New accessibility and disability policy

[mariness]

Some conventions - the 2014 World Fantasy Convention in DC, for instance - have worked to ensure that disabled members have full access to the convention

Comments

[ext_3378328]

Co-signed.

I'd love to see this be a formal pledge that other authors sign onto, ala Scalzi's harassment policy. Is it okay if I try to make that happen?

[mariness]

Sure!

[swan_tower]

I've been drafting a post of mine in exactly that vein; I'm just waiting to hear back from a friend so I can determine what measures I'm going to decree are necessary before I'll attend. (Things like ramps up to stages, but not limited to that.) I'll definitely sign onto anything others post.

[mg4h]

Hi, random person here from Scalzi's tweet about this. Could I suggest something along the lines of if the only accessible way to get there is much longer than the non-accessible path, anyone in a manual wheelchair, or otherwise having to propel themselves, will be hurt worse than no accessiblity at all. "Oh you can get into this building - go around the back!" Repeat ad infinitum and you have much pain for folks.

[swan_tower]

I'm actually looking for more than that, though what you describe is part of it, too. FOGcon, which is local to me, does things like using tape to mark off wheelchair space in panel rooms, and tape-reserving some front-row seats for those with hearing difficulties. Basically, there are a lot of things cons can do, and many of them are cheap and easy to implement (others not so much, like hiring ASL interpreters if there's no volunteer willing to do it for free). I need to decide where the line is for me between "this is non-negotiable" and "this is awesome if you can do it, but I'll attend even if you can't."

[mariness]

Yeah, the problem is that I only know about wheelchair issues. I'm not deaf, for instance, and have no idea what deaf or hard of hearing attendees might need.

[mariness]

That was definitely a problem with this con - the two lobby levels were connected with stairs, and then also with an access ramp that was very much off to the side. (Also, the top of the access ramp was difficult for me personally to navigate without assistance.)