Access

  

It seems like I’m blogging a lot these days. It feels like my blog is my sounding board. And that’s good for me because I can get into shit with my words. I am writing this funny and a little condescending. I don’t really care if I get into trouble so here is my thoughts about access, my favourite topic of my life. I moved to Calgary when I was 18 years old. 

Now I am in my 40’s so that means I’ve taken access for about 23 years. Access is a service in Calgary for people who have disabilities. It is a service that picks people up who can’t drive or walk or take regular transit. In my opinion… it sucks. They have good drivers who I’m friends with and other drivers who I don’t understand why they are working in this field. They are not reliable… There was one time they forgot to pick me up and several times they were really late! 

Or sometimes they come and I’m not ready so they leave. Right now I can book all my trips online and I like that but if I go to the gym and I book it for an 11am drop off they will get me there at 10:20.. it is kind of bullshit. I wish they could have me there like 15 minutes before my drop off time… not 40 minutes! 

I was on the Transit Accessibility board for four years. It was good but seeing it now, what it has become… they need a new system. They phone me when they’re on their way but because it’s an automated system it isn’t that accurate on timing. 

I would like to ask someone from council to ride the access transit for one day… and see how it feels. Maybe I should try my hand at winning the lottery! If I won I could buy a van and a driver to take me around. I could say a lot of bad stuff about access but it’s not worth it for me to get mad about. It’s a system I need to have in my life to get around everyday. 

It’s time to be brutally honest

 I am sick and tired of going about my day and seeing the looks of pity from other people. I am completely over the bullshit that comes along with being in my shoes. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has some internalized biases towards people with disabilities, and I’m fucking over it. I wrote down some questions for you that I want you to answer for yourself with complete honesty. Don’t sugar coat your answers to make yourself look nice, be completely and brutally honest. 

Have you ever seen that show "What Would You Do"?

    - Do you know someone who has a disability?

   - Do you have any friends who have disabilities? If so, what’s the first thing you.   

      see when you look at them?

   -  Do you have a disability? 

    - What is holding you back from dating someone with a disability?

   -  Would you say "hi" to a stranger on the street who has a disability or would you 

       look the other way?

• Would you be embarrassed to be seen with somebody who has a disability? Why?

• Do you speak to people with disabilities in a different way than you do other people? Why?

• Have you ever purposely avoided eye contact with a person who has a visible disability in order to make yourself more “comfortable”? Why?

• Have you ever seen a person with a visible disability in public and given them a look, and wondered “what are you doing out here?” Why?

• Do you interact with people who have disabilities differently than you do other people? Why?

• Do you think it is weird or uncomfortable to see people with disabilities in relationships? Why?

If I had the guts I would go up to someone and ask them "What do you think when you look at me"? Would they be honest with themselves and I? Or would they try to spare my feelings? 

If you want to answer: