Discrimination I tick all the boxes aren’t I lucky?

I have often heard the word “discrimination” being bandied about, a lot, in the last ten to fifteen years. I never saw myself as being discriminated against though. Not when I was a child and I had to wear calipers, not as a young adult who had to wear surgical boots. It wasn’t until my last amputation which has ended up with me in a wheelchair due to other health issues, have I felt discriminated against.

Employers discriminate against me, travel companies, friends, strangers, hotels, events, venues, I could go on, and hell even inanimate objects discriminate me!

This is not just because am an amputee but because am in a wheelchair. In fact I seem to tick all the boxes when it comes to people to shame, hate or discriminate against. I am disabled I have no legs and am in a wheelchair, this means am lazy, scrounger, pulling a fast one, unable to hold a conversation, understand what is being said to me or indeed hear ! God forbid I have feelings, like sex, (yes I have been asked that) have romantic intentions, enjoy compliments (other than a pat on the head and a “good girl”, I sometimes feel like either panting and whining like a dog at this point or wheel myself over to a window and start licking it), let’s not forget the looks which are a mix of horror, morbid fascination and surprise when people find out that I am a wife, mother,

business woman running her own company or studying for a degree.

Then you need to add the weight. I must eat everything in sight, it’s my fault am this big, I have let myself go, am disgusting, no one could want to be with me, how can I be married or have children being this old. Now I see this kind of fat shaming all over the place. The latest being a picture going around on the internet of a girl dressed as Harley Quinn with the caption “she must have ate the squad” https://www.facebook.com/Deadpoolisasavage/?hc_ref=SEARCH Mate you’re a dick!! And while am at it https://www.facebook.com/keith.harris.3154284 you are a dick as well. What if we got hundreds of people to comment on a photo, a REAL photo of you and you had a big nose or spots or wore glasses or had freckles. Would you like to have this picture put around the internet with some derogatory comment so that anyone and everyone can have a pop at insulting you or discussing your size and whether or not you should or should not be cosplaying a character? Do people actually have any idea how this makes a person feel?Yes am calling them out on social media, whats good for goose is good for gander so they say. so if it is acceptable to fat shame some on on Facebook then it is acceptable to shame some one for being a dick. I myself am a lot bigger than the person they are insulting and I sometimes cosplay.

It can take a lot of courage and confidence to do some cosplays and I have in the past let my size and my disability dictate my costumes…no more. My weight is not from eating too much, it’s down to the amputation, not being mobile enough or being able to exercise the way I used to, medication am on that causes weight gain, and have six beautiful, highly intelligent children, IBS, Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. So no not pizza, or sweets, although am partial to crisps – but only salt and vinegar though.

Finally add my age. I am past…. Well… Pretty much everything according some people. Having fun, flirting, University, cosplaying, going to events, being a nerd just to name a few. Oh and we can’t forget the best one, the fact I have six kids. Obviously I only had them to scrounge off the tax payer and the state, because, you know I have NEVER EVER worked…yea so the last 31 years must have all been a dream then? Going to work with plasters on after major surgery to my feet, back at work three month after a double below knee amputation, signing on at the dole to look for work whilst waiting for a fitting for new legs, going to interviews with my stump boards on and no legs….I could go on but what’s the point.

Now if you add all of this together, you end up being treat like shit, ignored and feeling inside that you are unattractive, unappealing, waste of space and a sub human, non-sexualized as you don’t count.  

You are left wondering why you bother trying to live your life like everyone else or try to enjoy what others do. You give up trying to make an effort with your hair, makeup or clothes – why should you? No one cares, no one notices you are still treat less than anyone else who puts in less effort.  You are left wondering “ should I starve myself to try and force my body to lose weight? “ or “ who cares, why should I care what I eat any more instead of restricting myself and being good – sod it – am going to stuff my face, makes no difference any way does it? Still going to be seen and treat the same way.

You’re not seen as a person or a women you feel like you are seen as nothing more than a lump in a wheelchair, an inconvenience, someone to either feel sorry for or to ignore because you don’t know what to say are how to react ( for future reference, the same as you do to anybody else who isn’t in a chair !), hey I get it, who the hell would want to be reminded just how fragile life is, that this is something that could happen to anyone at any time on any day. No one wants that shit rubbed in their face now do they.

There are a lot of people banging on about equality in recognising disabilities as not all are visible. I get this, I really do people need to understand that the person using the blue badge may look perfectly healthy but they could just be having a good day, or have some health issue you are not aware about, so it is unfair to say they do not deserve that blue badge and parking space. But I often wonder if it’s not easier having an invisible illness or disability? No one knows unless you tell them. Until that point, or even maybe after that point as well with it not being visible and in their faces, people treat you no different. You’re a woman / man, attractive, a sexual being who likes compliments and being flirted with who is capable and people wouldn’t be surprised if you went to university or got married, had a job or started your own business.

You see, am so used to this crap that most days I can ignore it, but there are days I cannot. This weekend whilst working I could not. In your personal life being treat like that is bad enough, but when it is in your professional life. When you are looked down on and treat differently to all the other professionals who are there for the same reason just because you are in a wheelchair, with no legs. When, for the same reasons, you are blocked from interviews that have already been arranged, that you are made to feel that your business isn’t good enough, big enough or the people you write for are not important enough, that’s bad….real bad.

DISABLED TRAVEL - THE FINAL FRONTIER

This year’s LFCC was held at the Olympia Exhibition Centre Kensington in London. The Psych Twins / Amputee diaries were lucky enough to be invited down to review the event over the three days, as well as the opportunity to interview guests, cosplayers and attendees.

Showmasters, who organise these events all over the UK and now in Germany and Amsterdam, class the summer convention as their showcase piece, with some of the biggest names in Film, TV and Comic book genre attending.

