Sandi Wassmer

The relationship between disability and accessibility

Tue, 7 Sep 10 11:57:24 BST

I am in a bit of a quandary about the relationship between disability and accessibility. From the disability perspective, it is perfectly reasonable for disabled folk to expect things to be accessible. It is law in the UK, designed to sit within the wider framework of equality and human rights for all citizens, and that is certainly where I'm at. In addition to this, as the term disability covers almost one fifth of the UK population and is as wide and varied as a group that size can be, it is also perfectly reasonable that people whose broad needs can be somehow grouped and identified under different sub-categories in order to facilitate access, are able to do so.

Closure and forgiveness: Thoughts on the human condition

Tue, 31 Aug 10 14:07:16 BST

Wherever we find ourselves in our lives, at whatever point in time that it may be, we are always the sum of our experiences. Since people are not perfect, that sum will be made up of lots of different things. What is important if we are to learn, to grow and to ultimately find what we are all looking for - the freedom to live in peace and happiness - is to take time to reflect now and then, in order to make sure that we are becoming the people we want to be and that our lives are on the right paths.

Does it grow corn?

Tue, 24 Aug 10 09:49:16 BST

I have never been a big fan of rules and think I will probably remain a bit of a rebel for the rest of my life, because even now, when faced with having a rule imposed on me, not only do I want to break it, I want to break it twice. And in the same vein, I am also not much of a conformist or big on social convention, and these things do get me into trouble now and again.

Disclosing a disability when the time is right

Tue, 17 Aug 10 18:16:38 BST

I have been loathe to disclose something that is not exactly a secret to those that know me, but conversely is not something that I get on the rooftops and shout about in the way I do about sight loss and human rights. When I first started writing, doing advocacy work and public speaking, I simply felt that disclosure would confuse matters and dilute my message of hope, and that was not something that I was willing to risk.

Loving someone with a disability: change begets change

Tue, 10 Aug 10 10:23:12 BST

When I look back on the incredible amount of change that I have been through since I picked myself up off my backside and decided that registering blind was not the end of the world, I am a little taken aback at how all of this change has transpired so seamlessly. And the changes themselves have been wide and varied - some by design, others by default, some under my control and others well out of my grasp - but the one constant in all of this has been the foundation of love, respect, understanding and encouragement provided so effortlessly by Mark and Martin.

There is a world of a difference between accessibility and inclusivity

Tue, 3 Aug 10 11:41:27 BST

I realise that I may be setting myself up for a bit of a tumble here, after my regular assertions about my distaste for labels and uber-political correctness, but when it comes to terminology that is running the risk of misuse or misunderstanding in a way that could be detrimental to the ideals that I am working towards, then that is a different story.

Altruism, open education and accessibility

Tue, 20 Jul 10 09:42:21 BST

In this turbulant journey that I am on, trying to make the world a better place for folk of all abilities, I meet plently of interesting people, kind people, charitable people and sometimes people that are not so nice, but on balance, it reamins a very interesting and fulfilling journey indeed.

Good times, bad times: coping with disability respectfully and responsibly

Tue, 13 Jul 10 11:49:40 BST

Although I regularly refer to myself as a nauseatingly positive person, and overall this is true, I am a person after all and like most people I have my share of good times and bad times.

Moorfields, retinitis pigmentosa, medical research and chairs

Wed, 30 Jun 10 09:28:09 BST

I am sitting in the waiting room at Moorfields Eye Hospital awaiting my annual inspection, and waiting is the operative word, as the medical retina clinic where said inspection takes place is awfully busy, but I don't mind as this is also the place that in 100 years time will probably be a ghost town, so I'm happy to give them the custom for now!

Inclusive Design is for Everyone with Disabled Folk firmly in the mix

Tue, 8 Jun 10 10:36:17 BST

I feel incredibly privileged that I am in the position to get my message of peace, love and inclusivity out there and writing this blog has afforded me the opportunity to do so, not just here on the Action website and not just amongst visually impaired folk, but out in the big bad world, which is becoming increasingly evident that I may be able to actually make an even bigger difference. I am not trying to devalue the importance of being able to express, pontificate and blather on about the way I handle my disability and everything else life throws at me, because I know that my words help others, but the ability to go out into mainstream society and prick up people’s ears and challenge their opinions on what us disabled folk are like in the flesh is something very different.