How far is the barrier-free world?

the premise is to see a broadcast from a friend's shovel:

remembered a lot of things and decided to write about them. As mentioned in the discussion, when I first came to Sweden three years ago, I was shocked to find that there were so many disabled people in the world: my classmates Michel and Isabella had varying degrees of hearing loss. When discussing problems with them, you need to raise your voice and slow down. Clara suffers from some kind of spinal disease and needs crutches for several months of the year. I have seen students in wheelchairs at orientation parties, as well as students with polio with obviously deformed legs, dancing with revelers; people on crutches or probing the way with blind sticks are not seen on the road; automatic wheelchairs are also common. It is also common for mentally handicapped people who are accompanied to go out. There are all kinds of disabled people traveling smoothly in the street, no one is staring at them, they enjoy the sunshine, breeze, and fresh air.

there's nothing wrong with that, is it? This is good. But why was I shocked when I first realized this phenomenon? I thought about it and suddenly felt horrified: because I didn't have much experience in dealing with the disabled in China. I have come into contact with very few disabled people in my life. There are several, such as an uncle of mine and the headmaster of my primary school, who is crippled by polio, but at least they can move freely with this degree of disability. Then there is the high paraplegic shoemaker in his hometown town. With his memory, he lived in a small semi-basement workshop facing the street, where his work and life were all there. the room, like his face, was black all year-round, wondering whether it was dirt or shoe polish. I remember the professional, meticulous look in his eyes when he looked at the broken shoes: it was the eyes of the craftsman. He has good skills, works quickly, speaks enthusiastically and freely, and everyone likes to repair shoes at his place. But I never remember seeing him outside that semi-basement. Is he going out? How is he going to get out?

except for a few people who can remember, I know nothing about the lives of the disabled. There are no disabled people in the previous classmates. In universities with tens of thousands of people, there are no disabled. The only person who has ever seen a temporary crutch is because he burned his foot while drawing water. The visible disabled are the disabled beggars on the subway. The special identity of beggars seems to have been excluded from "mainstream" life. Besides, I haven't seen many disabled people in my life. The people on the street are all the same. Everyone has sound hands and feet, ears and eyes as if no one needs to worry about disability.

but does being invisible mean it doesn't exist?

not. They exist. This group will only be larger in China, and the proportion may even be higher.

but why haven't I met them?

because their existence is hidden and obscured by the cruel reality. Their existence has been dropped by the Filter of the environment. They are blocked by a blind path that is broken halfway, trapped by an unaccessible railway /road /purchase /ticket /system, and rejected by discriminatory universities. They are limited to a few occupations (such as blind massage) and are taught to be grateful for the love and support are given to them by able-bodied people. Few people say that disability is only a state of human beings and should not affect the basic rights of human beings. Physical disability is only a small part of life with disabilities, and it is barrier-free tools and facilities that can influence the quality of life. Who says it's not this society that has done too little to lock them up in the dark?

I came into close contact with the barrier-free life of people with disabilities when I lived in my first dorm room in Sweden. Said, from Egypt, was one of my roommates at the time. He speaks humorously, gently, and friendly. in addition, he has lived in this dormitory for a long time and is the star of our dormitory. I wrote to discuss the issue of equality between men and women with him. He came to study for a master's degree in chemistry, but this two-year program took him four years.

this is not surprising. He has a smart brain, but it's difficult to move. Said suffers from muscular dystrophy, which I don't understand. How to describe it is that the body can't move freely like Hawking. Said takes about four times as long as the average person to do anything. From a small wheelchair to an electric wheelchair, open the door, close the door, buy food, cook, eat, and wash dishes. Everything is much slower because his fingers are not so flexible and his arms are often not up to the required height. But he can talk and, with the help of an automatic wheelchair, can basically take care of himself and only need to ask for help occasionally, which is much easier than Hawking's round-the-clock situation.

he seldom asks for help. People often help him hold the door when he goes out, which makes him very happy. In addition, with the help of electric wheelchairs and elevators, barrier-free public transportation, and other conveniences, he can indeed take care of himself, but it takes longer than others. We often talked for a long time about the chaos in Egypt, Islam, and each other's feelings about life in Sweden. Everyone was happy when he got his degree. Said he had plans for a doctorate, but he needed to catch his breath and enjoy life first.

enjoy life, yes, why can't people with disabilities enjoy life?

the first time I was skiing in re, I found a wooden cabin halfway up the mountain. Unlike other rest stops, there were a lot of children in it and the sleigh I used was strange.

pictures from totalskidskolan.se

f Mom told me that this totalskidskolan, the literal translation is called "everyone's ski school", which serves people with disabilities. Whether it is limb disability, mental retardation, or other disabilities, you can find suitable coaches and helpers here, and with the help of a special sleigh, you can realize your desire to go fast on the snow trail. As I spoke, I saw several children sliding down the hillside accompanied by their coach: they looked they are all a little different, probably children with Down syndrome, but their faces are flushed, brimming with excitement and ecstasy, which is no different from other children. F Mom said, this fun is very important, for children with disabilities, this experience will help them overcome their fears and feel confident. Skiing doesn't have to be an exclusive sport.

the picture is from totalskidskolan.se

Yes. Skiing doesn't have to be exclusive. Most of life doesn't have to be exclusive. Disability is a reality of life, but it is also a reality that can be improved through convenient tools and facilities. This is the beauty of being a human being: we always have thousands of ways to serve the limitations of the body. How to face and solve obstacles will depend on how we view people: what on earth is a person? Does society exist only for people with able-bodied limbs?

No! There are many kinds of people. Men and women, transgender, old, young, patients, deafness, blindness, high paraplegia, that is the state of human life. The disabled are no less human than anyone else. Living in the same society, they deserve all the conditions that make their life as convenient as others. Able-bodied people have their limitations, but human beings can run faster, be stronger and even fly with the help of tools. Similarly, through the use of tools and facilities, the quality of life of people with disabilities does not need to be reduced, and the free movement of people, the flow of information, and so on, should not become obstacles.

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A similar question is how society should provide barrier-free facilities for the elderly. Looking at the old people who use walkers all over the street, I realize that one day we will all grow old and have difficulty moving. If a society is a society in which only able-bodied young people can barely survive, would that be a good world?