We wanted to know how this worked for people wishing to attend who had mobility issues, disabilities, mental health issues or issues such as ASD, ADHD, Anxiety or panic attacks. Previously we have reviewed these conventions held at Newcastle and Glasgow. Although Showmasters are not responsible for the facilities that each venue they use provide, we feel that these things are important to take on board when organising events such as these, especially something as huge as the summer LFCC.

I am in a wheelchair full time with very limited ability to get out of the chair and walk and unable to self-propel. So it was me and my husband who went down to review the event.

We travelled down by train on the Virgin East Coast line from Newcastle central station to London’s king cross. This was my first time using a train for this type of journey since having my amputation and being in the wheelchair full time, so I was very apprehensive and nervous about this journey and how it would work.

According to Virgin it should be pretty straight forward to book passenger assistance for travelling as well as discount being available. After ringing to find out what the discounts where, and being passed around as no one seemed to know what I was on about I spoke to one customer service representative who was extremely rude, who even after being told I needed to stay in the wheelchair and their website offered discount for that, got nasty wanting to know what my disability was and telling me I was wrong. After referring her to the company website, she got loud telling me I did not need to read out the full page, passing me onto someone who deals with the website. I am pleased to say that this person was more than helpful sorting everything out and finally managed to get the tickets booked and passenger assistance booked for the journey.

Arrived at the station in plenty of time as requested and reported to the Virgin customer help desk. Shortly before the train pulled in a very polite gentleman arrived and pushed myself whilst my husband dealt with the luggage across to the platform our train arrived on, up to the carriage. He then got a ramp to put in the door way and pushed me onto the train wheeling me to my designated wheelchair spot in first class. We were assured that they would ring ahead so when we arrived at Kings Cross they would be someone to assist us off the train and to our car we had booked. The carriage they put us on was wide enough for the wheelchair to fit through the doors and access to a wheelchair accessible toilet. As some carriages have different dimensions, this is something that is taken care of at booking to make sure the journey you have booked is suitable for the dimensions of your wheelchair. After a very smooth and uneventful journey, we arrived at King’s cross station and no one there to meet us. After waiting for nearly ten minutes on a completely empty train, my husband had to go and physically get help to get me off via a ramp. This was done but we were then dumped on the platform and left with a case, two bags and me in the wheelchair to manage off the platform and out of the station to the car. The return journey was just as complicated. Although we had access to the first class lounge at Kings Cross which offered free charging stations, soft drinks, hot drinks and snacks and someone came to collect us in plenty of time there was still issues. Upon arriving at the platform and being wheeled up the ramp on to the train, it soon became apparent that the carriage was not big enough for my wheelchair. There was no turning space and the wheelchair did not fit through the automatic door at all. The representative for Virgin had no idea what to do, so I had to stand from my wheelchair and in quite a bit of pain manoeuvre into the carriage so my husband could fold the chair to get it through the door and into the wheelchair space. However due to the fact of the aisle not being big enough and the chair fitting through the door nor was there a accessible toilet on the carriage, I had to spend a three and a half hour journey with no toilet break.

The company we used was Addison Lee which you could very easily download their app on to your phone or access it by tablet, pc or laptop to pre book journeys. The website was very easy to use and once you entered all the journey details even give you a price for the journey before you booked! The driver we had was very polite and friendly with no issues on using the car they sent.

We were staying at the Hilton Olympia in Kensington, which was only five minutes by foot away from the exhibition centre which made it the ideal accommodation. Once checked in we were told that the original room we had booked had steps leading to it, which was not something mentioned on their website. The staff member checked for other rooms available that would be accessible as again there was no option to book an accessible room via the site using the HH honours system, ( this gives you preferential rates and better deals when booking on line and is free to sign up to), but there was an option to list any requirements that you might have. There was nothing with an accessible bathroom or wider doors so we opted for a normal room minus the stairs. So after being  given our room key we went to put our luggage way before heading to the restaurant for tea, but on arrival at the room found out that it was not easy to move around with the wheelchair even though we had booked a king executive room. David went and spoke to one of the staff members who very kindly upgraded our room to a suite to give us the extra space for the chair, but again this was not an accessible bathroom or wider doors.

The restaurant had a specific lift to the restaurant which was big enough for the wheelchair and two other people at a push. There was an ample size disabled toilet and the restaurant was very spacious and the tables easy to get to and reach.

The Olympia Exhibition centre is a huge, ornate, beautiful building on Hammersmith road and easy to get to via road or tube. They have a few disabled entrances to the building, the lifts are manned and internally there are a lot of lifts to get between the floors if you cannot use the stairs for whatever reason. There were plenty of disabled toilets, which included baby changing facilities but no adult changing facilities if someone needed personal care. However these where well sign posted and the space was amazing. The Olympia sets out the spacing of all exhibitors and traders at the various shows it hosts so this means that there is plenty of room to get around the venue if you are in a wheelchair or with a pram, even on a busy day and each event can book out different floors and sections of the building depending on how much space they require or want. This includes any side rooms or conference rooms that where on those floors that where hired by the event. It did occur to me if this was something that maybe Showmasters could have adapted in some way into an adult changing area for personal care needs.

The Friday was very quiet which meant there was lots of space and made it very comfortable to get around and easy to access all the traders, autograph queues and photo shoots. Once again for London they had out done themselves with stars such as Jeremy Renner better known as Hawkeye from the Avenger movies, Rutger Hauer from Blade Runner, Mad Mikkelsen from the new Marvel film Dr Strange and Hannibal from the TV show of the same name, just to name a few, not to mention cast from the popular TV show Game of Thrones, various power rangers and Wrestlers from the world of WWE. Access on the Friday was very confusing as no one seemed to know where they were supposed to be. Security were unaware of where desks were or where to collect extra help passes from, there were other members of the public trying to find out where to collect gold passes and diamond passes from and the staff did not know. I actually had to give one team of security staff my print out of the map of the event, which turned out to be of no use as exhibits had not turned up or things had to be moved.

