Accomodations - Blog Posts

asking for accomodations shouldn't be this emberassing and shouldn't be a big deal and i shouldn't feel this guilty for needing them

Thank you for the reply! Advocating for your needs is so important and this is super helpful!<3<3

Hi! In response to this post https://www.tumblr.com/talkethtothehandeth/752350930418139136/if-you-ever-need-accommodations-for-a-venue-its could you maybe provide an example of what you said asking for accommodations? I feel like that could be really useful to me I just don’t know how to ask, how much to explain should I like full on Include doctors notes? just like how to go about it in general. Thank you!

Hope this isn’t weird! I just found your blog and I love your posts

Thanks for reaching out! It wasn't weird at all and that is very sweet of you to say! My anons are always open if people are too nervous to ask publicly, and my DM's are always open to anyone. I am unafraid of internet criticism, and I do not close them for the people who need or want to talk with me. I will share exactly what I wrote in the e-mail. For this occasion, I was specifically asking about bringing a bottle of electrolytes because I wasn't sure if I could get to concessions and to my seat (I would have to find the elevator, the venue is pretty large) in the upper mezzanine in time before they close the doors to the show. And venues usually have a "no outside food/drink" rule. Below the paragraphs I will include a reasoning for wording indicated by a *

"Hello,

My name is [your name], and I am writing in regards to my attendance for the showing of [the show's name] on [date] at [time] and accessibility/accommodation needs.

I was not able to buy an accessible seat beforehand, but I was able to find a seat at the end of a row which will help me step out of the room without disturbing the other patrons if need be should I encounter any sort of medical episode that I can manage privately. I might also use a mobility aid (a forearm crutch) to help me navigate the building with less pain. I would let a worker take this for the duration of the show, excluding the intermission, if it would be in the way of an aisle.

*an employee sometimes takes your unused aid and sets it safely in a corner that way other patrons can navigate the aisles without tripping!

Mobility aside, I am reaching out to ask if I am allowed to bring my own drink (which would be one bottle) to manage my symptoms as I require electrolytes daily at the request of multiple physicians due to a condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. This is a condition that causes me to experience presyncope (symptoms before someone faints) and syncope (actually losing consciousness); the electrolytes stave off my symptoms enough for me to feel comfortable that I, most likely, won’t experience a medical episode during the show time.

*you do not have to share your conditions ever, I just find that sharing mine along with a reasoning will help someone understand more as to why an accommodation is needed— it will make someone less likely to say no.

I understand that establishments rely on public or private funding, and I respect that and will be able to buy concessions to support the business as well. However, I will need to bring many medical supplies (which will fit in my backpack that meets the size limitations listed on your website) and my medical needs include the drink that I am instructed to consume in order to manage my symptoms. This is the only accommodation I ask for if possible as I have everything else I need to carry with me in my medical backpack.

*if you bring a bag, the venues will have size restrictions listed on their websites so that way they can fit securely and not get in the way; they usually search bags too for other's safety. My bag is full of medical supplies and will probably still be searched just because of their rules which I am more than fine with.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to attending this show.

All the best,

[your name].

Keep reading under the cut

This e-mail was received well, and I even got called by the venue to tell me that they had open seating on that night and would move me to the floor for no extra charge. The lady also asked for me to come a little earlier that way the employees could help me to my seat (I will be letting them push me up a ramp as I am not strong enough for that) she said they have a few other disabled people who will need help as well, and that by coming early I could help their team. They told me that they would have a staff member waiting for me, and before the show starts I will ask to go to the concession stand to buy my snacks before hand and most likely stay in the main area during the intermission since there will be a lot of people to navigate around in my chair. This will be the first time I've ever been alone while in my chair, but the team has made me feel more confident that things will go smoothly while I am there.

It is always worth reaching out, even if things might not go as smoothly as this— I hope that this is a good template to help you in the future. It can be scary to ask, but all I was met with was the lady saying, "We want you to be as comfortable as possible, so anything you need to bring to help you, please feel free to bring it." This is also the first ever time I asked for accomodations, and it worked very well.

I will make a new post before and after the show about how things go and how the staff treats me during the night, and I'll tag you if you'd like.