Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? Things here are about normal. We have reservations at Texas de Brazil for Thanksgiving this year. Dad hasn’t felt like cooking lately and no one ever invites us anywhere, so we made our own plans. Do you have plans for Turkey Day? Anyway, I don’t have much to ramble about lately, but while making the reservations, I started thinking about the Dallas location and how it was “accessible.” I usually try to stick with stories about cripple privilege and the good things that come with being disabled, but I see a lot of people talk about their experiences with accessibility that really isn’t accessible. Things that don’t really bother me, but apparently make other people uncomfortable. I don’t want people who read my blog to think I’ve never run into these issues, because I have. So, here are a few examples of accessibility that isn’t really accessible that I’ve encountered in daily life.

1. At Texas de Brazil in Dallas, their accessible entrance was a ramp in the back by the dumpsters that led to a hallway by the kitchen which led up front. We haven’t been to this location in years, so I don’t know if they’ve renovated or something. Anyway, I never thought much about it, but apparently entrances like this make people feel like they’re something to be ashamed of, trash smuggled in through a back door. I can see where they’re coming from. I never really cared as long as the service was good and the staff didn’t get annoyed. But the real reason this kind of entrance isn’t actually accessible is because someone has to go to the front entrance to let them know I needed to use the ramp. There are disabled people who go out alone. If they can’t get in the front entrance to let someone know they need the ramp at the back entrance, it’s not really accessible, is it? I’m always with someone, so it’s not a big deal for me, but it’s still weird. Anyway, there are other locations that are far more accessible, but we actually stopped going to the Dallas location because our van bottomed out getting in and out of the parking lot.

2. The Mansion at Turtle Creek’s accessibility was kind of wild. It’s been just about 10 years since we went. My 30th birthday. So I really hope they’ve renovated, but I doubt it. Anyway, we get there and the initial entrance is perfect. No steps. Nice people to get the door. Inside, there are two or three steps up to the dining area. No built in ramp. They bring over these two little ramps that fit the steps perfectly that they can line up with my wheels. Okay, cool. But it’s so steep that Dad and one of the waiters has to assist me just so I don’t flip over. Technically accessible I guess, but it’s actually pretty dangerous for me and whoever has to assist me. Plus, it was kind of embarrassing to require so much of a todo just to get up a couple of steps. Overall, it got the job done, but it wasn’t really all that accessible.

3. This is really the only one that ever pissed me off. SMU. The accessibility at that school is so hit or miss. In some of the older buildings, they have elevators that barely fit a skinny person standing up. Yes, I graduated forever ago, but those elevators still exist. Still. I’ve asked. The accessibility answer was to move my classes to other buildings. The excuse for not installing larger elevators? They can’t afford it. Meanwhile, all the sports crap was constantly being upgraded. There was also a running joke when I was there that SMU didn’t care about anything needing repairs/upgrades as long as all the fountains worked. Other accessibility features that weren’t accessible were the door openers. Even on the new buildings, they were either too high, set off to the side where they weren’t even reachable, or they were tiny little things you had to stick your finger in a hole to get to. There were only like 3 that I could actually use myself. It was so annoying.

But yeah. Accessible things that aren’t actually accessible are an ever-present issue. I just try to ignore them as much as I can. I’m lucky I don’t go out by myself or it would be a much bigger problem. What kind of accessibility issues have you encountered where accessible wasn’t actually accessible? Feel free to share your thoughts or questions here or on my social media pages!