This influencer puts venues’ claims of accessibility to the test | Canada Voices

The Globe and Mail’s Accessibility Profiles by Graham Isador feature conversations highlighting disabled artists, creators and community leaders.

While many locations across Canada claim to be accessible and welcoming of wheelchair users, in practice there are often a lot of challenges. Taylor Lindsay-Noel has gained a massive following on social media for documenting the highs and lows of visiting venues in a power wheelchair.

Her video reviews of restaurants and venues in Toronto are sometimes a sobering look at the realities of navigating a space with a disability and other times just a record of a great night out.

The series helped launch the 32-year-old’s social media career and made her one of the most recognizable faces in accessible media. She has a TikTok following of more than 150,000 and her videos have earned eight million likes. Her luxury tea line, Cup of Te, has been championed by Oprah. She’s appeared on red carpets at the Toronto International Film Restival, given keynote speeches at universities and corporate events and was recently named a co-chair for the National Disability Initiative Working Group, led by the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

The Globe chatted with the creator about creating her channel, the importance of being honest when talking about access needs and the changes that can result from advocacy.

When did you start to share videos online and how did it take off?

The idea came during COVID. I missed being around my friends and my family. On Zoom, we would talk about going out again and going back to restaurants. Prepandemic we would always go to the same few places because I knew they were accessible. But I kept thinking … I live in a world-class city, why am I only limited to these few places? I had the idea to start documenting my experiences and trying to expose where the gaps are when it comes to accessibility. I also wanted to champion the places that were doing well. The third or fourth video went viral and it just snowballed from there.

Can you talk me through the criteria for your reviews?

I think about where the accessibility pitfalls are. That can look like not having accessible buttons at the front. Things not feeling spacious enough for somebody to navigate easily. Are there a variety of table heights for people using wheelchairs? If they have accessibility features like lifts or ramps, are they working or readily available? The big one is always the bathroom. Is there a button to get into the bathroom? Is there enough space and grab bars? What about mirror heights? Of course then there is stuff like the service and the food.

I always say that somebody should be able to come into any space and use the washroom and wash their hands. Oftentimes, the bathroom is the worst part of the experience. You see people with disabilities having to hold it the entire time level there, or just not be able to use that space in general because of no access to the bathroom.

I think people can overlook how much information many folks with disabilities need to figure out if they can enjoy a restaurant or venue.

Before I leave the house, I have to do so much more research than somebody who is able bodied. I have to Google the place. I have to look at reviews.I call ahead of time. These are all considerations that if you don’t have a disability, you don’t think about. Because of how frustrating or untrustworthy that process can be, sometimes people don’t even go.

In some cases, you’re reviewing places that have claimed they’re accessible, but when you visit, you discover they aren’t.

I’m not doing this to “gotcha” anyone. I only go to places that I have looked at online and they have themselves said they’re accessible. I’m not in it to bring down businesses. However, if I go and you said you’re accessible, but you lied about it, then we need to have a discussion.

Some of your access reviews have resulted in restaurants making changes. Can you share some of those experiences?

I just went to a place called And/Ore. They had quite a few issues. Sofas in front of accessibility buttons. A big chair in the elevator. A candle that was lit up right in front of the accessible button to the bathroom. I was very shocked at how many things went wrong. I made a video and immediately their management reached out to apologize. They sent the video updates correcting every single point that I made. I recently shared the update with my audience. People in the comments have been supportive of the changes. Ninety per cent of the time I post a video and the feedback is well received and the management will tell me what they’re going to do to be better.

You strike a good balance of being honest with your reviews without making everything seem negative.

It’s one that I think that I’ve learned over time. My intent is for these places to do better. It is an opportunity for them to welcome an incredible community to their spaces.

This interview has been edited and condensed.