The wheelchair logo is probably the most well known logo throughout the
world representing not just wheelchair users, however also representing a
logo for general disability issues regardless of medical condition. This is
interesting because it's highlighting disability at first four people using
wheelchair. Giving society a powerful visual image that disability is
"people needing to use a wheelchair". Perhaps this causes difficulties not
just for those who are disabled people that don't use wheelchairs, but also
doesn't provide a good image for wheelchair users too.
However logos are very valuable to have! They can provide a lot of
information in one visual image that can be recognised instantly. Often used
as a warning about danger! People can recognise the logo and understand its
meaning much quicker than reading text that describes the danger! This is
why we have traffic signs as logos on our roads.
There are also other needs for using logos! They may also provide a
universal language for communication. Not just four people who speak
different languages, but also for many disabled people who have difficulties
reading and writing. Maybe they have dyslexia or/and other learning
difficulties. I have a severe dyslexia difficulty and find logos extremely
valuable. Including a universal wheelchair logo representing "disability" as
this instantly lets me know that this is for "disabled people". So if I'm
struggling to find information on paperwork about disability the logo can be
a valuable help. If I'm needing help and support while using services within
society the logo can also point me in the right direction to obtain help.
Without this logo I had to keep asking lots of people which can be
uncomfortable for me. So the logo gives me some independents when seeking
support.
So perhaps I shouldn't have started this I asking if "do we need the
disability logo" perhaps I should be questioning whether the wheelchair
symbol/logo is the ideal logo for representing all disabled people. Maybe
this is an issue the needs discussion by the disability movements and
hopefully include people with dyslexia and learning difficulties.
So if you know a disability organisation that is avoiding the using of logos
representing disabilities than perhaps you can tell them about this web page
and give them something to think about!
Well this is written in December 2001 and at this time there are no
disability logos on this site! Why not? Well this site was started to
represent people with hidden impairments many people with medical conditions
like ADHD and dyslexia don't think they are part of the disability
community! They don't see themselves as "disabled people" even though there
difficulties receive much discrimination from society preventing many from
participating in society on equal terms. Perhaps because "disability"
doesn't have appropriate image for representing all of societies members who
are "disabled people"!
However this site will be introducing logos very soon as I try to integrate
all disability issues within the "hi2u 4 people with hidden impairments" web
site. Hopefully with the interest and involvement of all disabled people
particularly those who haven't had their difficulties recognise by society
and disability movements.
If you find this issue around logos interesting and would like to have your
views shown on this web site then please e-mail me (Andy) with your views on
this issue. Please make it very clear if you want me to display your views
on this web site. Also let me know if you want your name and/or e-mail
displayed on web page with your views, so that people can contact you
directly.
Now I hope you have found this page of interest it was compose on December
15th, 2001. Using voice recognition software due to my dyslexia I may make
changes to the text on this page perhaps to correct mistakes or to word
things more clearly. If you find any mistakes I would be most grateful if
you could let me know! Many thanks, copyright Andy Hayes.
Hi Andy, I'm writing about the use of Logo's. I know they are useful but
can be misleading. Firstly I'd just like to mention that when I attended a "
normalisational course some years ago, the use of logo's and anything which
showed the person to have a problem was ruled out. I'm talking about the
buses we all see with the name of special schools or institutions along the
side. Some people with disabilities being allowed to wear badges. Ok I know
they have their rights to wear what they wish, but it does make them stand
out from the crowd. Logo's are ok if they are used as an informative symbol,
but if they are used to make someone stand out from the crowd then they
should be eliminated. You mention the wheelchair symbol. Well guess what.
Although my daughter has mild CP and I have to attend to her in public
toilets, it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I was asked if I had a
key to the disabled toilets. I know she is disabled but I just associated
the toilet with wheelchairs and not general disability. I feel quite silly
about it now. My son aged 8 and autistic could also make use of the toilets
as he wears nappies when we are out and finding somewhere to change him is a
problem. I surely can't be the only one who didn't click onto the use of the
toilets for all disabled, can I?..Dot
20th December 2001
Hi Andy,
I stumbled onto your site as I am searching on the web for a t-shirt with
the universal wheelchair logo for my 4-year-old autistic son. By the way, I
can't find one. I'm looking for a t-shirt, with the logo on the back, for
him to wear while we are travelling this summer. I truly wish I didn't have
to resort to this, but after several summers of extremely rude comments in
airports from cranky old ladies about my son's annoying crying and my poor
parenting skills, I want an easier way out than having to explain my son's
"not immediately apparent disability" to every assuming, all-knowing,
self-appointed judge! If people know he's disabled up front, we can avoid
the confrontation.
Most people don't know what Autism is and wouldn't recognize an Autism logo.
Everyone knows that the wheel-chair symbol stands for disability and most
people probably now associate that symbol with many disabilities and not
just "wheelchair disabilities". I like the new wheelchair symbol with the
guy breaking the chains over his head. It makes a great statement. However,
little old ladies recognize the old symbol and seem to have a personal
empathy for it, as many of them have handicap parking permits with that
symbol dangling from their car mirrors. Logos are an easy way to get instant
recognition and, in our case, needed understanding.
Dana
09 May 2002
Yes, I agree, I have a rare bladder disease with several symptoms, and I am
so tired of people not recognizing it. Do we have to walk with a cane or
ride in a wheel chair to be recognized as disabled? I get disability
checks.
