Research shows disabled people need at least 28% more income than non-disabled people for a similar living standard
Growing up, I always found the kitchen a little intimidating. So in 2020, during a period when many of us were sheltering at home, I decided to learn how to cook. I was already able to make basic meals like pasta, salad and sandwiches, but working in finance meant I often ate out or turned to easily microwavable meals. To prepare, I purchased kitchen staples, including a knife and cutting board. My right arm was permanently paralyzed in a car accident when I was younger, so I bought a one-handed cutting board. It was a sturdy piece of plastic with suction cups on the bottom. On top, there were two features to help stabilize what I was cutting: sharp spokes that stuck out on one side and a clamp on the other side. It came with a “rocker knife”, which I later learned was inspired by the Inuit ulu.
The catch: the board cost $75. For people who can use both hands, kitchen knives are available for $3 to $10 and cutting boards for $5 to $20. But to participate in the same activity – say, cutting a tomato – would cost $75 over someone else’s $30. Why did I have to pay over 100% more to do something as essential as cooking in my own kitchen?
Continue reading… Research shows disabled people need at least 28% more income than non-disabled people for a similar living standardGrowing up, I always found the kitchen a little intimidating. So in 2020, during a period when many of us were sheltering at home, I decided to learn how to cook. I was already able to make basic meals like pasta, salad and sandwiches, but working in finance meant I often ate out or turned to easily microwavable meals. To prepare, I purchased kitchen staples, including a knife and cutting board. My right arm was permanently paralyzed in a car accident when I was younger, so I bought a one-handed cutting board. It was a sturdy piece of plastic with suction cups on the bottom. On top, there were two features to help stabilize what I was cutting: sharp spokes that stuck out on one side and a clamp on the other side. It came with a “rocker knife”, which I later learned was inspired by the Inuit ulu.The catch: the board cost $75. For people who can use both hands, kitchen knives are available for $3 to $10 and cutting boards for $5 to $20. But to participate in the same activity – say, cutting a tomato – would cost $75 over someone else’s $30. Why did I have to pay over 100% more to do something as essential as cooking in my own kitchen? Continue reading… Well actually, Disability, Books, US news, Life and style, Culture, Society
