Are Events Truly Accessible?
Rethinking Wheelchair Inclusion in the Events Industry
Inclusivity is a trending discussion topic in the events industry, but are we actually practicing proper inclusivity when in comes to accessibility or are we slapping the title on it than walking away?
When planning events from festivals to conferences, wheelchair-bound individuals are still regularly left trying to navigate poorly designed event spaces with limited access and an overwhelming feeling of being a ‘burden’ and feeling excluded. It’s time to make the shift in planning from conformity to real inclusion.
As someone with a wheelchair-bound person close to me I have come to realize how often the industry focuses on the bare minimum by meeting the legal standards but ignoring the actual experience of attendees who use wheelchairs. Some examples we have personally run into are:
Having a wheelchair friendly toilet area but the sinks/soap/dryer in the bathrooms are too high for the person to reach
Having a automatic door button, but the door opening out towards the person making them have to quickly wheel out of the way of the door
Having ramp but they are too steep for someone to wheel themselves up
Having a ramp in but not having an automatic door or wide enough doorways/aisles to move through
Having things in the way of the toilet such as a garbage bin beside it making it impossible to transfer from the chair to the toilet.
As this way of life is new to my family, it has really opened my eyes to how much accessibility lacks not only in the events industry but in almost all aspects of life.
After reading ‘Critical Accessibility Gaps Exist in Business Events’ from Skift Meetings, my opinion was more supported on how persistent these problems are. Accessibility is individual and cannot be treated as a box to check or an afterthought anymore.
According to the Skift Meetings article, business events around the world are falling short in three main areas:
Physical Accessibility- including limited options for wheelchair seating spaces, uneven floors, wiring running on the ground of event space and blocked ramp areas, not enough room to move through booths
Service Accessibility- staff not being trained properly in how to effectively assist guests with disabilities
It seems that the event industry treats accessibility as another check off a list of minimum requirements but it needs to start looking at accessibility practices as an experience for a potential or existing client. Instead of thinking “What do we HAVE to do to make this accessible”, we should start thinking “HOW can we make this a an inclusive space”. This consists of:
Have someone who is wheelchair-bound on your planning team
Ensure accessible washrooms are for those who need it
Offer accessible transit options
Go above the minimum standard
Your event should never make someone feel that they were not thought of just because they move through the world differently than your general audience.
I encourage you to pay attention next time you are in an event space and notice if things are actually accessible like they are being advertised to be and if they aren’t than speak up. I have many times, and generally it is met with an apology and a resource on where I can formally inform the person in charge. I encourage you to check out the Accessibility Gaps article below and this video on ensuring accessibility at your event!
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