 We ended up spending the first twenty minutes trying to find which entrance to access the building, which may not seem like a huge deal, but when you take into account how many people are rushing to get virtual queue tickets for some of the bigger names, the lower the batch number the best chance you have of fitting more autographs/photo shoots in that day especially if you are not down for the full duration. Also if you have a higher batch number there is a chance that you will not get to see that star as they may need to leave early, which is what happened to us on the Saturday.

We then spent another half hour trying to find out where to collect the extra assistance wristbands and walked the length and breadth of the downstairs of the exhibition hall. Finally we found a pit boss who issued us with extra assistance band and carer’s band but did not ask for any paper work as proof.  Speaking to other families who were in attendance over the weekend, both with and without extra help assistance, it became apparent that this was a common issue, with one family whose daughter suffered with MS having to also walk the length and breadth of the hall to find where to collect the extra help bands from. Not everyone who was there or who needed extra assistance where aware that help was available or that there was a free carer’s ticket available upon sending proof into the extra help team.  Although there was plenty of space so people could sit on the floor, there was no seating area for anyone who may have difficulty getting on or off the floor, nor was there an offshoot or separate room where any one suffering an anxiety or panic attack or a sensory overload could go that was quiet and cool so they could calm down.

Another great thing about the venue was the fact that there were plenty of places to grab something to eat, but like most venues of this type it was overpriced for what you got at £5 for a sandwich or £4.50 for two cans of coke. Although all places to eat where accessible to myself.

If you have the extra assistance wrist band and have paid for photo ops or wanted autographs then help was available to do this so you did not have to wait too long. Although some staff in the blue t shirts who were volunteers and not showmasters staff, seemed confused regarding what you could or could not be helped with. With regards to the photo ops, staff are meant to feed you into the queue with the first batch so there was no waiting and with the autographs if the queue was too long then provide you with a virtual queue ticket, which would allow you to return later and be added to the end of the queue, which should mean that you wait no longer than five minutes. Personally, I experienced no issues with gaining access to the photo queues or autographs, although it meant going to the pit boss to clarify what I was to do or where to wait and as stated earlier the blue shirts were unsure or just told you no,   as there seemed to be no queuing area for any one going in on an extra assistance band. There was only one occasion over the entire three days where I was moved to the front of the que upon returning or told by a blue shirt that they were not sure what help was available or what they had to do, claiming they had not been given training for that particular issue. Funny enough something that some of the security were saying as well.

Interviewing some of the amazing Cosplayers that were attending the event the general consensus was MCM London was better, especially when it came to cosplayers attending and being looked after, but in my opinion not regarding accessibility to guests or photo ops. Showmasters might not have it right, but they have at least gone some way towards making it better.  Most people we talked to said that compared to the is

sues that they had last year with heat, overcrowding and bad organising, this year was a big improvement, but still have a way to go. The YLAC area was easy to access, once you could navigate which lift took you where as the signage was not clear. The comic book alley, props, gaming area and retro gaming area where all accessible to someone in a wheelchair and never too busy and over all a lot cooler!  Speaking to the people who were crewing the props such as the Iron Throne etc all said that if someone was unable to get out of the wheelchair to access those for a photo shoot they would work around it which I was very impressed with.

The Saturday was mayhem. It was very intimidating being in wheelchair and even though I do not suffer from claustrophobia or personal space issues, I could feel myself panicking and feeling out of my comfort zone, with people not paying attention, stepping over or falling into you and walking in front of the chair. Because of how busy it was on the Saturday people sitting on the floor with their legs outstretched, especially in narrow walkways upstairs where they had erected temp walls for photo shoots to take place made it even more difficult to get round and in my opinion a danger and accident waiting to happen.

The staff although frazzled on the Saturday, I thought handled themselves very well. Although queues ended up merging and people didn’t seem to know where they were supposed to be queuing, which was the beginning of one queue and the end of another or for what star, they did the best they could to deal with any issues that came about or answer any questions that you had.

Sunday was a mixture between the two, busy but not to the point of not being able to move and the autograph queues were a lot easier to navigate and access as well. Both staff, attendees and stars seemed a lot more relaxed. With a majority of the cosplayers being there on a Saturday and not many around on the Friday, there was still plenty kicking around on the Sunday for photos. Most people we spoke to on the Sunday had just came down for that specific day with it being a much calmer day then the Saturday but not as quiet as the Friday and all the A listers still being there as well. By the late afternoon on the Sunday most of the traders where offering discounts on stock hoping to reduce the amount of stock that had to be packed back up and taken home.

So overall thoughts? Well from a disabled point of view help was offered once you could find the right person or indeed anyone to ask due to the crowds swarming around. Sometimes though this meant grabbing some ones attention or just having to wait patiently. Personally I would recommend plenty of rest in-between shoots and if viable taking a break from the event for a short period of time to get fresh air, lie down or just to rest in general and going back later on in the day as it is a very long tiring day which just increased my mobility issues and pain control and ended up having a knock on effect for the next day. Access was good but not impressed with the lack of knowledge from staff or security staff about where to get the appropriate wrist bands from to access the extra help.  More training would be advantageous for volunteers who do not work with showmasters on a regular biases and coordination from all team members would have also been a big advantage, so that every member of staff from pit bosses, showmasters permanent staff and volunteers where all singing from the same hymn sheet so to speak.

Over all a fantastic weekend with a great atmosphere, great guests and lots to see and do. I would have found it impossible to do everything I wanted to do had I just went for a day.  Not sure and could find no information on what, if anything was available if you were attending on your own and needed assistance to get around or access anything (Rogue events for a fee can offer an assistant if needed).

