With thanks to Joanna Russ. I am keeping the “she” pronouns as in Russ’s text, and also because it refers to the experiences of Mari Ness, Haddayr Copley-Woods, and Lee Martindale (in this I09 essay and interview), but this is applicable to people of all genders, and to all people who need access.

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She didn’t ask for access/accommodation.

(But if it’s clear she did the deed. . .)

She asked for access, but she shouldn’t have. (It’s too expensive, too difficult, too fussy, conrunners are too busy.)

She asked for access, but look how she asked. (Too quietly, too loudly, too soon, too late, she was rude, too wishy-washy, too oblique, too pushy, she asked the wrong people, she did not write an essay about it, she wrote essays in all the wrong places, we did not see the links, she sent emails to the wrong people, we lost the emails, conrunners work very hard).

She asked for access, but if she wanted to get it… (she should have volunteered, she should have paid more money, she should have respected the conrunners).

She asked for access, but she isn’t really a participant like the other participants, and it wasn’t really asking.

She asked for access, but she does not really need it. (She’s not that disabled, it can’t be that bad, she’s just whining, she’s only doing this to get attention, her friends will help her, somebody else will help, she will sit on the ground with other panelists elevated, other panelists will sit on the ground with her)

She asked for it, but she’s an anomaly. (It’s too much bother, it’s too much to spend on just one person, she will not need it again, no other people need it.)

She asked for it BUT. . .

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