A Fair Chance at Tickets - Guest Blogging

Have my talents as a blogger finally been recognised?

No probably not because most of the time I just wing it and type out whatever's in my head. However, someone actually liked the way that I write and I wrote a special blog piece for them.

Attitude is Everything improves Deaf and disabled people’s access to live music by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry.

Unfortunately, since I wrote this in 2017 their website has been revamped and my guest blog has been removed. I bear no ill will about this because they are a brilliant source of information. Here is my article as it was in full:

I am writing having failed to secure tickets to see Bruno Mars.  I am disappointed I didn't manage to get some as I have been waiting, almost literally, years for him to tour again in the UK although I can at least say to myself 'I tried' and I am sure that I am not the only fan to be gutted when the sold-out banners started to appear.

Two points, just to be clear:

1. My disappointment is NOT worse than anyone's else's just because I have a severe, degenerative disability (feeling sorry for me yet?).

2. I should NOT receive 'special treatment' just because I am a wheelchair user and require a carer to assist me.

However, the question to be addressed is do I have a fair chance of attending concerts and/or getting to see my favourite musicians perform live?
Sadly, I think that the answer is no.

I do believe in equality. For everyone regardless of ability, gender, race, sexuality...the list goes on…but in reality, this is not a realistic ideal.  The definition of promoting equality means treating everybody in exactly the same manner and is a lovely ideal but is just not practical.  Everyone is different and these differences must be considered (without prejudice) to ensure that every individual has the same chance.  This is called equity and in this case, would mean providing a few more facilities to ensure that a wheelchair user has the same likelihood of being able to buy tickets to attend a concert as their non-disabled friends.
My point is not to throw my toys out of my pram and sulk but to simply illustrate that due to the short sightedness of the management of some venues, in the words of George Orwell ‘some are more equal than others’.

If you need to use a wheelchair, attending a gig is not an equal game. The amount of seats for non-disabled bods and the amount of space for wheelchairs users does not compare, not even by half.

Venues tend to talk up having a 'dedicated access booking line' but isn't that kind of pointless if you don't have the 'space' to accommodate the people who have these issues?
There have been many improvements in accessibility to popular venues for all abilities not just wheelchair users, in the last 20 or so years that I have been going to see my favourite pop acts (Boyzone, 3T, Take That, Girls Aloud, NKOTB, Backstreet Boys...shut up my taste is very refined!).

By law certain efforts for total inclusion must be made and there are so many forms of ability that it must be so difficult to take every individual into account.  I mean even if you make lots of money, it is easier to concentrate on serving the majority (sarcasm?).
There is now a reduction in price or even free PA tickets, bigger and better toilet facilities (still smelly, poorly equipped and kind of gross but hey at least there is one!!), and designated areas for wheelchair users that mean that views of the stage are not obstructed even if people in front of you stand.
Despite all the benevolent changes from the non-disability affected powers that be there is an awful long way to go before the world of music entertainment is a level playing field.  Luckily us wheelchair users are here to help things improve and offer advice.

Among other points to improve:
Toilets need better equipting and preferably designing by someone who knows to put the hand rail next to the toilet and not uselessly opposite it.
There are only a limited number of wheelchair designated spaces on a platform and the number of tickets available to a wheelchair user are nowhere near the number of seats available for those who are ambulatory.
Wheelchair platforms are usually not space allocated so it is a matter of showing up early to be first in the queue and then speeding and fighting tooth and nail to get a good spot.

All the above, of course, is if you are lucky enough to have paid for a ticket anyway.

Surely in the 21st century someone can design a secure that can be used when needed but removed when there is a person who comes with their own seating arrangement.
Surely in the 21st century we can make (decent sized) lifts that visit every floor and provide (again decent) ramps to ensure step free access for all.
Surely in the 21st century bookings should be able to be made 'together' without the need for a line for the segregated 'special people'.
We can. 

Why don't we then?