The beauty of the social model - The Accessible Link #4
The beauty of the social model - The Accessible Link #4
How the social model of disability could have helped Boots
Hello everyone,
It has been a week since Boots caused an uproar about a parking sign at a Boots store in Norwich that used the term "less abled parking" to label its accessible parking spaces.
The term is considered offensive and derogatory by many. Let's look at what went wrong and how Boots could have avoided this controversy. This isn't just a debate about the correct language. It is a lesson in how customers want to be seen.
The scandal began when a disabled customer posted a photo of the parking sign on social media. Boots' parking sign looked like another failed initiative to avoid the term "disabled" at all costs. Boots is not alone. While the majority of the disability community prefers this term, many non-disabled people feel uncomfortable using it and come up with the most awkward euphemisms to describe us. To make things worse, the language Boots used implies that disabled people are inferior to non-disabled people.
So what can businesses do to avoid this brand and reputational damage?
Most importantly, engage with disabled people. Consult with progressive disabled people when designing and implementing a new strategy, new parking signs, new checkouts. This wasn’t just a parking sign issue. It shows the overall approach to inclusion and accessibility might be off.
Otherwise, they would have learned that the term “less abled” is offensive and been advised to use more inclusive language, such as "Blue Badge Parking." Also, “Disabled Parking” is a commonly used sign in the UK. Boots inadvertently offended a significant portion of its customer base and tarnished its reputation.
The social model of disability
Another factor is the lack of understanding and implementation of the social model of disability in many organisations. The social model of disability emphasises that disability is not a deficit within an individual but a result of societal barriers that hinder disabled people's full participation in society.
By providing accessible parking spaces, Boots removed the barriers but still called its customers "less abled." That doesn't make sense from a social model of disability perspective. Also, using the offensive term on the sign reinforces the medical model of disability.
By embracing the social model of disability, Boots would have recognised the importance of using language that empowers their customers rather than perpetuating stereotypes and discrimination. This mindset shift would have led to a more progressive approach to signage and accessibility, ultimately preventing the scandal.
In response to the outcry, Boots has apologised. The whole saga highlights the need for ongoing stakeholder engagement. It also highlights the importance of understanding disability from a social model perspective and proactively addressing accessibility issues. By doing so, businesses can foster an inclusive environment for all customers and avoid the damaging consequences of a scandal like this.
Some interesting links
The EV industry is gaining momentum. But public charging is a long way from being accessible to all
Neurodiversity & Unbiased Customer Experience Approaches: the opportunities you may be missing out on
Vogue UK’s newest issue features five disabled cover stars and is already celebrated by many disabled people. Another example of what can be achieved when working together with disabled people
More inaccessible footbridges planned - Network Rail is still on the wrong track of building inaccessible infrastructure
Something to watch
If you have ever wondered how wheelchair users board a plane, that’s how. The ambulifts are a bit comfier in Europe (this is Australia).
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Something to do
Can you recognise when you’re being ableist? The Washington Post consulted 25 disabled activists and scholars, including representatives from several national disability organisations, to create a quiz that can help someone learn more about ableist thinking. It's definitely worth 5 minutes of your time.
Something to read
Violet B. Fox wrote a very interesting free zine about deafblind people in history. It’s called “It’s not just Helen Keller.” You will learn about interesting deafblind people like Gerrit van der Mey (1914 - 2002). Mey wrote large parts of the code and operating systems for some of the first electronic computers designed in the Netherlands. He also created compilers for later systems.
Some final words
And that quote, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude,” the reason that that’s bullshit is because it’s just not true, because of the social model of disability. No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. Never. Smiling at a television screen isn’t going to make closed captions appear for people who are deaf. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshop and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille. It’s just not going to happen.”
Stella YoungWho is writing this newsletter?
I’m Christiane Link, and I improve the customer experience in aviation, transport, and travel. I worked as a journalist for over two decades and travelled extensively for business and leisure. I’m a wheelchair user. If you want to read more from me, follow me on LinkedIn or Twitter. You can also reply to this email if you want to contact me.