Friday 22 September 2017

Autism hours

Newcastle Trampoling Park, like many other places, has announced it will have two "Autism hours" a week "where we will turm the music down."

I'm beginning to wonder about "autism hours". If my child, or indeed I, were in a wheelchair and organisations said "We will be putting ramps in for an hour a week so you can use our facilities then, but the rest of the time you'll just have to put up with trying to get up steps and stairs because everybody else is ok with them"; then there would quite rightly be an outcry.

Trampolining is fun. 

Why does there need to be music as well? 
It makes life difficult for those who are hard of hearing. 
It also makes conversation and communication difficult for everyone else as they have to raise their voices to be heard. 
Why not turn it off entirely? 
Why have it on at all? 
Did someone ask for it? 
Is there any market research which suggests nobody would use the facility if there were no music? If there is any I bet it's from the PRS which makes money from music licensing; which organisations must pay if they wish to play recorded music in a public space. 

Unlike cinemas or theatres, where music is integral to the experience, there is no necessity for music in sports centres, shops and restaurants. The organisation Pipedown has research that it is not only annoying, it can also be detrimental to health and safety.
 

"Autism hours" may be well intentioned but, to me, they are beginning to look like band waggon jumping or tokenism and, far from being inclusive, are patronising.  Why shouldn't a family with autism be able to go trampolining or shopping any time they like - just like everyone else.

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