Category: Motivation

In 1993, Nancy Mayeux—a parent of children with dwarfism—led 700 LPA members in a letter-writing campaign to the federal Access Board in response to their call for public comments on the height of ATMs. In a devastating blow, the Board declined the requests to lower the operable parts on ATMs from 54 to 48 inches.

One year later, unwilling to give up, LPA applied for membership on the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Committee on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, a private organization that produces a model building code making public buildings and facilities (including ATMs) accessible to people with disabilities. LPA’s application was approved and I was persuaded to represent LPA on the Committee.

In March 1995, the Committee rejected LPA’s proposed changes targeting the six-inch reach barrier as unsupported by statistical data. Despite this setback, LPA gathered data on height, arm extension, eye height, and vertical reach at the July 1995 national conference. And the data showed that at 48 inches about 80% of people with dwarfism could reach ATMs and everything else activated with a push, pull, or turn.

When the data was presented to the Committee in February 1996, it resulted in the biggest code change in 20 years! LPA’s 48-inch proposal was added to the second draft of proposed code revisions. However, the proposal still needed to survive public comments and negative ballots on the final draft of the ANSI Access Code in the next three meetings: October 1996, April/May 1997, and October 1997.

At the Spring 1997 meeting, there was pressure on Committee delegates to withdraw their early votes supporting 48 inches. After a five-hour battle and the longest debate on a single provision in the whole three-year revision cycle, the room was quiet as the votes were carefully counted: 13 in favor of 54 inches, 18 for 48 inches, and seven abstentions. But the fight was not finished.

In October 1997, a surprise fifth and final debate on LPA’s proposal was scheduled. Once again I had to justify the reasons for lowering the unobstructed side reach from 54 to 48 inches. But when the final vote was taken, the victory was more decisive—22 votes for 48 inches, eight votes for 54 inches and only two abstentions.

As a result of LPA’s “get up” actions we learned that change is possible with preparation, perseverance, persuasion, and prayer.

Photo credit: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

This post is a condensed version of Chapter 15, Breaking the Six-Inch Reach Barrier, in “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities” by Angela Muir Van Etten. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.

1. I can’t do everything, but I can do anything I want because my wants are filtered by a realistic understanding of my abilities. For example, not being able to kneel, run, or solve math problems stopped me from wanting things I can’t do. My inability to kneel ruled out pining for a plumber’s license; not being able to run suppressed my race to track athletics; and my inability to solve math problems stifled any urge to fly to the space station.
2. I can’t accept limitations others impose on me. The uninformed may say, you can’t do that. Little do they know how motivating this is. Proving it can be done, spurs me on to show how wrong they are.
3. I can’t do some things the same way as other people, but I can do those things differently. For example, I wash my hands in an inaccessible public bathroom by using the hand sanitizer I carry in my handbag; I reach items off a high shelf with a reacher; and I ‘walk’ distances riding a mobility scooter.
4. I can’t believe the derogatory things people say about me. Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it. Rene Descartes.
5. I can’t always accept the status quo. For example, advocacy is needed to change inaccessible buildings and facilities like ATMs, elevator buttons, and self-serve gas pumps. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ~ Harriet Tubman, escaped slave and ‘Moses of her people’ in the Underground Railroad.
6. I can’t accept discrimination. Being rejected because of my size is a barrier to knock down or bypass.
7. I can’t always make it by myself. I may need help with some things, like opening a heavy door, reaching something, or changing a light bulb. And I’m okay with receiving help and giving help to others; it makes for a better world.

Finally, I can’t wait to see how aiming high leads you to achieve your goals. If you aim higher than you expect, you could reach higher than you dreamed. Sir Richard Branson, billionaire entrepreneur and adventurer.

For discussion of diverse disability issues, follow Top 100 Disability Blogs and Websites at https://blog.feedspot.com/disability_blogs/ and my Monday blog posted on feedspot.com and https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/.

Likewise these seven people with disabilities believed they could win and were motivated to prove people wrong.

1. DJ Gardner, an amputee without arms, manages a carpet cleaning business and uses his feet for daily living activities. Gardner ignored the doubts people had about him. His advice? “Don’t let obstacles stop you, there’s always a way around it, through it, under it . . . it can be done.”
2. Josh Sams, an amputee without lower legs, was not expected to walk again. But after dozens of surgeries and months of rehabilitation he defied medical expectations and can walk with prosthetics.
3. Dan Mancina lost 90 percent of his vision while working as a professional skateboarder. Even though most people assumed blindness would end his career, he continues to skate.
4. When her daughter with dwarfism started school, Erin Pritchard’s mother was told that Erin wouldn’t achieve anything. She was assumed to have low intelligence. Erin showed otherwise by earning a PhD, teaching at a university, and writing a book— Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences—now available on Amazon.com.
5. For two years Todd Scanlon, a man with Down Syndrome, begged a contractor for work as a scaffolder. Finally, the contractor gave Todd a chance and discovered that his disability didn’t hold him back. Todd did all the tasks required of him, got on with the guys, and began an apprenticeship to earn his qualifications.
6. Katherine Wolf had a small chance of surviving a brain stem stroke that affected her vision, hearing, and mobility. She chose to go with what she had and found joy in her new life, rather than wish for her old life.
7. The parents of 15-year old Melanie Jacobs were told to prepare for her funeral when she developed a rare debilitating condition. Fifteen years later she is alive and well. Melanie became a top model who used a wheelchair. She refused to accept the prognosis that she’d never walk again and underwent surgery that made walking possible.

The lyrics of Alicia Keys “Underdog” 2020 release capture the underdog’s spirit:

“They say I would never make it
but I was built to break the mold.’
. . .This goes out to the underdog
Keep on keeping at what you love
You’ll find that someday soon enough
You will rise up, rise up, yeah.”

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13, New Living Translation

This post was inspired by #NationalUnderdogDay. To read more of my writings, go to my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com, subscribe to my weekly blog, and find retail links to my book, Pass Me Your Shoes: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith.