F ³: Left Behind

I went to a musical theatre production in the auditorium of a Howard County High School yesterday and I was the only person there wearing a mask. That works if area COVID transmission is low. At the moment, though, it is going up. 

I’ve really enjoyed getting out and about while rates have been low, and enjoying outdoor events and dining in good weather. I’ve even had several meals inside restaurants, following my doctor’s safety checklist. It’s been extremely freeing. If transmission rates continue to go up and cold weather pushes more activities inside it won’t be safe for me to participate.

I read something this week that has stayed with me:

When people say no one is masking anymore, remind them that’s because all the high risk immunocompromised folks who always mask can’t leave their houses & that’s why they’re not seeing the people who do mask.

That reminded me of this:

The writer goes on:

It’s chilling that able bodied people forced disabled folks out of public space & the only conclusion able bodied people come to is that the pandemic is over. There’s no critical thought, no questioning where their friends & neighbors have gone or why they disappeared.

It doesn’t bode well. People’s hearts are hardening.

How do you live with yourself knowing that because you are present unmasked someone else can’t be present & is isolated at home?

A good example of the social model of disability.

What is the social model of disability? Here’s one explanation from the Scope UK website:

The social model of disability is a way of viewing the world, developed by disabled people. 

The model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people's attitudes to difference, like assuming disabled people can't do certain things.

Did you ever think about it that way? Until recently, I hadn’t. And it certainly is something to think about. In reference to COVID, the fact that there are people who won’t get vaccinated and won’t wear masks absolutely constitutes a barrier for those who are at high risk for severe Coronavirus Disease. And when healthcare providers cease to wear masks it puts the medically vulnerable in a double bind. They must have the necessary medical care but their own physicians and staff are increasing their risk of severe illness,increased disability, or death.

From what I read online, there are plenty of folks who think getting vaccinated and wearing masks constitutes a barrier for them. This makes no sense to me.

Here’s one more thought for you, this time from a teacher.

I went to a conference session on accessibility:

The presenter asked " When designing content, who are you okay with excluding?" 

A powerful reminder that embracing #Accessibility is a journey, and refusing to embark on it leaves behind countless shipmates. #AllMeansAll

I want you to understand that this post is not intended to be about me. It’s about all the people who become invisible when society allows and even endorses barriers which shut them out. These barriers may look like: rushing back to normal without acknowledging the long term implications of COVID, neglecting to include wheel chair accessible accommodations in buildings, refusing to hire ASL interpreters, or designing school curriculum which focuses on only one sort of student/learner.

Who are you okay with excluding?

We’re often taught that disability is about other people. What if it’s every bit as much about us?