When most people decide to go to see a show, they don’t have to think much about all of the logistics involved. They buy tickets, make plans with their friends, and figure out where to park. But for a disabled person like Jill McAuley, preparing for a concert begins long before the first song plays.
McAuley became a quadriplegic at 18. Every outing requires planning that is invisible to the people standing in line beside her. She relies on caregivers to help her with everyday tasks.
When she planned to attend a concert at the Tacoma Dome in Washington state, she learned that her caregiver would need to purchase a separate ticket. For McAuley this was one more expense attached to something many people take for granted: the ability to be part of the community. Other venues in the region admit caregivers free of charge, recognizing that they were not attending as extra guests. They were there because their presence made attendance possible.
The dispute eventually became a lawsuit, but the issue reaches far beyond a single venue or a single event. Disability advocates often talk about the “disability tax,” the collection of extra costs that follow disabled people through daily life. Some are easy to see. Wheelchairs need repairs. Accessible vehicles cost money. Medical equipment and assistive technology can be expensive. But many of the costs that shape a person’s life are far less visible.
A trip to the grocery store may require specialized transportation. A community event may require attendant care. A family outing may involve accessibility planning that adds time, stress, and expense. Individually, these costs can seem small. However, over time they accumulate.
For people who rely on caregivers, those expenses often follow them into public spaces. Caregivers are not companions enjoying a concert from an adjacent seat. They may assist with mobility, personal care, communication, or other needs throughout the evening. Their role is practical and necessary. Without that support, many disabled people would be unable to attend at all.
That reality is often missing from conversations about accessibility. Public discussions tend to focus on physical access: ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and designated seating areas. Those features matter. They are the result of decades of advocacy and hard-won progress.
But accessibility is not only about whether someone can physically enter a building. It is also about whether they can realistically participate once they get there. For many disabled people, exclusion is not just a locked door. It’s an extra fee or a cost that others never have to consider.
McAuley’s lawsuit brings attention to those quieter barriers. It asks a simple question with broader implications: what does true inclusion look like? Accessibility is about more than getting through the door. It is about having the same opportunity to enjoy the whole experience.
Source:
Bosch, Heather. “Woman Says Tacoma Dome Is Charging Her the Equivalent of a Fee for Being Disabled.” KIRO 7News Seattle, 11 Oct. 2026, https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/woman-says-tacoma-dome-is-charging-her-equivalent-fee-being-disabled/V2RTEFS2GNDVRPKE3CCVMYFP4Y/ .