Read on Twitter
Every time a major academic conference has come around during the pandemic there have been debates here on efficacy, accessibility, and outcomes. And I have to say - it is incredibly painful to watch non-disabled people shrug at how momentous this is. 1/6
We don't have those discussions after in person conferences. We don't have follow up discussions where we ask "Was the format accessible for you?" It's just assumed that in person conferences are always good. And for disabled people overwhelmingly they're not. 2/6
So when you say "I don't know I didn't get to chat with people" or "I didn't get to have natural conversations between sessions" all I can think is "yeah and?" Because that is me at every conference. And that is the least of my concern at most conferences. 3/6
I'm usually more concerned with finding food I can safely eat, finding seating so I don't need to stand, making sure my assistive devices are out of the way, and getting through the day despite being in a flare because travel always affects my chronic pain and fatigue. 4/6
It is offensive to say "I can't wait to go back to normal." Because effectively you're framing an access issue as one of personal taste. I'd like conferences if they were designed for me too. In fact I really enjoy digital conferences because they suit my access needs. 5/6
When we frame access and inclusion as a personal preference rather than a necessity we frame discrimination as a personal issue rather than a collective one. I need non-disabled scholars to do better. 6/6 #AcademicChatter #DisabilityTwitter
