Last minute flight. Airport support requires seven days’ notice. Spontaneity denied.

A key theme emerged from discussions with young disabled people last week about ‘What accessibility means to me’. Employable. Dateable. Friendly. Issues that matter. So right.

Growing up aspirations for a job were low. Expectancy of a loving relationship for the birds. Friendships. Stick to disabled people. Views of people who had my best interests at heart. Apparently.

Disabled people today demand it differently. The world needs us and we need them.

Ramps and lifts remain fundamental. Accessibility to products. Services. People. Experiences. Now automatically assumed. The frustration. People still don’t ask. They assert. People don’t listen. They just do. Understanding. Still emerging. This generation are fed up of being an advocate 24/7. For themselves and on behalf of all disabled people. Downtime needed. Enabled to just get on. I get that big time.

And don’t think online accessibility is the only silver bullet. Crucial. Yes. Improvements required. Most definitely. But no excuse for non-accessible changing rooms. Menus in large print. Hidden disabilities. Don’t want to be hid out of sight.

The discussion ended drawing on a Japanese saying that translates to ‘Breath of the Wind’. Keep on moving. Everyone. Accessibility is continuously redefined as we speak.