 So in conclusion as long as you didn’t mind the crowds and mayhem on the Saturday, bring your own food to avoid being over charged, plenty to drink, you can keep your calm and remember the staff and stars are human too so treat them with respect and what the crew member says when dealing with his or her area is the final word, then you are in for a treat. As with all these events, it is a logistical nightmare for the organisers and nothing, no matter how much you try to control or plan these things will run 100 %. There are lots of things that would and could be incorporated into some of the other events and that I would especially like to see happen in Newcastle, including bigger and better guests.

SHOWMASTERS FILM AND COMIC CONVENTIONS

SHOWMASTERS FILM AND COMIC CONVENTION MANCHESTER

21^ST – 22^ND OF MAY 2016 EVENT CITY.

Review by Darren Green photography by Annabelle Clark.

Written by Jennifer Clark

Yet again Event City played host to Showmasters Film and Comic Convention in Manchester.  We sent down two volunteers to scope the venue out, review the event and talk to the cosplayers, attendees and the guests. So off went Annabelle and Darren on the Megabus early on a Saturday morning at 6 am to spend the day at the convention.

The venue was very spacious and easy to navigate for someone in a wheelchair. There where spare wheelchairs near to the entrance of the venue along with the toilets which were very spacious and also extremely accessible. For a change at an event like this there was also plenty of room in the aisle to access vendors, making it relatively easy for wheelchair users or families with prams to move around and view the wares on display.

As usual Showmasters offer free carer tickets upon application (good idea to send a copy of a carer’s letter for proof) for their events which allows one person to access the event for free when accompanying someone who needs assistance to attend an event like this due to ill health or disability. Like other events Showmasters have ran there was no area where someone could take a break if over stimulated, over stressed due to sensory overload and no changing facilities were noticed for older children or adults who may need personal care other than the standard baby changing facilities. Also there was no indication of anywhere for someone in a wheelchair or unable to stand for long periods to obtain a slip giving them preference or return time for autographs and pictures.

This ever popular event was very busy with queues lasting all day for guest’s autographs with the line-up including Michael Biehn best known for his role as Kyle Reese in Terminator and corporal Hicks in Aliens, Ken Kirzinger from Freddy Vs Jason, Noel Clarke from Dr Who and Star Trek and Dave Prowse best known as Darth Vader in Star wars along with many others. Staff where plentiful and available at all times coming across as very calm being able to direct you to where you needed to be and how to help with any issues you might be experiencing. Everything at the event was very well signposted so easy to find and as cosplaying is becoming ever more popular Showmasters had set aside an area for people to change and store their bags and was easily accessible for any one in a wheelchair. Both Darren and Annabelle got changed at the venue into their cosplay outfit and set out to brave the  crowds to look into every nook and cranny, interview attendees cosplaying and non-cosplaying and hopefully some guests to find out what they thought of the event, cosplaying and services on offer.

So Darren managed to talk to some fellow cosplayers regarding their views on the event.

He asked what people liked the most about cosplaying and attending the event and the general consensus was the atmosphere and how friendly everyone was, meeting new people who like the same things. Darren then asked how cosplaying made them feel. Again there were mixed answers to this but feeling that they are popular and people like them, giving them the confidence to approach people and ask questions were some of the most voiced reasons. Encouragement all round from cosplayers that he spoke to on anyone who is thinking of attending a Showmasters event in or out of cosplay and for those people who have always wanted to give it a go a resounding try it. I myself have attended conventions ran by Showmasters in cosplay in my wheelchair and have felt part of one big family where you are accepted no matter what.

So With the thumbs up from the cosplayers it was the turn of the general attendees and what they thought.  There was a mixed reaction regarding Cosplayers ranging from families who attend to see the costumes and the children who look forward to coming face to face with their heroes and posing for a picture and think they add to the event to people who thought that showmasters aimed to much towards the cosplaying community and not enough in providing bigger named stars outside of London or getting comic book artists to attend.

They managed to grab two minutes with legend Dave Prowse before leaving for the long lonely ride home on the mega bus. He was asked his opinion on people cosplaying as Darth Vader and cosplaying in general, if he thought it added to the conventions, “Yes it’s great to see someone dressed as Darth Vader and it is very flattering. Makes me feel like I have achieved something if I have instigated them to cosplay as a character I have played. Cosplaying is an accepted part of these conventions and I love seeing all the different costumes people attend in and all the hard work that has gone into making them.”

So as the sun sets over another successful day for Showmasters in Manchester our two intrepid reporters get changed and wearily tread off for the bus leaving fame and their adoring fans behind them to return to real life. When asked their personal opinions of the convention, services, staff and venue it was a huge thumbs up and well worth the early start.  So still room for some tweaking here and there and work on coordination, but definitely on the right path to make these shows more accessible to everyone.

COMICS, HERO'S AND VILLAIN'S AND NO AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT

Its been a very busy weekend for The Amputee diaries, I along with DC Photography (my husband) and my daughter, we hit Film and Comic Con Newcastle this weekend.

Again we where lucky enough to be able to attend one of Showmasters celebration of all things film and geek. Lots of fun was had and we both entered the spirit of the occasion by Cos-playing for the two days. For anyone that is not aware what happens or what a Film and Comic Convention is all about or what Cos-playing is read on.

Cos-Playing put simply is when you dress up as your favorite character from a film, TV show, comic or game and these conventions are all about celebrating all things geeky and that is wonderful about these things we are passionate about. Now don't get me wrong some people take this very seriously indeed. Hours, days sometimes even months go in to making very detailed props and costumes that are screen accurate (not to mention money). Others do their interpretation of the character they have chosen to be, there is no right or wrong in this world where everyone is accepted and everyone is equal. Complete strangers are willing to pose for photos with you or on their own, where you get asked to pose for other people, where people are interested in how long it took you to make your head piece or instantly recognize who you are dressed as, family's can attend to have fun, little ones can dress up and pose with their favorite characters from film and comics, stuff that ordinary shops don't sell can be bought and for a fee you can get a photograph or autograph from a famous celebrity out of your favorite film or TV show, or your favorite author or artist from the comic world.

