Discrimination?
As most of you know, I typically walk with a cane - a brightly coloured cane covered in butterflies. When I do, I am considered to have a visible disability.
The CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) gives persons with a disability, as per their staff, complimentary admission. I have taken advantage of this over the last several years by going to the CNE for several part days instead of one hugely long day. I have done so already this year.
Today, however, when I walked through the gate, the girl stopped me. Even though I was using my cane, she asked me for my ticket. I showed her my cane, in case she somehow missed it, stating that I didn't need one. She then demanded from me my disability card. Since there is no such thing, I gave her a blank look then told her there was no such thing. I told her that I have a visible disability, by the way of my cane (plus my lovely gait as I walk with it), so I am not required to pay.
She told me to wait, for her to go fetch her supervisor. She explained to her boss that I wanted in free and did not have a disability card. She had a condescending tone and had a snub-nosed expression on her face as if she expected to be backed up. The supervisor looked from her gate staff member, to me, then down to my cane. Horrified, she looked at her staff then back at me and assured me that I could continue on and that I was indeed correct that my admission was free mixed in with a sincere apology. The supervisor's response is the only positive in this whole caffufle.
When I popped into Guest Services about a half hour later, the girls there appeared no older than the girl at the gate. When I told them about the incident, they responded with vague understanding comments. They took no information from me, they wrote nothing down, they entered nothing into the laptops in front of them. I felt thoroughly brushed off.
When we left for the night, there was an older woman with her friends, sitting on the seat of her mobility assisting device. I excused myself apologizing for interrupting and asked her if she'd had any problems getting into the CNE today. She had not and I even confirmed that she had received the free admission, which she had.
I wonder if I would have had the same problem if I was older, elderly even. Or what if I was in a wheelchair or any other mobility assisting device. Or if I didn't carry so much excess weight and was smaller. I wonder if I was being discriminated against. I wonder if the CNE cares.
The CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) gives persons with a disability, as per their staff, complimentary admission. I have taken advantage of this over the last several years by going to the CNE for several part days instead of one hugely long day. I have done so already this year.
Today, however, when I walked through the gate, the girl stopped me. Even though I was using my cane, she asked me for my ticket. I showed her my cane, in case she somehow missed it, stating that I didn't need one. She then demanded from me my disability card. Since there is no such thing, I gave her a blank look then told her there was no such thing. I told her that I have a visible disability, by the way of my cane (plus my lovely gait as I walk with it), so I am not required to pay.
She told me to wait, for her to go fetch her supervisor. She explained to her boss that I wanted in free and did not have a disability card. She had a condescending tone and had a snub-nosed expression on her face as if she expected to be backed up. The supervisor looked from her gate staff member, to me, then down to my cane. Horrified, she looked at her staff then back at me and assured me that I could continue on and that I was indeed correct that my admission was free mixed in with a sincere apology. The supervisor's response is the only positive in this whole caffufle.
When I popped into Guest Services about a half hour later, the girls there appeared no older than the girl at the gate. When I told them about the incident, they responded with vague understanding comments. They took no information from me, they wrote nothing down, they entered nothing into the laptops in front of them. I felt thoroughly brushed off.
When we left for the night, there was an older woman with her friends, sitting on the seat of her mobility assisting device. I excused myself apologizing for interrupting and asked her if she'd had any problems getting into the CNE today. She had not and I even confirmed that she had received the free admission, which she had.
I wonder if I would have had the same problem if I was older, elderly even. Or what if I was in a wheelchair or any other mobility assisting device. Or if I didn't carry so much excess weight and was smaller. I wonder if I was being discriminated against. I wonder if the CNE cares.