Invisible disabilities advocate seeks resources at GOP convention

MILWAUKEE — Imagine being hearing impaired and a TSA agent from a distance in an airport tells you to take off your shoes. Obviously you don’t hear the instruction and, as a result, you are subjected to whatever penalties may apply for not following TSA requirements.

That’s one example of problems associated with an invisible disability.

Jonathan Sutter, the founder of TravelingWiki.com, is in Milwaukee this week to introduce convention goers to the plight of the 20 million special needs Americans whose invisible disabilities can prevent routine travel plans such as air travel.

“I’m here at the Republican convention, and I’ll be at the Democratic convention in Chicago next month,” Sutter said. “Our goal is to expand knowledge of the resources we’re documenting as widely as possible.”

Sutter explained that providing resources for those with invisible disabilities is not a partisan issue.

“If you have a child with special needs, you are not interested in travel to just blue states or red states,” Sutter said. “What you want for your child are resources that will enable that child to travel. Some people with special needs simply cannot function in, for example, a crowded and noisy airport.”

“That kind of environment, such as O’Hare airport in Chicago, may be uncomfortable to most travelers, but it is debilitating for someone with special needs,” he said. “Some people can simply not function in those environments.”

TravelingWiki.com aligns with TSA to overcome some of the travel barriers those with invisible disabilities encounter. The organization is the largest nonprofit resource center on the internet for 20 million special needs Americans.

“We work with TSA and their TSA Cares program to provide resources and assistance to travelers with special needs,” Sutter said. “For example, sensory or quiet rooms can alleviate the travel issues some have, such ad those affected by autism.”

Some airports have provided sensory rooms including one in Wisconsin at the Appleton airport.

“I have met with Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson about establishing resources for special needs travelers in Wisconsin,” Sutter said. “I am also working with Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on the issue.”

The travel issue has far-reaching implications, Sutter said.

“It’s a jobs issue,” he said. “For example, when a factory with highly skilled workers closes, other job opportunities may open up, but some travel is required.

“If there are no travel resources available for special needs people, that job opportunity can close because the person simply cannot travel,” Sutter said. “This problem is not simply affecting vacation travel to Disneyland for example. It has real world consequences including the opportunity to make a living.”

Sutter said the road to providing the needed travel resources for those with special needs is a long one.

“The short-term goal is to document these resources and enable people to learn about them,” Sutter said. “The long-term goal is to expand these resources so that travel for those with special needs, in particular air travel, is not prevented.