Two weeks ago Karen Putz (aka DeafMom) decided to treat herself and one son to a milkshake before picking up her daughter from school. She pulled up to the window at her local Stake & Shake drive-thru only to have the employee refuse to serve her, saying she had to order at the speakers; it is policy. Karen explained that she is Deaf and, thus, could not order via the speakers. She even pulled back her hair to show her hearing aids and said she was asking for accommodation for her disability to which she is entitled under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Still the employee insisted Karen drive back around to the speakers to order her milkshakes and even threatened to call the police if she didn't move from the window. Eventually he threw up his hands, closed the window and refused to serve Karen. She drove off without milkshakes, but that was only the beginning!
Later that afternoon, still understandably upset by the incident, Karen shared her story on her blog. The response from the blogosphere was swift and overwhelming. Karen also joined Twitter to share her story and what would come next. Both ABC and FOX also aired her story.
I am excited to have Karen as the featured guest on Wednesday's edition of Readers' Café – the place to gather and to share. I'm looking forward to chatting with her and asking questions arising since the incident began unfolding. Questions like:
- Why didn't you go inside to order your milkshake? (I know why, but I would like Karen to explain why.)
- Is this type of incident common for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing?
- What don't most people understand about being Deaf or hearing impaired? What are some typical barriers you face daily?
- Some unenlightened souls say you shouldn't even be driving because you wouldn't hear sirens coming, and thus, are a safety concern on the road. How do you know when to pull over for emergency vehicles?
- As a person with a disability, surely you unfortunately encounter annoying and discriminating situation frequently. What was it about this particular situation that made you fight it rather than brush it of?
- What steps have you taken so far to advocate for your rights?
- You've used social media, like blogs and Twitter, to tell your story. What kinds of responses or results have you experienced? How have you managed to keep up with all of it?
Hope you can join us for the live discussion on Wednesday, February 6th @ 4-7pm pacific time at
Do It Myself Blog. Feel free to tell your friends.
