Part 2: Terms and Conditions of Access
A contract you didn't even know you'd signed.
October 16, 2025
5 min read
By AJ
Author’s Note: This piece is satire. It takes the language of contracts and fine print, usually used to exclude, and uses it to highlight the everyday problems particularly faced by the mobility aid community. While it’s written with humour, the realities behind it are very real. For context and the story behind this “document,” I’d recommend reading Blog 2.1: When Do a Table and Toilet Mean Inclusion first.
(An Unofficial Document for Those of The Mobility Aid Community Attempting to Participate in Public Life)
Effective Date: Upon entry into any public space.
Parties:
- The User (Party A) - any human attempting to exist comfortably in shared spaces.
- The World (Party B) - all establishments, institutions, and infrastructures claiming to be “accessible.”
1. DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this Agreement:
“Table,” besides its literal meaning, shall serve as a metaphor for everyday participation in life via eating, sitting etc.
“Toilet” shall mean the space promising dignity, privacy, and occasionally, a mop bucket.
“Accessibility” shall mean the theoretical possibility of participation, subject to physical, architectural, and social limitations.
“Empathy” shall mean well-intentioned enthusiasm, sometimes confused with inclusion.
2. AGREEMENTS
Clause 2.1: Apparent Accessibility
2.1.1 Party B shall provide ramps, wide doors, and other visible gestures of inclusion.
2.1.2 Party A acknowledges these features as primarily decorative unless proven otherwise.
Example exhibits may include ramps that end in steps, “accessible” toilets doubling as broom closets and storage rooms, or restaurant tables designed for people above 4 feet.
2.1.3. Visual compliance shall not be mistaken for practical access.
Clause 2.2: Social Provisions
2.2.1 Party B shall ensure that staff, patrons, and the general public offer assistance in the most performative manner possible.
2.2.2 Party A reserves the right to decline help offered with excessive sympathy, unsolicited commentary, or the phrase “you’re so brave.”
Clause 2.3: Emotional Labour
2.3.1 Party A agrees to repeatedly explain, educate, and advocate for basic rights in spaces already labelled “inclusive.”
2.3.2 Party B agrees to listen, nod earnestly, and promise to “raise it with management.” Understanding is optional but encouraged.
3. TERMINATION
By continuing to exist in public spaces, Users consent to the Terms and Conditions of partial access, performative empathy, and occasional ramps. Renewal is automatic, unless we decide to rewrite the contract, and with EnAccess Maps working to make things better, one day we hope we will.
Signed and sealed by:
The User, still waiting at the door.
The World, currently “looking into it.”
About the Author
AJ
My username is a mimic of a pen-name, as an attempt to get a step closer to fulfilling my overarching dreams of being a passionate tumblr-esque writer.
Digressing, I explore the overlooked corners of life with a touch of humour, connecting small details and big ideas. My hope is that you, the reader, learn to look at accessibility - and life in general - with a fresh perspective, as I, together with EnAccess Maps, do my best to bring the same to you.