0:00:06.856,0:00:12.167
Some of the world's most recognizable[br]symbols exist to sell products,

0:00:12.167,0:00:14.316
others to steer traffic

0:00:14.316,0:00:16.887
or advance political causes.

0:00:16.887,0:00:20.766
But there's one whose main purpose[br]is to help people.

0:00:20.766,0:00:26.616
You may know it as the wheelchair symbol,[br]or a sign for people with disabilities,

0:00:26.616,0:00:30.397
but its formal title as maintained[br]by the ISO

0:00:30.397,0:00:33.875
is the International Symbol of Access.

0:00:33.875,0:00:35.494
But despite its familiarity,

0:00:35.494,0:00:39.387
many people are unclear as to what [br]the symbol actually means,

0:00:39.387,0:00:44.246
which has a lot to do with the symbol[br]itself and the way it came about.

0:00:44.246,0:00:49.038
In 1968, the International Commission[br]on Technology and Accessibility

0:00:49.038,0:00:50.967
held a design contest.

0:00:50.967,0:00:52.448
They were looking for a symbol

0:00:52.448,0:00:55.617
that would be readily identifiable [br]from a reasonable distance,

0:00:55.617,0:00:57.108
self-descriptive,

0:00:57.108,0:00:58.043
simple,

0:00:58.043,0:00:58.928
practical,

0:00:58.928,0:01:01.939
and couldn't be confused[br]with existing signage.

0:01:01.939,0:01:04.320
The winning design, [br]which didn't have a head,

0:01:04.320,0:01:08.557
was created by a Danish designer[br]named Susanne Koefed.

0:01:08.557,0:01:12.328
The addition of a head a year later[br]gave it a more human form,

0:01:12.328,0:01:13.677
and within ten years,

0:01:13.677,0:01:17.699
it was endorsed by both the United Nations[br]and the ISO.

0:01:17.699,0:01:22.426
With minimal cost and minimal fuss,[br]a global icon was born.

0:01:22.426,0:01:25.058
There have been a few tweaks[br]over the decades.

0:01:25.058,0:01:29.038
The Graphic Artists Guild added more[br]rounded, human-like features,

0:01:29.038,0:01:35.189
and in 2012, the Accessible Icon Project[br]produced a more dynamic version.

0:01:35.189,0:01:37.600
But what does it really represent?

0:01:37.600,0:01:38.889
What's its purpose?

0:01:38.889,0:01:44.178
Put simply, it's a sign to identify where[br]there are accessible facilities.

0:01:44.178,0:01:46.911
The strength of such an internationally[br]recognized image

0:01:46.911,0:01:48.560
is that wherever you travel,

0:01:48.560,0:01:52.781
you don't need to speak the language[br]or have in-depth cultural knowledge.

0:01:52.781,0:01:56.889
If you require an accessible toilet,[br]the sign shows the way.

0:01:56.889,0:02:00.030
But the confusion comes [br]from the term accessibility

0:02:00.030,0:02:02.141
and what that actually means.

0:02:02.141,0:02:05.402
Many people assume that because[br]the symbol depicts a wheelchair,

0:02:05.402,0:02:10.321
that accessible facilities are meant[br]only for people who use wheelchairs,

0:02:10.321,0:02:14.221
or those, at the very least,[br]who have a visible physical condition.

0:02:14.221,0:02:16.761
But accessibility is a broad concept

0:02:16.761,0:02:19.471
that applies to many, [br]many different conditions.

0:02:19.471,0:02:21.219
That includes people with autism,

0:02:21.219,0:02:22.592
visual impairments,

0:02:22.592,0:02:24.232
and autoimmune diseases,

0:02:24.232,0:02:27.032
like lupus, which can cause [br]pain and fatigue,

0:02:27.032,0:02:29.332
along with many other conditions.

0:02:29.332,0:02:32.012
In fact, the World Health [br]Organization estimates

0:02:32.012,0:02:34.631
that there are approximately[br]1 billion people

0:02:34.631,0:02:37.632
who experience some form of disability,

0:02:37.632,0:02:40.943
which means that this group is very[br]likely to include yourself,

0:02:40.943,0:02:42.230
or a family member,

0:02:42.230,0:02:43.192
a classmate,

0:02:43.192,0:02:44.204
a friend,

0:02:44.204,0:02:45.712
or a work colleague.

0:02:45.712,0:02:49.583
And people who use wheelchairs only[br]make up about 65 million,

0:02:49.583,0:02:52.623
or 15% of the total.

0:02:52.623,0:02:56.323
The vast majority [br]have non-visible disabilities.

0:02:56.323,0:02:59.693
Accessible parking spaces, facilities,[br]and entrances

0:02:59.693,0:03:03.552
are designed with [br]that entire group in mind.

0:03:03.552,0:03:08.183
So it's easy to see why in recent years[br]people have begun to raise questions

0:03:08.183,0:03:12.434
about whether the symbol is really[br]appropriate for what it's meant to do.

0:03:12.434,0:03:14.484
And it's not just about accuracy.

0:03:14.484,0:03:16.686
It's common for people [br]to become indignant,

0:03:16.686,0:03:18.207
sometimes abusive,

0:03:18.207,0:03:23.337
when they see people without visible[br]disabilities using accessible facilities.

0:03:23.337,0:03:26.167
The symbol is unfortunately creating[br]widespread issues

0:03:26.167,0:03:30.387
for the very people and families[br]it's meant to help.

0:03:30.387,0:03:33.226
The recent redesigns have attempted[br]with some success

0:03:33.226,0:03:36.268
to acknowledge concerns [br]over the current symbol.

0:03:36.268,0:03:39.878
But some think that a complete redesign[br]is in order.

0:03:39.878,0:03:41.507
It's a difficult task, though.

0:03:41.507,0:03:46.507
How do you replace a symbol [br]that's familiar the world over?

0:03:46.507,0:03:48.587
And what do you replace it with?