'We don't do people like that'
- 23 May 07, 4:33 PM
Every now and then, we hear of something so unbelievable it's hard to know where to start, but how about this tale of stunning disablism from the kiss-me-quick land of Blackpool?
Now you'd think that getting a tattoo would be easy as pie - apart from the whole pain thing, that is. That's probably what 24-year-old Rachael Monk thought too when she visited the Body Creation parlour while on holiday with her family in the popular seaside resort.
When Rachael, who speaks through a Delta Talker (a portable communication aid) asked to have a fairy tattooed onto her arm, the owner of the establishment, addressing the family instead of Rachael, said "We don't do people like that".
Unsurprisingly, this incident (and the gratuitous insults that apparently followed as the family left the shop), cast a not inconsiderable shadow over the rest of the their holiday. Well, yes. It would, wouldn't it?
After contacting the Disability Rights Commission for advice, Rachael took the owner of the parlour to Preston County Court, where the judge found "no evidence for [his] treatment of Rachael" and awarded her £2,500 in compensation.
District Judge Ashton said : "It was abundantly clear, once one took the trouble to communicate with Rachael, that she knew her own mind, was proud of the small heart (tattoo) already displayed on her right arm and wanted that tattoo she had chosen for her left upper arm."
Judge Aston said that Jordan Dean, the owner of the parlour, "did not attempt to make any assessment of Rachael's vulnerability or capacity. He simply ignored her and made assumptions based upon her physical abilities.
"There are lessons to be learnt from this unfortunate episode and I hope that after witnessing Rachael's performance in court Mr Dean has recognised how badly he misjudged her when she sought his services. It is regrettable that he did not seek to apologise for this."
After the court hearing, Rachael said "It was all really awful for me and my family, but I am feeling great today and am happy it is all over. I got my say in court that was the main thing, and I was able to let the lad know my feelings about the way I was treated. Hopefully this judgement will stop other shops doing the same thing."
We're very pleased to report though that Rachael had her tattoo done at a later date - at a different establishment. Yes. Quite.
So what do you think? Do shopkeepers assume that we don't know our own minds? Can you tell us a tale of more blatant disablism? Let us know - leave a comment using the form below.
Comments
Way to go Rachael! Good for you for sticking up for yourself...a lot of people would have just put up with this rubbish.
People's hero award, first class!
Well done Rachael!
I'm an electric wheelchair user. When house hunting, comments to me have included "people like you can't expect to live somewhere like this", "We don't want your kind here" and when I talked about needing a ramp was told "it would give the wrong idea".
Hi Rachael,
What a horrible experience - I am so glad you decided to put him in his place. Takes courage to see things through like that, so good on you.
Pat
Can we tattoo the word idiot on the shop owners head?
My son uses a communication aid and stories like this one are great examples of 2 things 1) how ignorant many of the population still are about disabled people, esp. those without speech
2) How disabled people who use communication aids can and do take control of their own lives!
- A great role model for other young non-speaking people.
Well done!
Well done to Rachel! A similar thing happened to me not long ago; something I naively thought would never dare be uttered....
On debating with a traffic warden (we've all been there...) over my supposedly 'illegal' use my blue badge (I was on a double yellow line and therefore perfectly legal). I was told that 'Your lot (disabled people) get away with murder...' Erm ok then. I actually could not quite believe it. Shocking.
Well done Rachel, you should be really proud!
I was wondering if any one knew how I could get an e mail address for Rachel, I would really like to get in touch :-)
Yeah, I agree
Well done to Rachel,
I could'nt find her email address too