These events are great for meeting and making new friends, having a day out with the little ones or just collecting memorabilia and autographs. What ever your thing you will find it here. There is no judgement, there is gender bend costumes, home made costumes and professional Cos Players rubbing shoulders with non cos Players and stars of the big and little screen.  However it was sad to see that not many disabled people or wheelchair users at these events. There is help there, just well hidden which is where I come in. This weekend I only saw one other person in a wheelchair Cos Playing.

There is a darker side to the Conventions and believe it or not, regardless of how accepting they are bullying can sometimes still be an issue. Speaking to a lot of Cos Players over the weekend, most get involved for the same reasons I
do, its freeing. A couple of hours not worrying about your disability, life, anxiety, depression, stress,
being accepted for who you are with like minded people.A lot talked about how they where bullied at school for various reasons and attending the conventions, Cos Playing has helped with that. Its helped them to see that there is nothing wrong with them it was the people who bullied them that had the problem. This is why it is so sad to see it happening between Cos Players, especially in an environment where you should feel safe.  Its sad to say that some of the  Cos Players (mainly at the bigger cons), do suffer from bullying, why? because their costumes aren't screen accurate, because they are showing  too much flesh or because some one thinks they are the wrong shape or size to play a certain character, this can put some people off from Cos Playing for the first time as they may already be anxious or stop some one from doing it again, words hurt, but this will be something I will cover in a different blog when doing another review for a  convention.

So if this event is so great to be why haven't I heard of it? I hear you scream (or you should be screaming). These kinds of things do not seem to be advertised main stream so unless you know some one who attends them or you are into the Marvel world, DC fanatic or Star wars Fan you may have missed the opportunity to attend one till now. My first convention was back in March 2015 at Newcastle at a Showmasters event. I was hooked. I had heard of the conventions the most famous one being the San Diego one in the US (if anyone would like to donate a ticket or press pass for that one it would be appreciated) but had never thought to go to one, why? because I was disabled and in a wheelchair.

I am always aware that not all places are accessible and like most people who have a disability I panic and therefore try to plan in advance for every eventuality even down to the smallest detail. Will there be an accessible entrance? where is it? will there be lifts? can I get round the stalls?  where are the toilets? will they be big enough to get in with my wheelchair? what happens if I want a photo with the celeb? the list is endless. Now I think I know what you might be thinking here - But aren't all venues accessible now due to the disability act? No funny enough they are not. This could be due to the age of the building, it being listed or just bad design etc. I once went to book a hotel in London who claimed to be accessible but had steps up to the front entrance, their answer was some one could come out and carry me up the steps ????? You also have to think about the people who organize these events. Disabled accessible might mean the doors are wide and there is a wide disabled toilet and  lift. They don't think about other things like, getting up to the front entrance, is the toilet wide enough to get a wheelchair in and another person if a carer is needed? how easy is it to get to the lift? are the aisles wide enough, getting around equipment and most importantly (to me anyway), do the staff know how to deal with this? Now a lot of disabled people don't mind asking for help or even accepting help but there are some who don't want to ask some one else for help or accept it  when help is offered or who want to be as independent as possible when out and about and this is what event organizers need to be aware of as well as their staff and volunteers.

So off I went to my third comic con that Showmasters have organised. The one in March I found very confusing, was un aware of what help was available and don't even mention trying to get around the stalls to look ! The second one was up in Glasgow which I thought the venue was excellent, downside however was the lack of information from staff and the lack of staff to be honest.
The venue in Newcastle is the Metro Arena  very good and very accessible, The parking is £5 per day for the full day unless you have blue badges then it is free. However the disabled parking spaces are limited. Access into the venue is good and there are plenty of staff on hand to open doors and help you in. Every thing for the convention is on the level and showmasters got everything right this time. There was enough space to get around the food stands, accessing the prop shoots was easy enough, with enough room to maneuver around the area. Although I didn't have any photos with stars taken this time and it will always be like a conveyor belt, access and staff helpfulness though was excellent. Whilst David was having a photo shoot with Colin Baker they took me down  to wait at the other side for him collecting his picture with out any fuss or awkwardness.

This year they had added changing rooms for male and female cos players which where situated upstairs but where accessible to everyone via a lift if needed. The registration desk was accessible and the staff helpful and informative. I learnt that they have an email address to contact should you need extra help ( I will put it at the end of the blog), carers can go free with no restrictions on buying photo ops or autographs or taking part in any talks, Some evidence my be required such as DLA letter, Carers letter or a photo copy of you blue badge. You will also be given a slip of paper which you  can then show to the pit bosses, who wear red. This will get you help and access to  all photo shoots as quickly as possible, enter any autograph queue without needing a virtual ticket. This was a brilliant idea, shame no one informed us of this at Glasgow. Also found out that should you have a child or adult with ASD or ADHD that needs a quiet place to calm down then they will be able to sort that out as well.
There are disabled toilets on either side on the ground floor that are accessible with the use of a radar key. There are staff on hand that have the key. On one side the person was next to the disabled toilet but on the other side there was no one around and my daughter had to walk to the bottom of the corridor to the nearest person in a yellow coat to ask who had the key. Luckily it was her but had it been some one else that could have been a huge problem, especially for some one on their own or who could not be left unattended or who had any kinds of control issues. My advice bring your own key as I believe radar keys are all the same but check. The other downside was where to get the key from was not made obvious.
Nothing was said at the front desk and there where no notices on the door of the toilet

or wall. The person I spoke to showsec?? Refused to answer any questions on disability training etc as they had been told not to give any interviews, very strange.

