"Are you helping, or are you just buttering the cat?"
If you spend any time on #DisabilityTwitter you may have noticed a trending phrase: “Are you helping, or are you just buttering the cat”. Without diving too deep down the Reddit rabbit hole, here are a few key things you may need to know. The root of this phrase is from a Reddit post about two cats in an office and their interactions with a new employee:
Jorts and Jean are cats that “work” in an office
Jorts is orange and Jean is a tortoise color
“Pam” (not their real name) is a new staff member who has taken it upon themselves to try and train Jorts on more complex tasks (like opening doors and self-cleaning)
Pam’s tactics of training are questionable, at best, and include putting margarine on Jorts to encourage self-cleaning
Margarine on Jorts only resulted in Jean licking the margarine off of Jorts, which made Jean very sick
The writer of the post on Reddit is trying to make accommodations for Jorts, rather than trying to train Jorts to do new complex tasks
This complex tale of Jorts and Jean has become a perfect example of what many people face in their places of work. Workplace accommodations, although well-intentioned, are often misguided or don’t result in actual accommodations - which can be extremely frustrating for those who the accommodations were intended to serve.
In the example of Jorts and Jean, they have an employer and a manager (the writer of the post) who are willing to make accommodations that make a real impact. Again, this is for cats - so the accommodations look like a doorstop, to ensure they can access their food and water which are located in a closet.
In real life, there are people like “Pam” everywhere. They are looking to improve things for others, and mean well, but their actions don’t result in any meaningful change. They can even make things worse. So we must ask ourselves. Are you helping, or are you just buttering the cat?
The solution to avoiding breaking out the butter is pretty simple. Bring more people in on the process and consult the right people, to ensure you have considered not just the intent of your approach, but its real-world impact. In the example of “Pam”, she didn’t consult anyone on whether or not margarine is good or bad for cats (spoiler alert, it’s bad).
In the real world, companies have an obligation to make their organization accessible and accommodating for persons with disabilities. This extends not just to physical accommodations in a workplace, but also to your products, messaging and marketing. The best way to do this is to consult those people, and bring them in on the decision-making process. Be open and make sure your messaging and outward communications are inclusive and accommodating to all persons.
If you would like to avoid buttering the cat, and ensure your content and communications are accommodating and inclusive to everyone - please contact us today.
