Liz Carr, Rosie Jones, Ruth Madeley and Cherylee Houston, have called on the prime minister to abandon "inhumane and catastrophic plans to cut disability benefits". and photos above of Liz Carr, Ruth Madeley, Rosie Jones, and Cherylee Houston.
Despite very much NOT being a celebrity (!), I’m proud to be one of the over 100 disabled people undersigning this letter to Keir Starmer as part of the #TakingThePIP campaign against cuts to disability services.
Read the letter & share: takingthepip.co.uk
Will these new homes Labour keep crowing about building be fully accessible?
Just 1% of new homes are planned to be wheelchair accessible, despite approx 1.2 million wheelchair users living in the UK.
Source: www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/building-control-news/accessible-housing-lockdown/84458
Anna, a wheelchair user, smiling in front of a wall with the GMB logo and graphics.
I had a lovely bank holiday morning with @GMB today, discussing my unfortunate train access denial from last week — and some tips on enforcing your rights as a disabled person in a political context where they’re rarely granted without a fight.
This is SO COOL!!
Screenshot Lift reliability for Horsham Station This page shows the historical reliability of the lifts at Horsham station. Last 24 hours Lift 1 Platforms 1&2 Reliability: 30% Lift 3, station entrance to footbridge Reliability: 12% Lift 2 Platforms 3&4 Reliability: 44% Each lift has a timeline graph showing when it was broken, in red, and working, in green
lifts.matteason.co.uk now shows historical reliability data for almost every station lift in the UK - for example, lifts.matteason.co.uk/HRH/history
I really hope this is useful for people who need to know how accessible local stations are as well as accessibility and disability rights campaigners
Every minister should read this. 👇 If the government actually cared about disabled people being in work, they would reform the chaos of Access to Work.
This government *says* it’s here to “get Britain working” — but its actions point to a very different, far more nefarious policy goal when it comes to disabled people.
Jess can’t work now, because her services just got cut. She’s one of many.
@ any media who follow me — this is quite a story!
The fact is, disabled people reacting with anything other than gratefulness & deference for being granted basic human dignity is often perceived as rudeness. And the power nondisabled people have over our lives to enforce that dynamic is extraordinary.
No trains for me today.
Standard for denial of ramp assistance. Abusiveness is, and I was certainly not that.
I have asked for any body cam footage of the interaction and to know exactly which words I said resulted in a denial of service. …