The lay out of the room was much better this time, The big blue boards that they had at the end of each aisle had gone and for some reason the aisles looked more spaced out. That could have been down to this event being quieter then the one at Glasgow and in March at Newcastle, but the difference was amazing ! easy to get around, get to the traders and plenty of staff on hand to help out. Bravo Showmasters you might have cracked this  venue. However I would be very interested to see how they work at other venues like  London, Brighton or Manchester. I mean do they follow the same training and format for all staff? if so at the registration in Glasgow why wasn't I told about the extra help? How come in March nothing was signposted for disabled use? These are things that still need to be worked on in my opinion.

I also would love to go to other organizers events to compare who they deal with disability issues etc so watch this space as we will try to get answers there as well. Having looked at MCM, Hero Conventions and Rogue Events there is not a lot of information, Showmasters have the email address to contact if there is an accessibility or health concern. Rogue have a contact email to register a carer to go for free or they charge a large fee to have a pa available to you should you be on your own, However unlike show masters the carer is not allowed to purchase photo ops or autographs unless they have bought a full price ticket, bit harsh if you ask me. MCM and Hero convention there is no mention of disabled access, families or carers and under contact there is a general inquiry email address. Of course there is also comparing it to how the USA deal with their comic cons and disability issues, carers or families with special needs, so again something I would love to  take a look at.

To be honest I think these conventions and businesses should take things like this more seriously. At the end of the day who knows how much business you could be missing out on? Employers should be thinking about this as well because as we are well aware the government are determined to cut benefits and are deeming all and sundry fit for work, if so is your company disabled friendly? are your staff trained on how to talk to some one about mental health or how to approach offering help to some one in a wheelchair? I don't think they are. Every where I go it is disturbing to see just how many businesseswrite off the disabled customer /user. Think about it .

You can see more images from the Film and Comic Con Newcastle by going to thepsychtwins.bravesites.com or http://dcphotographysunderland.photofolio.org/

For more information on Showmasters go to http://www.showmastersevents.com/

To contact Showmasters for extra help conatact Samatha at extrahelp@showmastersevents.com

LIGHTS.,CAMERA, ACTION - OR IN OTHER WORDS FILM AND COMIC CON GLASGOW 2015

So it was amazing news two weeks ago when we found out that we had been allocated press passes to film and comic con Glasgow. This was a great opportunity for me to find out exactly what differences there where between Newcastle and another venue Showmasters used, if they had made changes to how the event dealt with disabled attendees and family’s and a great chance to speak to the guests who were attending to find out their thoughts on the event, cosplaying etc and a great chance to review the good and bad and downright ugly of being disabled and travelling and attending a convention.

So we packed a bag and off we went ready to take on everything and anything that would be thrown at us in the aid of the amputee diaries and The Psych Twins.

We travelled by car up to Glasgow on the Friday tea time. Over all it was a 4 hour journey including a slight misdirection through Glasgow and stopping off for a break. This was where the first problem was encountered. We stopped at the Welcome Break services at Gretna Green. There was plenty of disabled parking spaces right at the front near to the entrance to the services. Access was good with automatic doors and all shops where accessible. However the only disabled and baby changing toilet in the services was out of order, with no idea of how long it would be out of order for.

 Now although difficult for me to walk any distance, it was a necessary evil unless I wanted an accident to happen. For people who cannot get out of their wheelchairs or a family with a special needs child or even a baby to change, this was not acceptable. There was no other alternative to this situation unless you wanted to risk however long till he next service station. Travelling back on the Saturday night we stopped at the same services and guess what? That’s right the disabled toilets where still out of order. Obviously the engineer they had called was on a go slow or didn’t do weekends!

We arrived at the Travelodge at Breahead Glasgow around 9pm. Situation was excellent as the shopping centre where the event was being held was within a 7 – 10 minute walking distance. The hotel had plenty of parking spaces and right next to the entrance. Doors where automatic so no struggling trying to open doors and the staff where very pleasant and helpful. The whole area of reception, bar and café was accessible and clean although basic, but you get what you pay for. I had requested a disabled room and included breakfast. The room allocation was excellent down stairs not that far from reception. Only issue was if you were travelling on your own then the doors are heavy to get through to the corridor where your room is situated and your room key card has to be used to open them. This would be something you would not be able to do on your own unless you are a lot more flexible and resourceful then me, which is a possibility, otherwise you will need to ask a member of staff to help.

Entrance into the room was wide enough for my wheelchair which is wider then a normal chair.  The room was very spacious with room for me to manoeuvre in the wheelchair. Everything in the room was accessible from the wheelchair apart from the shelf above the clothes rail. The bed was two singles pushed together but very comfortable with a call button on the head board.

Again the room was sparse but as I said earlier you get what you pay for. The bathroom was huge and very spacious, lots of grab rails, lowered sink and mirror etc. but was very disappointed in the disabled shower, never mind how dangerous it was!

The controls where accessible but no shelf to put any toiletries on such as shampoo and shower gel so reaching for them would be dangerous ( actually impossible for me to do). The fold down seat was way too small and it was not possible to sit on fully, so was more of a perching stool. Well this caused an enormous amount of problems for me! Having to remove both of my legs to enable me to shower, this left me feeling as if I was falling forward. You needed your legs to brace yourself when sitting down. So for someone with no legs, weak lower limbs or unable to use them at all would have major issues using this shower without having an accident! In fact it was so bad that I had to ask my husband to come in and help me get shampoo and shower gel and to make sure I didn’t fall. In order to do this I had to brace myself with my hands on the grab rails. Now for someone with fibromyalgia this was extremely painful as all my weight was put behind this as it couldn’t be put through my legs. I had to risk taking one hand off a grab rail in order to get shampoo or shower gel put into my hand by my husband so I could wash. Even then it had to be quick and couldn’t be done properly as I kept falling forward. Basically if my husband had not been there, there was no way safely I could have had a shower on my own. When oh when are companies going to realise that there are more than just infirm or elderly people and not every disability or wheelchair users needs are the same? Travelodge take a leaf out of Disney’s book please, before someone has an accident.

