Kara Ayers is a mother of four and uses a wheelchair. She relies heavily on her car because there are not many public transportation options where she lives in Cincinnati. She is concerned about a bill moving through the state legislature that would allow pregnant people to use disability placards.
Ohio is one of an increasing number of states, including Florida and Illinois, that have passed or are considering legislation that allows people at any point in a pregnancy to acquire disability parking placards. In Florida those placards are valid for up to a year, and the same is being proposed in Ohio.
Supporters describe the move as “pro-family,” designed to honor and provide support to parents through the difficulties of pregnancy. Opponents in the disability community, however, say there already isn’t enough parking to go around. But the conflict is not so simple. Pregnant and disabled people are not necessarily discrete groups, and both have significant unmet needs…