After 29 Years, Still Making Progress
This month marks the 29th anniversary of the passage of some of the most significant disability legislation in history-- the Americans with Disabilities Act, known as the ADA.
This comprehensive civil rights law prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life.
In the almost three decades since the ADA became law, we have seen progress in making our country more accessible. But many people with disabilities will tell you that there is still more to be done regarding both access and attitudes.
(Image above, per a
New York Times article
: "In 1997, m
ore than a dozen demonstrators rolled their wheelchairs in front of a Greyhound bus and disrupted ticket sales for four hours at the Port Authority terminal in Manhattan to protest what they said was their lack of access to the largest interstate bus company's buses. The protesters sang, ''At least Rosa Parks could get on the bus.'')
Recently one person asked one of our Twitter followers who uses a wheelchair how long he had been an “invalid.” Another person was carrying a backpack and asked if he could put it on the man’s lap until he got to his bus stop.
Although most people likely see these actions as disrespectful, many are still unsure of how to interact with people with disabilities. Even though it has been nearly 30 years since the passage of the ADA, stigmas and misconceptions persist.