Lisa Ly has a congenital visual impairment, but together with the guide dog Jojo, she can live in society on reasonably equal terms.
When Lisa visited a restaurant in Gothenburg two years ago, she was refused entry, despite the fact that guide dogs must have access to public environments.
– The person at the till said that “you are not allowed to bring the dog here”, says Lisa Ly.
Lisa Ly showed Jojo’s documentation, which shows that she is a guide dog, but was told that it applies to all dogs. And it wasn’t the first or last time Lisa and Jojo were stopped.
– Then and then I felt very angry. That time and again it’s about me and my guide dog. Basically, it will be about my visual impairment and my aid, she says.
Requires tightening of the law
Lisa Ly reported the restaurant to the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO), who concluded that she had been discriminated against. This year alone, DO has assessed that people with disabilities have been discriminated against in seven cases by being denied the use of guide dogs as aids.
The National Confederation of the Visually Impaired is now demanding a tightening of the law.
– We would like a clarification so that it is written into the legislation, that people with guide dogs may not be denied access to public environments, says Niklas Mattsson, chairman of the Confederation of the Visually Impaired.
Guide dogs are not mentioned in the current discrimination law. According to Niklas Mattsson, the legislation is unclear, which means that many visually impaired people feel worried in everyday life.
– You don’t know if you will be able to go to new restaurants or shops with friends. Or if you come into the health center, vaccination visit or similar. Everything that most people take for granted becomes an element of uncertainty, he says.
The minister: “Should be proud”
But Gender Equality Minister Paulina Brandberg (L) does not think that the law should be clarified.
– We have discrimination legislation in Sweden that we should be proud of. It is a broad piece of legislation. The risk with an overly detailed law is that you cannot predict all types of discrimination and then there is the risk that some will be left out, says Paulina Brandberg (L).
Instead, she believes it is about applying the law.
– I think there is a lack of information about our legislation, and this can lead to it not having the impact we would like, she says.
For Lisa Ly, a change in the law would mean security and greater freedom in everyday life.
– I would become more spontaneous, relaxed and free to do whatever I want when I want.