An Incident at the Induction provides a perfect description of the disconnect between what should be accessible and what the mainstream thinks is accessible:
I hate lifts, and I know Cass does, too. … I don’t know any wheelchair user who likes lifts. They endure them, but they’d much prefer a ramp. Two simple reasons, which work together: independence, and fail-safe-ness. You don’t have to wait for anyone to unlock a contraption, turn on anything, hold any switches, in order to use a ramp. … This was the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony! There were at least two nominees who used wheelchairs, I already knew. Surely there’d be no problem. Surely not here, not today! Surely someone had checked the lift to ensure it was open and in working order.
