The Courtesy of Accessibility

Courtesy and Chivalry are the hallmarks of the Society for Creative Anachronism. One element of chivalry and courtesy is helping other SCAdians participate when physical limitations might otherwise impede them.

The job of the Office of the Accessibility Porter is to help and educate SCAdians in working around Accessibility and disability issues. The Accessibility Porter can help with questions such as:

• How can we make our events more accessible generally?
• How can we help someone with accessibility issues attend and enjoy our events?
• Is this event site accessible?
• I have accessibility issues, how can I request assistance with attending events?
• Where can I find resources on accessibility issues, especially as they affect the SCA?

Accessibility issues include:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Mobility (walking, wheelchairs, steps, etc.)
• Medical issues
• Allergies
• Assistance Animals
• Other

Accessibility issues can be temporary or permanent. (If you can’t climb stairs because of a bad knee or a sprain, it’s still an accessibility issue!)

Working together, we can assist each other to enjoy the SCA.

In fact, we already do it, when:

• Someone with visual problems recieves their AoA Scroll in Braille
• Court includes a sign language interpreting herald
• The King tells someone with bad knees not to kneel
• Autocrats order handicapped portajohns for people with mobility issues (and those wearing hoop skirts)
• Someone with an assistance dog attends an event
• The cook posts his/her recipes for the benefit of those with allergies
• Friends and chirurgeons are aware of a diabetic’s needs.
• People carry or help a friend with walking problems up or down stairs
• Camping events offer an electrical outlet for charging CPAP batteries

The Accessibility Porter’s Office is here to provide resources to help those with issues and Seneschals, Autocrats and other SCAdians work together. Please contact me if you have questions! Just please place “AP” as well as the subject in the subject line so that I can get to your email quickly!

Olalla Tristana, porter@eastkingdom.org

The Responsibilities of the Accessibility Porter (from East Kingdom Law):

The Current Law on Page 12 of 16 of the .pdf East Kingdom Law  http://seneschal.eastkingdom.org/docs/EKLAW.pdf

Individual Duties of the Kingdom Officers
19. The Kingdom Accessibility Porter:
a. Encourages those groups and/or autocrats who consistently choose handicapped accessible sites, or
who try to make their sites more accessible.
b. Educates the populace of the East regarding the barriers that detract from the enjoyment of the
activities of the Kingdom by gentles with disabilities, or which prevent these gentles from attending
events at all.
c. Acts as a clearinghouse for information on disability access.
d. Acts as liaison between members of the populace with disabilities and autocrat staff of events, upon
request.
e. Connects those who need special services with those who can provide them.
f. Devises new ways to make reasonable accommodations for gentles with disabilities.
g. Is responsible to the Kingdom Seneschal/e.