Independence Day?
Happy Fourth Of July! It’s the month when we celebrate our Independence! Let Freedom Ring!
Well…not quite. I am happy to celebrate the birth of our Nation, but those of us living with paralysis often have days when we just don’t feel independent. To be sure, I am thrilled that I can go so many places in my wheelchair I could not go without it, and as I have written in a previous blog, I consider my wheelchair my friend. But even with my caring and attentive husband always helping me, and the mobility I gain from my wheelchair, reality often intrudes. And, as a 1994 film told us, “Reality Bites”.
We have all encountered “accessible” hotel rooms with not enough room for our wheelchairs to pull alongside the bed. How many bathrooms have you found that post the wheelchair symbol, but don’t have a stall door wide enough to get into it? And how many times have you pulled up to a public building only to find stairs, or a door so heavy there is no way we could open it? This is the reality we all face every day.
I don’t want to sound ungrateful. I have also found truly accessible bathrooms, easily entered public buildings with automatic door openers and ramps, and taken advantage of great “handicapped” theater seating. I appreciate the effort made by these establishments to meet our needs. But we need to keep pushing and acting and fighting for our independence.
There are many ways we can become involved, from personal contacts to organized lobbying. For instance, if you check into a hotel that advertises accessible rooms, and the room is not what you need, don’t just complain to your partner or spouse. Go to the front desk, point out the deficiencies and see if they can relocate you. And when you get home, write a (polite) letter to the hotel company stating what they had advertised and how the reality differed.
Join Our Movement
What started as an idea has become a national movement. With your support, we can influence policy and inspire lasting change.
Become an Advocate
Sometimes it is not a facility that prevents us from having a great experience, but the people around us. I am sure I don’t have to tell you that it often feels like the world is divided between kind people who are willing to help a person in a wheelchair, and those who are oblivious at best, and openly hostile at worst. It usually doesn’t pay to correct others or argue. But sometimes we can make an positive impact by having a reasoned, calm conversation, pointing out to to others how they block our wheelchair or treating us as if we were mentally impaired.
We all know “There is strength in numbers.” I strongly encourage you to contact the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Advocacy staff to become an advocate for yourself and others with paralysis. As it says: “In less than five minutes you can…bring about positive change. You can influence powerful policymakers and legislators through tools you use every day, like email and social media.”
Your level of involvement can vary depending on what you feel you want to do, from simply signing your name to form letters provided by the Foundation to your representatives in Congress, to making visits to the offices of those representatives. You don’t have to be a registered lobbyist to go see your Senator or Member of Congress. In fact, you will have a much greater impact if you meet with them and tell them your personal story and how a piece of legislation will help you, than if a hired Washington lobbyist visits them to ask for support of a pending bill.
So don’t give up. We are making strides in our society that give us greater independence. True freedom still eludes us. But you can make it happen if you join the fight. Happy Independence!