What Young People With Disabilities Wish Clubs Offered

This article originally appeared on VICE Netherlands.

In early October, the Amsterdam-based nightlife collectives SKIN and BODY threw a queer party which paid extra attention to people with disabilities. They hired a sign language interpreter and included an installation allowing non-hearing people to experience music through vibrations. The venue was also wheelchair accessible and offered well-lit spots for people with visual impairment.

The goal was to create a space where all kinds of queer bodies could feel welcome and enjoy an evening of electronic music on the same level. I went to the event to ask partygoers with disabilities about their previous clubbing experiences. and what they wish the nightlife industry offered them. The interviewees preferred not to have their surnames included.

VICE: Hi Peter, what brings you here?
Peter: I was born deaf, but I got a cochlear implant at five, so now I can hear a bit. I’m active in an LGBTQ+ community for the deaf, called the Roze Gebaar (Pink Sign), and that’s how I heard about the party.

What do you think about the installation for people with a hearing impairment?
Tonight, I’ve turned on my implant, so I can hear the music a bit. I like the installation, but it’d be even more fun to have one of those floors with sensors that vibrate to the rhythm of the music, which means deaf people can dance on rhythm. It’s genius. They have them at this Dutch festival called Sencity.

Although I can hear music through my implant, my preference is very much to feel it.

What would make clubbing easier for you?
It’d be nice if the people working at the club understood how to deal with deaf people a bit better. When a security guard wants me to open my bag, it’d be great if they understood I’m telling them I’m deaf and that I must be visually told. 

People in hospitality generally get very confused about these situations. They might start speaking very loudly or even in another language, and that doesn’t help. The sign language gesture for beer, for example, is very simple; it’d be useful if the staff knew it.

Do you have any tips for other deaf people who want to go out?
Bring your friends, that’ll make you feel comfortable whatever happens. And remember: You can also communicate with hearing people. I always use my phone. I just type what I want to say into my notes app, then the other person types something back. In my experience, many hearing people are open to this. It might be a little scary at first, but it's fine in the end.

VICE: Hey Angelo, what brings you here?
Angelo: I was born with one leg and I like to party, but I need to be careful about not doing too much. I have to pay attention to how much I drink, dance and walk around. I’m perfectly capable of dancing with my prosthetic leg, a lot actually, but it’s better for me not to do that all night long, or two nights in a row. 

If I move too intensely and too much, I get a wound on the spot where my prosthetic leg begins. Then I need to rest, not walk and use only one leg for two or three days, until the wound recovers. I'd rather avoid that.

What kind of clubs make it easier for you to go out?
Places where you can sit and relax; ideally with a lounge area. In general, stairs are not a big deal, but the less I have to do these kinds of things, the better.

Do you feel safe when you go out?
Nowadays, yes. I have a metal prosthesis and I wear it in a way that makes it visible to everyone. I always wear shorts. It's practical, but it also shows people what I’m dealing with. Every now and then someone stares at, but I really don't care.

VICE: Hey Driss, what brings you here tonight?
Driss: I’m part of the BODY collective. There are six of us, and I am the only one with a disability. I’m deaf and I also have Usher syndrome type 1, which means I have a visual impairment that’s getting worse. At some point, I might go completely blind. At BODY, I speak my mind about things like lighting, accessibility, how to feel the music and location.

What’s it like for you to go out?
Since I’m not able to hear the music, I like to feel it. I don't know any other way – for me, music is something you feel in your body. That’s exactly why the installation here is so special for people who can’t hear.

My experience has always been positive. I don’t think going out is perfect for anyone, but I'm doing just fine. I usually communicate through an app on my phone while I’m out. Sometimes, hearing people think, ‘You're deaf, I can't talk to you.’ But that’s really not the case.

What can clubs do to make it easier for you to go out?
It’d be nice if clubs ensured there are well-lit areas for people who are visually impaired and/or use sign language a lot. Obviously, there are limits – I fully understand that not all the lights should be turned on in the club, just because I have a visual impairment. It’s not realistic to change everything for one person. 

Should there be more parties for people with disabilities?
Yes and no. We actually want it to be a mixed crowd – I don't want to go to a party that’s only meant for people with disabilities. I want to go to parties where everyone is welcome. In my opinion, that’s the best way to go about it.

@gwenvanderzwan