It Takes A Village To Remove A Barrier For People With Disabilities

The United States has been a leader in the fight for individual rights for people with disabilities. Over the past 75 years, we have enacted significant laws to ensure that equality is a reality for our most vulnerable citizens. The most significant legislation is the American With Disabilities Act. This law required that businesses provide equal access to products and services to anyone with a disability. Soon after the law, access was greatly improved. We forget that stores at one time did not provide wheelchair access, bathroom access, and adaptive equipment to ensure people with disabilities could be equal participants in our society.

Back in 1990, President Bush signed the American With Disabilities Act. In my opinion, a great example of Bipartisanship legislation. On the day he signed the act, the President said, "This act is powerful in its simplicity. It will ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: independence, freedom of choice, control of their lives, the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream."

This Valentine's Day, I was reminded that the law is only as effective as we want it to be in our community.  I would learn, that there are many obstacles that a person without a disability, may never know exist. Then, the following happened:  I saw a good friend of mine from work at the movies. We were both going to the same Marvel movie, "Deadpool." We entered the theater and both disappeared into the darkness of the coming soon attractions. I would not see my friend again until the following Monday at work. I asked her how her Valentine's Day was with her husband. She responded, "we never got to see the movie." I thought to myself, how could they not see the movie, I saw them enter the theater."

Upon further questioning, I learned that the theater failed to provide captioning for her husband so that he could enjoy the movie. For those not familiar with adaptive devices for the hearing impaired, they are devices that allow a person to enjoy the movie just like you and I. According the American With Disablities Act, Title III of the law requires movie theaters and other public accommodations to provide effective communication through the use of auxiliary aids and services. This rulemaking specifies requirements that movie theaters will need to meet in order to satisfy their effective communication obligations to persons with hearing and vision disabilities. The problem is that enforcement is an issue. With so many theaters and public event facilities, the general public is in charge of monitoring and reporting failure to comply with the law.

When there is a lack of enforcement, ignorance to the law leads to situations in which people with disabilities encounter disappointment. For example, my friend went to the 1PM show and were told the equipment was not working and to come back at 4:00PM. 3 hours later they returned and the manager said, "We just checked the equipment and the batteries are dead." Due to the manager's neglect, they could not see the movie at all.

When you have a disability, you become accustomed to disappointment. It is up to us, the friends and advocates of people with disabilities to speak up and ask that our theaters provide the equipment required by law for people with disabilities. We the people, can make future Valentine's Days special for the hearing and visually impaired. This does not require a hostile response on our part. A simple conversation to the theater can help future movie goers not experience the disappointment that this couple went through. I encourage all to ask the next time they go to a public venue, "do you have the proper equipment for the visually and hearing impaired?" If the answer is no, than ask to speak to a manager. When the manager does not have the answer, then ask to speak to the district manager or owner of the theater. It does not have to be a negative situation. By asking about services, you are helping the establishment understand the expectations of a community. When it comes to a barrier in our community regarding access for all, it falls on many of us to remove such barriers. Try to keep that in mind, the next time you go to a public event that lacks access for all.