After Sophie bought her first home, she wanted to highlight the challenges facing young disabled people when searching for an accessible place to live, be that renting or buying. Only 1% of homes in the UK are suitable for wheelchair users. Sophie and her fiancé bought a bungalow because stairs are dangerous for her. She doesn't want to have to rely on a stair lift because, quite simply, she doesn't want to feel disabled in her own home. How many new build bungalows have you seen? The fact that the number of bungalows is decreasing means prices have inflated for accessible housing and young disabled people are competing with the elderly to buy these bungalows. She met with her local MP and council to raise these issues and they are working together to find a solution to ultimately build more bungalows and accessible housing.
Sophie's double life as a Paralympic gold medalist with an impressive career in London has given her a unique platform to highlight the barriers that disabled people face in order to live an independent life.
As an athlete, Sophie had to book accommodation for competitions and training. She quickly realised that large companies, like Travelodge, that should have been hot on accessibility were not. To raise awareness, Sophie started a series on TikTok reviewing the accessibility of the rooms she stayed in, especially their bathrooms. For example, should rooms be advertised as "accessible" if a hotel simply adds grab handles to a bathtub? Should booking websites allow disabled customers to book accessible rooms? Sophie has sent feedback to companies such as Trip.com and Premier Inn to help them cater for disabled customers.
Access all areas - Sophie Christiansen on BBC South Today
Paralympian gold medalist Sophie Christiansen on disability equality | 5 News
We need allies! Paralympian Sophie Christiansen on travel, housing and disability equality in the UK
Paralympian Sophie Christiansen on public transport's lack of accessibility | 5 News
On a broader scale, the Equality Act is not fit for purpose. Many companies do not know their responsibilities when it comes to making their services accessible, and most disabled people do not know their rights when they are discriminated against. For example, Sophie's corner shops are not accessible for wheelchair users. In order to meet the Equality Act, some shops have a doorbell to request a portable ramp. It is not uncommon for disabled customers to have to wait a long time for the ramp to be bought out. This makes disabled people feel like an inconvenience and sometimes the ramp can be quite dangerous. Most disabled customers would avoid being put in this position and take their money elsewhere.
Sophie is keen to create an educational pack for businesses and encourage more disability rights solicitors to uphold the Equality Act.
Please get in touch if you think you could help her with this.
How to be a disability ally
It is virtually impossible to be knowledgable about every disability. We are all different! The key to being an ally is to ask questions and listen. Then, notice the barriers that disabled people face in society. Can you ask at work about the recruitment process? Do they advertise job openings where disabled people are likely to see? Can you ask the shop owner if they have a ramp and what they think the customer experience is like? Does your website meet digital accessibility standards? Make people think.
