to long-term use of the type of text-to-speech app Wexton relies on . According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association , an estimated 5 million Americans cannot rely on speech alone to communicate and would benefit from AAC .
India Ochs , 48 , lives in Annapolis , Maryland . She has a speech disability and is a lifelong AAC user . In 2020 , she ran for the Anne Arundel School Board . She didn ’ t win , but she still broke a barrier and is proud of her foray into local politics .
“ I felt that was the right time , the best opportunity , to channel years of public testimony on school issues – and decades of experience in legal and legislative settings , leadership , education and human rights advocacy , and juvenile justice reform , back to the community I grew up in , to support not only my son , but ensuring the best education and safe environment for all the thousands of other students , teachers , and families ,” Ochs said .
Ochs was pleased to hear Wexton using her AAC device on the House floor but has been frustrated with how news outlets have covered it .
“ After thinking how great it was , my next thought was , why did they only play the segment where she talks about her illness ? I want to hear what she actually was testifying on . Then when I went to find other coverage and hear her actual testimony , it got more frustrating with the number of times broadcasters used the word ‘ inspiring ,’” Ochs said .
The word “ inspiring ” is complicated or even insulting for many people with disabilities , including Ochs . The late disability activist Stella Young described her frustration with being praised as “ inspiring ” for doing things as simple as going to the grocery store .
Young coined the term “ inspiration porn ” to describe how describing disabled people as “ inspirational ” can be objectifying .
“ I use the term porn deliberately , because they objectify one group of people for the benefit of another group of people . So in this case , we ’ re objectifying disabled people for the benefit of nondisabled people . The purpose of these images is to inspire you , to motivate you , so that we can look at them and think , ‘ Well , however bad my life is , it could be worse . I could be that person .’ But what if you are that person ?” Young said in a 2014 TEDx Talk .
Ochs also feels that many media outlets failed to understand that methods of communication used by people with disabilities , including text-to-speech software and sign language , should be considered as equal to spoken language .
“ Any method a person communicates is their voice . Making the assumption that our natural voice is our only voice is ableist and demoralizing to every person that has spoken by speech app , sign language , pen and paper , etc .,” she said .
She added , “ In a perfect world , coverage should have been about renaming the post office after Madeleine Albright .”
Jordyn Zimmerman , 29 , lives in Hudson , Ohio . Zimmerman is the
board chair for CommunicationFirst ,
a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of nonspeakers like Zimmerman , as well as others who cannot rely on speech alone to be understood .
Zimmerman is autistic and uses an iPad app to communicate .
“ Watching Rep . Wexton on the floor of Congress was incredible !
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