11/12/26 - Voting, money, and clothes
Good afternoon!
I can't believe another week is almost over. Here's what I've been reading and catching up on today ...
Voting While Disabled Needs to Get Easier
Julia Métraux, Mother Jones - November 7, 2026
"'I worry about everybody who it’s just too much [for],' Gillette said, who was able to find a phone number for her polling location—though it wasn’t readily available—eventually online. 'Then they leave and don’t end up voting' ... 'There’s a failure of empathy and lack of understanding on the state and local government level as well as the federal level,' Salas said. 'It doesn’t matter if it’s left or right or center; people seem to think that the accessibility issue can be blown off.'"
This superbly-reported article should be a reminder of two things:
- No single solution is enough by itself to ensure proper voting accessibility for people with disabilities, and
- Relying on the kindness or "empathy" of poll workers, election commissioners, and other officials is definitely not enough for disabled people to be sure of the accommodations we need for anything in life.
Lots of otherwise nice, competent, diligent people seem to find it easy to "blow off" our needs, especially in high-stakes and stressful situations. It's almost a reverse correlation. Plenty of people are happy do us unimportant and unrequested favors, like pay for our coffee ahead of us in the McDonald's drive-thru line. But important things, like being able to go to the toilet or vote freely and privately, seem to be too much for a shocking number of our good neighbors.
The heart of money matters: Inside the building of a credit union for Disabled people
John Loeppky, Disabled Journalists Association - October 28, 2026
"The credit union, slated to launch in early 2027, will offer members checking and savings accounts, certificates, personal loans, credit and debit cards, budgeting tools and financial education resources. Its members will be able to access support through live chat, phone and video services. Accessibility-focused features will include account alerts, guardian access options and other tools designed around members’ needs ... For Rebecca Cokley, the director of the U.S. disability rights program at the Ford Foundation, the motivation to build a credit union for Disabled people was personal. For one, she watched her Disabled parents struggle to navigate an inaccessible financial system and banking-related advertising focusing on parents of Disabled children rather than Disabled people themselves. However, she has also seen many Disabled people—including high-profile people—lack the ability to retire."
This is an excellent follow-up to the third article linked in the September 17, 2026 edition of Disability Thinking Weekday, on the formation of a Artichoke, a new credit union for people with disabilities. After reading more about the project, I am seriously thinking about signing up when Artichoke launches next year. I could certainly have used some disability-friendly financial guidance when I was just getting started 30 or so years ago.
Trying On Clothes (Revisited)
Jackie, Disability & Determination - October 28, 2026
"At this point, you may be asking yourself why I’m telling you about how I get my pants off in a dressing room. I’m sharing this part of what I deal with as a person with a disability because I don’t think people always realize how difficult even the smallest stuff can be. Most people probably go into a dressing room, never thinking twice about any of the process. But when you have a disability, it’s another added level of challenge."
This post reminds me of my own difficulties with trying on clothes – and my general disinterest in fashion at least partly as a result. It also makes me think again of one of RJ Mitte's earliest, most substantive scenes in "Breaking Bad." In it, his disabled teenage character is mocked by teen bullies as he struggles with trying on jeans in a store. The emotional core of the scene is his father, Walter White, taking revenge on the bullies – which is a mixed bag at best in terms of disability messaging. But I found Walter Jr's own frustration and responses to be much more interesting and personally relatable.
Disability Thinking Weekday is a Monday-Friday newsletter with links and commentary on disability-related articles and other content. You can help promote Disability Thinking Weekday by forwarding it by email or posting on your social media. You can also comment by sending me an email at: apulrang@icloud.com. Collected comments are shared on the first of each month. A free subscription sends a newsletter to your email each weekday. Benefits of paid subscription include:
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