We decided after the long drive to just eat at the Travelodge for tea. Poor choice. Got the steak sandwich with chips. What I got was tinned steak in buns with frozen chips. With two diet Pepsi’s that where smaller then cans, it came to £22. The breakfast was an all you can eat buffet thing but choice was minimal. There was plenty of facilities nearby so if you didn’t want to eat dinner or evening meal at the hotel then soar, across the road and parking lot, has lots of other options.

The arena is actually part of the shopping centre. If you have ever been to the Metro Centre in Gateshead then if you can imagine where the food court is and Metro Land used to be then that was where the arena was.

Car parking facilities where fantastic at this shopping centre. We had never seen so many disabled parking spaces so close to the centre before at a shopping outlet.

The que was already huge when we arrived at 9.30 am and with it being held in a shopping centre there was a few issues for any one shopping in that area and trying to get past.  We hunted down a staff member, who seemed to be few and far apart and it was very unclear as to where you were supposed to que for early entry and std and there was no indication at all if you had a press pass. We were told to show our email to the staff on the door. We were then given our press passes and we were off. 

Inside there was no foyer area so nowhere to wait for people or hang around for a break. The one saving grace was with it being in a shopping centre you could come and go as you pleased as long as you got your hand stamped. This meant that if you wanted a break from the madness and the crowds you could go out and sit in the food court, grab a coffee or something to eat or if you where going to be waiting for a talk or photo shoot to happen, the option was there to look around the shops etc. This however led to its own issues. Later on in the day you were stepping (or in my case trying not to roll over) people who were sitting on the floor everywhere. This was obviously also causing issues for shoppers in the centre who were not attending the convention.

Once in you were faced with loads of stalls and traders of all kinds. Yet again showmasters had crammed in so many stalls that manoeuvring around the stalls and up and down the aisles was bad for any one, but was a logistical nightmare for someone in a wheelchair or with a pram. It made it very slow going and sometimes very frustrating to get around with some stalls being total inaccessible to any one in a wheelchair. They had spread the guests out over two floors. Plenty of room for accessing the downstairs guests but could see that as the day got busier the lines could be confusing. Access to the upper floor was via stairs, with no signs to indicate where the lift was to enable me to access that level. After spending a moment trying to ascertain where these where we give up and looked for a member of staff. That was easier said than done. Volunteers seemed to be in blue t shirts and pit bosses in red. Very few around. Eventually chased after one and asked a pit boss how to access the top floor. She seemed a little confused then pointed us towards the service doors and told us she didn’t know but had been told to point people in that direction this looked like no access to a lift but we trusted she knew better and tried to get through the heavy doors. As we did a security guard belonging to the venue came over to get the door for us. As he was doing this he asked where we were going so told him that we were looking for a lift to access up stairs. At that point he told us that we had to go back out of the arena, across the food court and the lifts where there. After getting out we had to cross the food court upstairs and round the corner to where the box office was for the arena. The doors where sealed so had to wait to be let in by a security guard. Once up there we did notice that there was a service lift and wondered if this was where she had been directing us too. Up here there was the other guests but instead of spacing the signing desks out they were all cramped up.

This made queuing difficult and again the lines confusing to follow for each guest and this was before they let in pay on the door and std ticket entry’s. When it got busy it was nigh on impossible to get through to any of the lines and trying to que without getting in peoples ways was not possible.  Staff up stairs, both volunteers and pits bosses where sparse to find and there was no Virtual queuing system so the ques where getting out of hand very quickly. At Newcastle the pit bosses and volunteers where very helpful with me being a wheelchair user and there was plenty of staff around. At Glasgow however as well as very little staff there were no concessions made for people in wheelchairs or disability’s including people on crutches. Their website itself and staff have stated that anyone who is disabled would be moved to the front of the autograph ques to make access easier for everyone but this did not happen.

Before they let the standard ticket holders in and pay on the door through it was already jammed packed and difficult to manoeuvre. On my way to interview Chris Judge, just before noon they had moved the people queuing to around the food court instead of down the centre where the shops where.

Yet again I think Showmasters underestimated the amount of people who would be attending the event equal to the size of the venue.

There was some issues as to where wheelchair users accessed the talk areas. The husband had to park me up out of the way of people and exits, (not easy) while he tried to find someone to assist, (did I mention the lack of staff?). This resulted in me being parked down in between two stalls. As I was waiting for him to return David Prowse (Darth Vader out of Star wars, for those not aware of this character or the films (shame on you)), came up beside me. Due to his failing health he was also in a wheelchair being pushed by a volunteer from Showmasters. As the volunteer was trying to sort out a rubber ramp type thing he noticed the Darth Vader sticker on my prosthetic which made him chuckle. I happened to mention how ridiculous it was trying to get around in a wheelchair to which he agreed.

We eventually found someone who directed us to a small door where we could see the talks. Although it was technically a space at the side of the stage next to a speaker and the area where the guests actually entered from, it wasn’t too bad. Then again it depended on where you were positioned as you were not looking straight on at the stage but having to turn to the side and past the person sat next to you. It also meant that come the Q & A time you were pretty much over looked if you wanted to ask a question of the guest. The space realistically could only fit three wheelchairs and their companions in, any more was not going to happen.

By 2pm the que showed no signs of dying down and even by the time we left at 3.30 pm people where still queuing to get in, even though there was barely any room to move as it was at this point. They had stopped people from entering and to be honest I am not sure how they worked out when enough people had left to let any more in due to most people being able to come and go with a hand stamp into the shopping centre. Yet again I think showmasters under estimated how many people would be interested in attending and in future should consider providing more things such as enough staff, directions being visible and accessibility of the venue chosen all need to be taken into account. Bear in mind Showmasters if you have disabled guests and attendees attending and you chose to book somewhere that looks accessible, my advice is, still check for your selves. Might be an idea to take on someone who can deal with these issues specifically. Spread the stalls out as well please this would help everyone in the long run. We know more stalls equals more money from traders per table but think about the people attending and how much more money the traders would make if everyone could access their goods and services Just a thought.

