Glossary
This is an ongoing collection of important terms that we use in our work, along with a brief description of how we use them. Links to more detailed definitions and further reading can be found under each term.
If you miss a term or have other comments, we are happy to read from you at einstein_shk[at]hzt-berlin.de.
A – Z
Ableism is a discriminatory attitude that elevates certain abilities in terms of physicality, performance, speed, thinking, communication, etc. above others and organises public life accordingly. People who perform most of these abilities as well as possible are then considered the norm.
Disabled, chronically ill, deaf and neurodivergent people are systematically disadvantaged and excluded in a society dominated by ableism. Taking them into account in the design of buildings, events, public transport, etc. is portrayed as a laborious and expensive service instead of a matter of course.
Ableism also goes hand in hand with a medical understanding of disability, which sees disability as an individual impairment or deviation from the so-called norm. Disability, chronic illness, being Deaf or neurodivergence are portrayed as deficiencies that necessarily reduce a person's quality of life and therefore need to be ‘repaired/cured/corrected’ if possible.
The medical model of disability contrasts with the social model of disability, which locates disability in the ableist discrimination by society rather than in the person themselves.
Ableism is very closely intertwined with other discriminatory attitudes such as racism, colonialism, classism, trans*hostility, fatshaming and sexism.
Accessibility describes how well a disabled, chronically ill, Deaf or neurodivergent person can independently reach, participate in or engage with a place of social life – ideally with the same ease as a non-disabled person.
In German, the word ‘Barrierefreiheit’ (’barrier-free’) is usually used instead. Some disabled people find this word problematic, as it usually refers only to certain physical barriers, and an event with a ramp at the entrance and a wheelchair-accessible toilet is already described as ‘barrier-free’. However, this does not take sufficient account of the less visible barriers such as language, temperature, lighting conditions, social etiquette, etc.
An access rider is a document that attempts to specify what the author of the access rider needs in order to work, study, teach, etc. in a specific context.
An access rider can be designed by anyone and contain as much or as little personal information as they wish. While some access riders are very detailed and provide a lot of information, others are very pragmatic and concise. It is important to remember that your access rider (just like your needs and abilities) can change over time. So don't be afraid to send an updated access rider even if you are already working, studying or involved in a project!
If you are writing an access rider for the first time, it can be helpful to look at examples or follow instructions. Here are a few useful links:
https://diversity-arts-culture.berlin/en/magazin/access-rider
Access needs refer to the conditions that a person needs in order to get to a place, work there or participate in activities. These can be material conditions such as specific seating, a quiet room or ground-level access. They can also be non-material conditions such as specific lighting conditions, a certain room temperature, translation, the use of simple language or a specific rhythm between activities and breaks.
Access tools are specific tools designed to meet the access needs of people who are not yet adequately considered in general in society.
Important access tools in the context of dance and theater include:
- Audio description, i.e. the verbal description of visual events. This is primarily an access tool for blind and visually impaired audiences and is either used as an additional service (via headphones provided on request) or integrated into the performance (audible to all hearing audience members in the room). Traditionally, theater and television have strived for ‘objective’ descriptions – often without reflecting sufficiently the discriminatory potential of what they consider objective language. Within the field of Aesthetics of Access, various artists and audio description dramaturgs are increasingly working with poetic, artistic, deliberately subjective and personal descriptions.
- Captions/surtitles, i.e. the spoken text is simultaneously visible in the original language and/or as a translation into another written language in the room. In dance or theatre contexts, they are often projected at the top of the stage so that you can read them even if someone is sitting in front of you.
- Interpretation in sign languageor integrated sign language performance, i.e. the simultaneous use of spoken language and sign language (e.g. BSL). The difference is whether the spoken language is translated live by a hearing interpreter or whether a deaf sign language performer signs a text on stage (with or without the support of a hearing interpreter at the time). Another important difference is that in the latter case, deaf performers are on stage and are paid for their work.
- Relaxed performances are performances in a relaxed atmosphere that take into account the access needs of people who find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time in the theatre. There are many ways to make a performance more relaxed, for example by actively inviting the audience to make noises or movements or to leave the auditorium during the performance. A few conditions that performances with the ‘Relaxed Performance’ label should meet are: a choice of equivalent seating and lying options for audience members; the avoidance or careful announcement of possible triggers such as loud noises or bright lights; a place of retreat/quiet room in the building; always some light in the audience area so that people can leave the auditorium safely.
Aesthetics of Access refers to artistic practices in which access is incorporated into production from the outset with artistic intent, rather than being added retrospectively. One condition for this is that disabled artists are involved in leading positions, contributing their expertise.
Chronically ill is a self-description used by some people who are chronically ill – i.e. ill for a very long or indefinite period of time – and who are disabled as a result by ableist society.
Within the chronically ill community, there is a wide range of experiences of disability. For example, people who experience chronic pain are often perceived as not being resilient or capable enough because their pain limits their ability to concentrate or move around.
Another example is immunocompromised individuals, i.e. people whose immune system is suppressed either by a disease or by medical treatment, and who therefore have a higher risk of infection (e.g. COVID-19) or a higher risk of a more severe course of infection than non-immunocompromised individuals. Immunocompromised individuals are often excluded from events due to a lack of precautions.
For many people with autoimmune diseases – i.e. diseases in which the body's own immune system attacks the body – a so-called ‘normal’ level of stress or ‘normal’ strain can lead to an intense flare-up of the disease, which is why they have to avoid stressful situations much more than people who are not ill.
According to current research in Western medicine, many chronic diseases are incurable and cannot be treated medically in such a way that the suffering caused by pain, inflammation, cramps, concentration problems, exhaustion, etc. can be minimised in a sustainable and satisfactory manner. This makes it all the more important to recognise and break down barriers for chronically ill people.
Crip is a term that has historically been used to stigmatise and oppress disabled people. It has been appropriated as a self-identifying term by parts of the disabled and chronically ill community. Non-disabled persons should therefore only use the term with the explicit permission of the community or the person to whom it refers.