Happy Festivus!
For those who are not familiar with Festivus, it’s a secular holiday celebrated each year on December 23 which criticizes the commercialization of the Christmas holiday. It was made popular in a 1997 episode of the hit television show, Seinfeld. Here’s a clip:
In honor of Festivus, I invite you to participate in a holiday tradition — the Airing of Grievances. The world has a long way to go on accessibility, and we can use this holiday as an opportunity to critique governments, airlines, railway operators, hotels and larger society. Pick your top 3 grievances of 2019, and share them in the comments below! I’ll get us started:
- Airlines, for denying my right to preboard the aircraft on too many occasions, and for being too quick to say “no” to reasonable requests for accommodation.
- Hotels in the United States, who ignore the ADA’s requirement to provide wheelchair accessible shuttle services, leaving me stranded at the airport and repeatedly causing me to miss flights.
- State and local governments, who refuse to take a stand on wheelchair accessible rideshare, denying people with disabilities freedom of movement and the right to participate in society.
You can be more specific — name and shame them, if you like — but I personally prefer to be a bit more broad, encompassing all those who have wronged me in a denial of access.
So, go on… Share your 2019 accessibility & travel grievances in the comments below!
