Disabled people need you to stop using our facilities – it’s ableist

I’ve lost count of how many people I know who’ll tell me that they use accessible bathrooms with a cheeky grin, as if to say, ‘I know I shouldn’t but I did.’ 

Not cool – and rather odd you’d share this with your disabled friend. Because yes, it is offensive.

Accessible bathrooms are exactly what they say on the tin – they’re made purposely to assist and allow access to disabled people so they can safely and independently use the bathroom.

More often than not, I can tell when someone has abused this facility because things like the emergency red cord will have been moved out of the way or handrails have been lifted up.

Similarly, I was watching a YouTube video of a prominent influencer the other day, who was videoing from a changing room inside a clothes store.

Only, the changing room looked very much like one designed for disabled shop-goers with larger rooms, more grab handles and seats. But I guess to film a YouTube video in a smaller space would be harder work, right?

A non-disabled person using an accessible changing room shows a complete lack of empathy for others. I’m sorry, but we live in a world where ignorance isn’t a valid excuse.

Educate yourself. If being an influencer is your job, then perhaps follow some disabled influencers, who will probably call out your ableism.

Sadly, we can no longer rely on the common sense and compassion of our non-disabled peers, it seems. It’s near impossible to challenge or regulate, because no one has the right to question or challenge someone on their disability or neurodivergence.

Disabled people should not have to explain themselves simply to access amenities. It’s hard because there is – contrary to popular belief – no registration for disabled people. 

This is often a misconception because we hear terms like ‘registered blind’. But we don’t carry a slip of paper proving our disability. 

Please remember that not all disabled people receive government support in the way of benefits, which could in some cases be used as ‘proof’ – nor should we have to validate our disability identity or offer up medical information to access amnesties. We deserve medical privacy and respect! 

Let’s be honest, disclosing our conditions and disabilities can be a frightening prospect. We may experience alienation, workplace discrimination and we often find disabled people masking or covering their disability in order to be accepted.

Disabled people deserve respect, as well as to be heard and valued. If you abuse us in any way, we will call it out.

For too long, our rights have been overlooked and disregarded, but if you discriminate against us, you are breaking the law. 

Perhaps you think you won’t be caught, but the tide is changing and people like me will bring you to justice and hold you accountable for your ableism.

Unfortunately, I can see a point where deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people will have to give up their right to medical privacy, to ensure non-disabled people don’t abuse the system that is in place to allow our rights not to be exploited.

But this is nothing new. Disabled people have always been the ones who have fought for anything we have.

Why can’t we just live in a world where people aren’t always struggling to get what is rightfully theirs?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – disabled people aren’t asking for a gold unicorn covered in rhinestones, rather than just asking to go about their day with reasonable harmony and ease. 

Stop referring to amenities that are designed to do this as ‘special’ or feel threatened by the fact that disabled people may jump ahead of a queue or have a better parking spot. 

Because believe me this is nothing in comparison to living in a disabled world!