10/2/25 - National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and a setback for wheelchairs on planes

Hello!

October is the other big month for focusing on disabled people, at least here in the US. The other is July, but only in the last ten years or so. The first two links explore conflicting feelings and ideas about National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The third piece is about another disability rights setback – one that feels especially petty galling for some reason I can't fully figure out.

If you haven't already done so, please subscribe — free or paid – consider a one-time donation, and/or share this newsletter with your networks and social media feeds. Anything you can do to help expand the reach of Disability Thinking Weekday will be much appreciated.

It's National Disability Employment Awareness Month...but we're probably not supposed to talk about it.

Emily Ladau, Words I Wheel By - October 1, 2025

"Anyway, truth be told, during NDEAMs past, I was always conflicted about uplifting it."

I, too, have always been ambivalent about National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I certainly want employment to be easier to get and keep for disabled people, which probably does require some ongoing persuasion aimed at employers about the potential value of disabled employees. But persuading in disability matters always feels a little close to begging to me. And like many disabled people, I am uncomfortable with the underneath implication that to be fully valuable people we have to prove our value in paid jobs. Also, I'm not sure NDEAM has ever done much to improve job prospects for disabled people. On the other hand, I also agree with Emily that as feeble as this annual ritual has felt in the past, it's probably worth celebrating and, if necessary, defending today in ways that it hasn't before. If we are going to be forced to defend boring old basics of disability rights, maybe we'd better just get on with it and complain about it later.

Beyond Quotas: Building Workplaces That Truly Include People with Disabilities

Sara Minkara, Curious Currents - September 30, 2025

"To be honest, I think that quotas without systemic change are a cop-out. They let governments and companies check a box without transforming their systems. Real inclusion requires intention, investment, and a recognition that persons with disabilities are not just applicants to be counted, but talent to be valued."

Here is a more global look at efforts to improve employment prospects for disabled people. What specific policies would you like to see to make the job market better for people with disabilities? Send me an email and I'll share your responses around the end of the month in a reader feedback issue: apulrang@icloud.com

US will not enforce Biden wheelchair passenger protection rule

David Shepardson, Reuters - September 29, 2025

"USDOT said in a filing it is writing a new rule and will not enforce the requirements imposing airline liability for mishandled wheelchairs or a requirement for airlines to reimburse passengers using wheelchairs the difference between a fare on a flight taken and the fare the passenger would have paid on a flight if their wheelchair could have fit in the cabin or cargo compartment of a different aircraft.President Donald Trump's administration also will not enforce a requirement airlines notify passengers about their rights in writing when they are checking wheelchairs or scooters."

I don't buy for a moment that the U.S. Department of Transportation is merely checking to make sure these protection rules are "redundant." They are ideologically opposed to regulations on businesses, especially ones that hold businesses financially accountable. And while I'm not aware of any statements to suggest this, I suspect that underneath it somewhere is a gut feeling that disabled people who need extra help and accommodation to fly probably shouldn't be flying. That, or maybe a more naive belief that airlines really do want to treat disabled passengers decently, and just need a bit of space and patience to get there on their own. Either way, one of the relatively few real victories for disabled people during the Biden Administration looks to be headed for the trash bin. I wonder if enough angry feedback from disabled travelers – of diverse politically leanings – have any chance of changing prompting a rethink. I hope we get to see if it can happen.

Disability Thinking Weekday is a Monday-Friday newsletter with links and commentary on disability-related articles and other content. Please share, comment, and subscribe — for free, or with a paid subscription.

You can help promote Disability Thinking Weekday by forwarding it by email or posting on your social media.

You can comment by sending me an email at: apulrang@icloud.com.

A free subscription sends a newsletter to your email each weekday. Benefits of paid subscription include:

• A monthly recap with links to all of the previous month's shared articles, organized by topic.
• Listing as a supporter, and a link to your website if you have one.
• You can recommend one disability-related article for me to share per month in a weekday post.

To to subscribe, upgrade to paid, or make a one-time donation, click one of the buttons below:

I am so grateful for your help and engagement, in whichever forms you choose!