Some links of interest

[sasha_feather]

1. Ace Ratcliffe at io9: Staircases in Space - Why are places in Science Fiction not Wheelchair Accessible?

https://io9.gizmodo.com/staircases-in-space-why-are-places-in-science-fiction-1827966642

2. Peter Wong at BeyondChron: Nicola Griffith's 'So Lucky' tackels disability rights. Warning for some ableist language in the review.

http://www.beyondchron.org/nicola-griffiths-so-lucky-tackles-disability-rights/

But Mara’s greatest source of stressful anxiety comes from her being bombarded directly and indirectly with messages of her helplessness and lack of control over her life. Her neurologist is just the first of many people to treat Mara as a non-person lacking individual desires. More dangerously, what feels like a spectral threat of death that only Mara can see might be more than something imagined.

An angry Twitter #CripRage thread helps Mara begin to fight back. Re-claiming the derogatory term “crips” as a mark of pride, she proceeds to verbally chew the legs off those who profit from, sentimentalize, or even ignore crips’ needs.

3. An access-fandom community member suggests this Go Fund Me as being of interest to the community! It's raising money to make sex toys specifically designed for disabled people.

https://www.gofundme.com/sxtoydisabilityresearch

Comments

Link of possible interest: Xbox adaptive controller

[aris_tgd]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/09/04/xbox-adaptive-controller-released/

Designed to make games more accessible for all, it’s a customisable hub centred around a chunky pair of buttons and an oversized D-pad, designed to be used on any surface or even mounted. It’s bristling with ports to attach assistive switches or sticks to, and can be used in tandem with a regular gamepad.

There's a closed-captioned video at the link with some information from Microsoft, and a bit of pricing information. It apparently works with Windows 10 as well as the Xbox.

Stairs in sci-fi

[claudeb]

You know what the tragedy is? It's not even hard to think about these issues. I'm an able-bodied person who's had little first-hand experience with physical disability. Most of my writing doesn't even deal with such issues. But when I did include a wheelchair-bound character once (quite by accident to be honest: she was only supposed to be in one brief scene, but things snowballed), the issue of accessibility just cropped up naturally. All that had to happen was for another character to go up a staircase that presented no alternative. Wasn't even planned.

I simply described the obvious consequence. It was that simple. What excuse do other writers have? Because when I talk to people, they seem very eager to point out how sheltered my life has been.

Sci-fi versus reality

[claudeb]

Forgot to add that the article about staircases in space points out an important issue: because the real world is so inaccessible as a general rule, we hardly ever see disabled people out and about. The unmentioned consequence is, we easily forget they exist. Out of sight, out of mind.

Maybe things will start changing in art now that many metro stations in Bucharest have elevators, and people with mobility scooters are a relatively common sight. Even if things still aren't great for them, at least it forces the rest of us to remember that they exist. And maybe in another generation or two the effects will be noticeable.

Re: Sci-fi versus reality

[sasha_feather]

It's true-- once you start noticing this stuff and thinking it through, it becomes natural.

A gentle suggestion: "wheelchair user" is preferable to "wheelchair-bound".

I love your point about how when you create accessible environments, you start to see more disabled people. It's so true and a great feeling.

Re: Sci-fi versus reality

[claudeb]

Thanks for the correction! I'll try to remember it. And yeah, it's just like with other marginalized groups: make us feel safe and we'll turn out to be more numerous than anyone thought. Go figure.