12/9/25 - A UK budget, phys ed, and fashion

Good afternoon ...

How about a break from American disability news?

Yet another government has failed to deliver for Disabled people

Mikey Erhardt, Open Democracy - November 27, 2025

"The changes announced yesterday, which will further scapegoat Disabled people and in many cases worsen their lives, will save the state around £300m, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s estimates ... To put that into perspective, the latest figures show the Department for Work and Pensions spent over £400m fighting people who appeal cuts to their personal independence payments between 2013 and 2023 – despite the majority (69%) of claimants winning appeals at tribunal."

It sure looks like the UK Labour government's proposed budget is a continuation of the 'blame.the poor and disabled" approach to government finances. Hauntingly similar to situations here in the US, British disabled voters had some hope that a more left-wing government might be more supportive. But once again, disabled people's natural political allies are failing them, and even to an extent turning on them. Labour and Democrats in the US should take note – this is not only cruel and economically misguided. It's also a dangerous game at a time when decades-old political allegiances and calculations are disintegrating everywhere.

'PE teachers need more education on disabilities and sport'

Andrew Sinclair, BBC - November 30, 2025

"Ruby Bishop, 21, from Norwich, said she faced huge barriers to taking part in PE at school but is now rated the fourth-best player in Great Britain and has represented her country at global sporting events ... She has called on PE teachers to have a better understanding of the sports needs of children with special education needs and disabilities."

My physical education experience throughout my childhood and youth was about one quarter attempts at inclusion through adaptation, another quarter individualized physical therapy, and fully one half simply waiving PE requirements entirely. That suited me at the time. I much preferred the chance to take other classes and not have to worry about PE, especially in high school and college. But in retrospect, PE was probably one of the parts of my education where I was the most deprived because of my disability. And while it hasn't done me too much harm, I can't say that it was a good thing.

People With Disabilities Star at Inclusive Fashion Show in Croatia

Vuk Tesija, Balkan Insight - November 27, 2025

"The event was organised by the city’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities ... 'We started earlier this year to emphasise the importance of inclusion. The fashion show features people with disabilities as the main stars, supported by local designers, high-school students who do their hair and makeup, and elementary and kindergarten children who assist them on the runway,' said Danijela Vusic, head of the city’s Administrative Department ... She added that the entire community got involved to show that inclusion should be embraced throughout the year, not just on one day."

It's worth noting that this isn't a story about disabled people breaking barriers in the modeling and fashion industry. It's about using the format of a fashion show, and collaboration with actual fashion designers, to hold a disability awareness event. It was probably a lot of fun and empowering for the disabled participants. And it seems to have fostered some unusual and potentially valuable partnerships between people who might not ordinarily interact much. But I do tend to worry at least a bit about events that involve disabled people, but are numerically and organizationally dominated by non-disabled people. I wonder how it really went for the disabled models? It would be interesting to see five or so years from now if one or two of them end up having actual careers as fashion models.

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