Disabled Are the Cities, Not Their Citizens
Picture by Red John on Unsplash
Written by Helena Degreas | Translated by Diogo Simões
Cities with disabilities are those that present spaces and environments that impede or make it difficult for citizens to access, participate and interact, regardless of any loss or abnormality related to their psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function. I invite readers to, with me, change the focus of the approach on disabilities, transferring to cities and built environments the inability to meet in a dignified and effective way the diversity of abilities and capacities inherent to human beings.
All people are unique and are born with skills and abilities that, when developed, lead to the fulfillment of their dreams. They can be professional, family, emotional, social, financial, among many others. When environments, services, equipment, products or instruments do not exist or cannot be fully used due to their dimensions (or due to misconception in their design), people are hindered from carrying out their daily activities in their social, professional, personal or family scope. Disability is “in the thing” itself, incapable of being used.