[OSList] Accessibility concerns about bending down to pick up paper/pens

[Lisa Heft - via OSList]

Hi, Harold.

“For anyone whose body does not work like this, I (my assistant) will be walking around the (outside of the) circle with paper and markers.”

I say this every time. It’s standard, as I try to practice inclusivity by practicing inclusive language. I only set up sign-making tables after a discussion with the client shows quite a number of participants are unable to move comfortably. This has only happened once, when working with farmers / farmworkers who have serious pain / arthritis resulting from working decades with toxic pesticides. In all other instances, my walking around the outside of the circle with paper and markers allows individuals to self-select for any private reason, whether it is because of a short skirt or mobility reasons or any reason at all.  

Lisa

Lisa Heft
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
Opening Space

> On Aug 18, 2016, at 9:27 PM, Harold Shinsato via OSList <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
> 
> In the many OST's I've participated in or helped open myself, I've encountered this complaint about having to bend over to pick up the pens and the papers in only two instances. Both of which were Universities. In both cases, the leading edge of the complaint seemed to have to do with women's dresses, but I also heard something about being "able" prejudiced.
> 
> The first University chose to put some tables outside the circle with some papers and markers. The second one is thinking they will wheel in a table after the opening into the center, which seems energetically disruptive.
> 
> Have others encountered this? How did you deal with it?
> 
>     Thanks!
>     Harold
> 
> -- 
> Harold Shinsato
> harold at shinsato.com <mailto:harold at shinsato.com>
> http://shinsato.com <http://shinsato.com/>
> twitter: @hajush <http://twitter.com/hajush> 

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