The Art of Accessibility

A Critical Analysis of Ableism at Washington University in St. Louis

Abstract

Systemic ableism is a longstanding issue in our society, which leads to views of disability as a deficit. Such ideas emerge especially in institutions of higher education, where students remain largely unaware of environmental barriers contributing to disability, and administrators follow laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the letter, rather than work to improve and enhance the experience of disabled students. In this manuscript, I evaluate the ableist history of Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and its administration, as well as its student research and advocacy. Contrasts are drawn between the built physical environment and art, separate realms underpinned by ableist expectations of how disabled individuals can and should experience the world, beauty, and generalized accommodations. A literature review reveals that accessibility in art is often sidelined as special accommodative programming and is often maintained only by disabled artists. Alternatively, accommodations regarding environmental mobility are frequent targets for beautification, perpetuating ideals that accommodations must be visually appealing to warrant their existence. I discuss methods of accessibility implemented by community members and establishments, several located in St. Louis, Missouri, as guidance for future developments in accessibility and accommodation in the university setting, all of which require deeper understanding of the lived experience of disability throughout the university community.