I think that these events are going to become more and more popular in the UK simply due to the fact that the fans and collectors are becoming more and more aware that they exist in this country and are no longer the privilege of the States. The celebrities are also more aware that the demand in the UK to see them is huge so more and more are going to be willing to attend these events here. People are also becoming more involved in the whole thing as they look for more places where they can go as a family and where better than some where the kids can get involved in dressing up, meet Darth Vader standing alongside Captain Jack, where princess walk the isles and all their comic and film

book hero’s and heroines come to life and not only that they can have their photo taken with them as well! All this while seeing their favourite actor out of a tv show or film and Mam and dad and grandparents can all get involved in the fun, whilst re living their youth meeting actors and actresses from their favourite 80’s and 90’s shows and films whilst at the same time picking up that must have print or collectable for the sitting room.

So come on Showmasters unless you want to be elitist and only appeal to the hardened film and comic fan or collector, cater more for the disabled, the kids and the families who really want to attend just as much as the diehard collectors and fans. The people I spoke to who said it was their first time where definitely thinking of becoming return revenue for you. Isn’t that what you want?

Chris Judge who played Teal’c in Stargate Atlantis, very kindly agreed to give us an interview. He got into college on the back of a football scholarship but was not that serious about playing as much as others where and was always geared towards acting. Originally doing pre-med at college he minored in Psychology and as a fellow Psychology Student I had to ask him about Statistics. It seems that all Psychology students around the world dislike it which is good to know I am not alone. Jim “Hacksaw” Duggan was another star I was lucky enough to talk to. Both he and Chris Judge thought that fans at conventions in the UK were fantastic, a lot more friendly and easy to talk too compared to the USA. Across there it is perceived as more of a business then an experience for fans and fans in the UK made it seem more human and hands on. In fact every one of the celebrities thought that conventions where more like one big family and they definitely seem to love that fact.

With regards to disability’s all the people I talked to saw it as no reason not to attend one of these events if you have a chance and I agree with them. There was definitely more people attending with prams and small children, who’s eyes just positively lit up when faced with all the cosplayers. A lot of the stalls here seemed to be catering their merchandise towards children although there was still plenty for the avid collector to buy, trust me!

Speaking to some of the attendees the biggest issue was once again the lack of room to get around with a pram or wheelchair, lack of staff support and lack of signs for lifts etc. Some guests were unaware that it was spread out on two floors or in fact how to even access the second floor. In fact am still trying to work out where the disabled toilets where and I have been home since 9 pm last night!  Although once found all staff where friendly. The general consensus as well was that there was no reason not to give people with disabilities extra help when getting autographs and photos done and the majority of people I spoke to have no problem with this. I am hoping to be allocated a press pass for London in the winter just to see how they deal with one of their biggest conventions in the UK, which due to size is now being held at Brighton and I will be attending (in full cosplay) the Newcastle Comic Con in November not just for pleasure but to see if they have taken anything on board from other cons and changed anything from March.

 On the subject of Cosplaying both the guests and attendees all loved to see all the cosplayers in their costumes. Robert Englund especially liked to see the fans dressed as Freddy and approved of the cross gender cosplaying. They thought it added to the overall
atmosphere of the convention and the fun of it. All the guests found it flattering when faced with a fan dressed as one of their characters, but shocked to find out about the bullying that takes place in the cosplay community.  They were also surprised about the image the UK press had given it recently. Chris Judge thought that the Sci Fi community and the convention community in general where more evolved and accepting of peoples differences, which is why I think it came as such a shock to him in particular.  Speaking to some of the cosplayers themselves, nearly all of them had experienced some form of bullying or inappropriate touching from other attendees at the conventions and even some outside of conventions such as taking part in photo shoots.

Out of the Cosplayers I spoke to all agreed that cosplaying and being part of that community helped them overcome issues such as depression, anxiety and social shyness as well as boosting their confidence and making new friends from all over the country. Convention etiquette is simple. If you would like to have a photo taken with someone in cosplay, ask, do not assume and don’t touch their costumes. Some of them take a long time, hard work and lots of money to make, having someone come along and paw at the costume or them is not acceptable. If you like a costume, tell them if you don’t, keep it to yourself. Out of all the cosplayers not one of them said no to an interview or photo when asked politely.

Oh and if you really want to know as badly as I did if people preferred Marvel to DC… Marvel was the winner. Although some arguments continued after I had left on the subject matter.

 Most of the people I talked to had not heard about iCosplay, although out of those that had it was mainly cosplayers. I mentioned that it was a charity that existed to stamp out bullying in the cosplay community, which was given a positive response, but the general overall consensus from the stars and attendees was, disabled or not, attend a convention, see what it’s like for yourself you might just like it. If you’re worried or nervous about cosplaying at a convention, take a chance, pick your favourite character and just express yourself, if it helps to bring you out of yourself, or makes it easier to interact and talk to people then even better. They very much seemed to see it as a form of escapism as well as fun. If you do experience any kind of bullying for any reason then tell someone don’t keep it to yourself and most of all at the end of the day enjoy it. Personally I really enjoyed

cosplaying. My first time was at Newcastle comic Con in March this year. I was worried about what people would say and think, especially with me being in a wheelchair, in my forty’s and overweight. I was so glad I did it though. The amount of people cosplayers and non-cosplayers and even guests who came and talked to me, liked my costume or wanted a photo taken with me was unbelievable and it was so much fun, I was hooked from that point on!  As Gareth David Lloyd, who played Yanto in Torchwood said, if you don’t like it then you don’t have to do it again. So whether you cosplay are not in the immortal words of Shia la beouf – Just Do It!

Hired The Stig as the getaway driver after starting arguments over Marvel or DC !