Interview with Lizzy (ChatGPT)

QUESTION 01 Can you tell us a bit about yourself, and how your disability might impact your experience, as someone who attends live in-person and virtual events?

My name is Lizzy and I have developed vestibular disorders as a result of a severe concussion that I suffered a few years ago. This accident has permanently damaged my nervous system and I now deal with constant vertigo, migraines and feelings of motion sickness. These symptoms, whe triggered, greatly impact my experience attending live in-person and virtual events.

For example, in live, in-person settings, I may have difficulty with visual and auditory stimuli, such as bright or flashing lights, loud noises, or fast-paced movement. This sometimes makes it difficult for me to focus and understand the content being presented by the speakers. In addition, my symptoms can also cause physical discomfort, such as nausea or headaches, which can make it difficult for me to sit or stand for long periods of time. Therefore, I usually need to take breaks more frequently, or sit in a specific, quiet area of the venue, away from potentially overwhelming stimuli to avoid those triggers or just rest.

Virtual meeting platforms, such as Zoom and Teams can also be difficult when there’s a lot of background noise, or animated virtual backgrounds as they can make my symptoms worse. The same visual or auditory discomforts can also arise in virtual settings, but it’s always easier to withdraw when I don’t feel too good. In order to fully participate and understand the events, I often require accommodations such as extra time for breaks, or quiet areas where I can take breaks and rest as needed.

QUESTION 02 Thinking back on some of your experiences attending in-person or virtual events, what are some of the worst things speakers, trainers, and other communication experts can do to ruin your experience as an attendee?

Some of the worst things presenters can do to ruin my experience as someone with vestibular disorders include quickly moving around or gesturing excessively on the stage, or failing to provide captioning or accessibility options during virtual events.

Too much movement will be disorienting for me and will make it harder to focus. Using fast-paced or flashing visual aids, such as videos or animations, can also be a big problem as it can possibly trigger my vertigo and migraines, which will then make it even harder or impossible to fully participate and understand what’s going on during the event. Too much movement can also cause me to feel nauseous, kind of like when you get sea sick or when you’re reading in a car while it’s moving. If that happens, then it’s kind of game over for me and I might need some bed rest…

Likewise, not providing live captioning or accessibility options during virtual events will make it difficult to understand the content presented. It can be tough to remain focused and follow along, or hear and even understand what’s being said. Such accommodations are especially important, because missing out on the information will greatly impact my experience and ability to participate and benefit from the event the way others do. In addition, not considering the lighting in virtual or in-person meetings can also be a big deal breaker. If the lighting is too bright or dim, it will affect my ability to focus and will probably cause me to have headaches.

Similarly, not providing a way for attendees to mute themselves during virtual events can quickly become problematic, as background noises can get very distracting, and make it much more difficult for me to really focus on the presentation. Finally, not providing a way for attendees to turn off their cameras during virtual events will be a big one as well, as I prefer to keep my camera turned off when I don’t feel great and need to mask. Not to mention that seeing so many faces at once can be pretty overwhelming and makes it that much harder to concentrate, especially when I’m already triggered.

Speaking professionals who are mindful of these issues and make accommodations to ensure that their content is inclusive and accessible for all attendees make a big difference for me.

QUESTION 03 Can you share some of the great things speakers, trainers, and other communication experts sometimes do that make a positive impact on your ability to fully enjoy your in-person or virtual event experiences?

As a person dealing with constant migraines and vertigo, I love speakers who take the time to make their events inclusive and less triggering for people like me.

Some of the great things that they can do include minimizing movements and animations on the screen, and avoiding the use of flashy animations, moving images, and fast transitions. All those things can be quite distracting and are likely to trigger vertigo or migraines. Additionally, by using simple, clear and static backgrounds in virtual settings, speakers can help me focus on the content being presented without triggering symptoms. But the screen is not the only place where minimizing animations and movement matters! If, instead of frantically pacing across the stage or gesturing wildly, speakers in live, in-person events make it a point to stay in one place a bit more, and use simple, clear gestures, again, it will go a long way toward helping me focus on what’s happening, while avoiding to unwanted triggers.

Lighting is another element that inclusive speakers can be mindful of to ensure people like me can enjoy their events. By avoiding flashing lights and making sure that the lighting is not too bright or dim, they also minimize the likelihood of me developing migraines, headaches, and fatigue. In virtual events, allowing attendees to mute themselves and turn off their cameras also greatly improves my ability to focus and participate, especially if I’m not feeling great thay day and I need to stay off camera because my symptoms are showing.

Lastly, providing enough breaks during longer events and quiet areas for attendees who need it in live, in-person events also makes quite the difference. This, too, can greatly benefit me as my symptoms can cause physical discomfort and when that happens, I may need to take breaks more frequently.

Overall, these are examples of some of the great things that speakers, trainers, and other communication experts can do to make their events inclusive and accessible for individuals who have vestibular disorders. By taking these simple steps, they greatly enhance my experience and ability to fully participate and benefit from the event.

QUESTION 04 If you had one piece of advice to give speakers, trainers, and other communication experts, so their content became more inclusive of people who have disabilities, what would it be?

One additional piece of advice would be to never pressure audience members into taking part in a physical activity that might cause them to feel dizzy or nauseous. As someone with vestibular disorders, I can tell you that certain physical activities will trigger my symptoms badly, and make it very difficult for me to fully participate in your presentation or event.

I think it’s really important for speakers to understand that not everyone will feel comfortable or even able to participate in certain activities, and when it’s the case, it’s crucial to respect those boundaries. Instead of pressuring attendees into participating, the right thing to do is to provide alternatives or allow for individuals to elegantly opt-out without any negative consequences or judgment. This way, everyone can feel included and comfortable during the event, and has a much more enjoyable experience.

QUESTION 05 Thank you for sharing some of your insights with us today. As we wrap up our conversation, is there anything that you’d like to add, such as another thought, another piece of advice, another perspective, etc.?

As we wrap up our conversation, I’d like to emphasize the importance of minimizing animations and movement during presentations and virtual events for individuals with vestibular disorders.

As I mentioned earlier, these types of stimuli can trigger my symptoms and cause me to experience vertigo, migraines, and motion sickness. It’s important for speaking professionals to understand that these symptoms have severe consequences. They can have a significant impact on one’s daily life and can lead to the need for bed rest for hours or sometimes even days, or needing to stay in the dark in silence for long, extended periods of time.

By taking the time to make their presentations and virtual events inclusive and accessible, speakers can greatly enhance the experience of individuals with vestibular disorders and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to fully participate and understand the event. It matters to audience members with disabilities, and it matters to me a great deal as well. Thank you for having me and hearing my perspectives.