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| Young adult literature convention under fire over disabled facilities | Young adult literature convention under fire over disabled facilities |
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| Authors who appeared at the YALC young adult literature convention over the weekend, including Alex Wheatle and Joanne Harris, have spoken out about what they feel was a lack of disabled facilities at the event. Their complaints centre on the sequestering of one of two disabled toilets for the use of celebrities attending the associated Comicon festival on a lower floor. | Authors who appeared at the YALC young adult literature convention over the weekend, including Alex Wheatle and Joanne Harris, have spoken out about what they feel was a lack of disabled facilities at the event. Their complaints centre on the sequestering of one of two disabled toilets for the use of celebrities attending the associated Comicon festival on a lower floor. |
| Organisers of the event, tied to the London Film and Comic Convention (Comicon) at Olympia in London, were accused by one visitor of “ablism” after wheelchair users ended up squeezing into busy lifts and negotiating crowds to reach accessible toilets on the Comicon floor. | Organisers of the event, tied to the London Film and Comic Convention (Comicon) at Olympia in London, were accused by one visitor of “ablism” after wheelchair users ended up squeezing into busy lifts and negotiating crowds to reach accessible toilets on the Comicon floor. |
| Actor and playwright Athena Stevens, who has cerebral palsy, described organiser Showmasters’ decision to rope off one of the facilities for famous figures attending Comicon – including Benedict Cumberbatch – as “ablist”. | Actor and playwright Athena Stevens, who has cerebral palsy, described organiser Showmasters’ decision to rope off one of the facilities for famous figures attending Comicon – including Benedict Cumberbatch – as “ablist”. |
| “It is not appropriate to force people with disabilities to go down to Comicon and use that loo,” said Stevens, who is also a media spokesperson for the Women’s Equality Party. “Comicon is an over-stimulated mosh pit and anyone who has a neurological disability (such as myself) would find it overwhelming.” | “It is not appropriate to force people with disabilities to go down to Comicon and use that loo,” said Stevens, who is also a media spokesperson for the Women’s Equality Party. “Comicon is an over-stimulated mosh pit and anyone who has a neurological disability (such as myself) would find it overwhelming.” |
| The playwright, who has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe, said: “I spent an hour looking for an accessible toilet at YALC that was open to the public. If there was one, I didn’t find it.” | The playwright, who has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe, said: “I spent an hour looking for an accessible toilet at YALC that was open to the public. If there was one, I didn’t find it.” |
| Panellist and author Simon James Green said he had asked staff about disabled facilities on the literary festival floor for a friend, and been told staff were unaware of alternatives. | Panellist and author Simon James Green said he had asked staff about disabled facilities on the literary festival floor for a friend, and been told staff were unaware of alternatives. |
| Wheatle, winner of the 2016 Guardian children’s fiction prize, condemned the situation as ridiculous and against the spirit of the convention. “I am sure the VIPs could not have cared less about using other facilities,” he said. | Wheatle, winner of the 2016 Guardian children’s fiction prize, condemned the situation as ridiculous and against the spirit of the convention. “I am sure the VIPs could not have cared less about using other facilities,” he said. |
| Harris, whose bestsellers include Chocolat, was similarly dismayed. “YALC struck me as being very inclusive compared with some cons I’ve been to, so this is especially disappointing,” she said. “There was no reason to restrict access … in favour of VIPs.” | Harris, whose bestsellers include Chocolat, was similarly dismayed. “YALC struck me as being very inclusive compared with some cons I’ve been to, so this is especially disappointing,” she said. “There was no reason to restrict access … in favour of VIPs.” |
| Orange Boy author Patrice Lawrence said the problems faced by disabled visitors were particularly galling because the event, which was set up by the BookTrust literacy charity, and Comicon “thrive on diversity, bringing people together to celebrate something they are passionate about”. She added: “YALC, and everyone who attends it, must not be secondary to VIP guests.” | Orange Boy author Patrice Lawrence said the problems faced by disabled visitors were particularly galling because the event, which was set up by the BookTrust literacy charity, and Comicon “thrive on diversity, bringing people together to celebrate something they are passionate about”. She added: “YALC, and everyone who attends it, must not be secondary to VIP guests.” |
| Disabled charity Scope said that defining “reasonable” provision of toilet facilities was a grey area under the Disability Discrimination Act, but it did seem that Showmasters had shown a disregard for their disabled attendees over access to them. | Disabled charity Scope said that defining “reasonable” provision of toilet facilities was a grey area under the Disability Discrimination Act, but it did seem that Showmasters had shown a disregard for their disabled attendees over access to them. |
| Showmasters, however, denied claims that accessible facilities were unavailable on the same floor as the literary festival, which attracted 40,000 visitors, but acknowledged problems on Saturday. “There were two disabled toilets on that floor, and one was behind the green room wall,” he said. Overcrowding at lunchtime on Saturday had meant that wheelchair users were forced to use facilities on another floor, a spokesman conceded, but not for the whole weekend. Showrunners will consult disabled people to ensure there was no repetition of the problem, he added. | Showmasters, however, denied claims that accessible facilities were unavailable on the same floor as the literary festival, which attracted 40,000 visitors, but acknowledged problems on Saturday. “There were two disabled toilets on that floor, and one was behind the green room wall,” he said. Overcrowding at lunchtime on Saturday had meant that wheelchair users were forced to use facilities on another floor, a spokesman conceded, but not for the whole weekend. Showrunners will consult disabled people to ensure there was no repetition of the problem, he added. |