With them being invisible it makes it much harder on us. I saw on Oprah,
about Alzheimer's it seems when famous people get it then it gets the
attention it needs, which is great however what about the rest of us? Any
how, a lady explained the same as this lady here, frustrated with people not
understanding her sons autism, she suggested having business cards made up,
explaining on them, that he has this autism and pls. excuse us.
Hope this idea helps.
Sue
20th July 2004
Hi, I think some logos can be quite confusing. I come across this site by
accident whilst looking for information on logos on a package I have. I know
you said that logos are great as they provide ways for people who have
difficulty reading to figure out what is meant but there are quite a few
logos out their that are very misleading. I think the wheelchair logo is
also very misleading. I'm autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) and also
incontinent and there have been a number of times when using disabled
toilets to change in I have been confronted by people asking me if I'm
disabled. This really annoys me and makes me think about the wheelchair
logo. So just because I'm not in a wheelchair does that mean I can't use
these toilets, would the council rather me leave my pads in a standard waste
bin in the gents (other problem being male is that they don't put sanitary
bins in male toilets as they don't seem to see that men could have a problem
that would require the use of sanitary bins - actually I also know of a
number of disabled toilets without adequate disposal for incontinence
products, I think this proves that not even people who provide these toilet
facilities care to think about people with hidden disabilities.) I recently
noticed in Asda (UK) they've started implementing a new "disabled" logo on
their toilets, but I think this logo is still as inappropriate as the
wheelchair one. The new ones in Asda show a man with walking sticks either
side (but this just seems to mean that they've modified the toilet for
people with mobility disabilities - not problems like incontinence)
Anyway the logos that are causing me some confusion are on the side of my
pads I have for incontinence, I've often looked at them and wondered what on
earth do they mean - a 2 in a circle with a line going through it? a letter
I shown diagonally with lines underneath it, 2 arrows in a circle
interlocking, and something that looks like a big drop of water or a flame
(flammable maybe or keep away from water?). If anyone has any idea what
these logos are for maybe they could tell me.
Darren Forster
Email:
darren@forster99.eclipse.co.uk
Received on 23rd January, 2005
Yes, I understand your views but how can else can we inform people either
these are for use of the disabled i.e. Toilets/car parking spaces.
Craig Walter
Email: bradford1983@fsmail.net
Received on 10th of January 2006
I am currently undertaking serious and comprehensive research into the issues
surrounding disability, mainly focusing on the sterotyping that occurs within
society. This research is designed to help me formulate a design solution that
will in some way serve to break down the sterotypical barriers that I have found
to be present. I have deducted that a rebranding of the 'disabled logo' would be
essential, as despite the logo being conceived to represent wheelchair access
facilities, it has become a standard for disability in general. This I feel is
detremental as it reflects the entire disabled community as wheelchair users,
whilst also serving to put across quite a negative representation of the
disabled demographic. I feel that it also serves to create more of an 'us and
them' approach through the use of using a fairly negative symbolic
representation of a person, helping to lump every disabled person into one
category.
My proposal would be to rebrand disability, and !
turn it into something positive. Why does it need to represent a minority, and
personify such a large and diverse area such as disibility? Who does this
benefit? Don't get me wrong, signage needs to be implemented to prevent
confusion and highlight facilities, but surely this could be done in a more
positive and thoughful fashion. Besides, If disabled facilities were widespread
and incorporated everywhere, there would surely be less of a hangup about
disability. Take for example toilets - you have a male, female and a separate
disabled facility. Why not incorporate disabled facilities into both? Therefore
you lose the segregational approach to disabled facilities. This may also have a
positive benefit in terms of removing the physical and therefore social
segregation. I have found all posts very valuable towards the ongoing research
side of my project, and would welcome any posts responding to the issues that I
wish to tackle. Comments with regard to stereotyping !
and the disabled badge (and a plausible link between the two) !
would b
David Waters
Email: davewaters_84@hotmail.com
Received on 22nd February 2006
I agree we need a better disability logo. The problem is there are more
"invisible disabilities" than visible ones. I have a young son with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (Autism for short, but not to exclude the gentleman above
with Asperger's) and Cerebral Palsy (Mild, so not easily detected). Since
the disabilities are "invisible" it is difficult to create a visible logo to
represent this growing population. I have a few ideas since I have become
very proactive for my son and his rights. But who will listen to us and work
with us to develop this new and necessary logo?
In response to Dana and Sue above; I make the t-shirts, cards, stickers for
the car, and general merchandise you are looking for to keep people safe and
promote awareness. I started making the shirts because we were at a theme
park and a streetmasphere personality was shouting at my son to get out of
their way; of course my son did not move, he had no idea what was going on.
The cards I started making for the exact reasons stated by what Sue saw on
Oprah; people judge before they get all the facts. I also take it one step
further with cards I created for waitstaff (these are positive cards
thanking them for the understanding they exhibited when my son does "act up"
in the restaurant). On the backs of the cards I put some educational stats
so they understand a little more and hopefully pass on the information they
learn to others. I figure this is at least a start to educate the public
that not all disabilities are wheelchair related. If I can be of any
assistance in getting the logo revised and implemented please e-mail me.
Also-- if anyone would like a brochure of the merchandise I make, please
e-mail me (I do not have a website).
Pauline
Email: pauline71300@hotmail.com
Received on the 27th March 2006
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