10/1/25 - One more batch on autism, and a disability culture newsletter

Good afternoon ... I was sick again yesterday. Maybe it's the Fall weather change, but who knows. Luckily, it doesn't seem like a long term bout, so let's continue with some links I had set up for yesterday ... Disgust, Horror, and “Elimination”: Trump and RFK

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Disability Thinking Weekday - September 2025 Recap

9/29/25 - A small reversal, devaluing disabled lives, and adaptive sports

Good afternoon! I'm sorry I skipped Friday's newsletter. I was still feeling pretty rotten. I'm better now though, so here are three more disability-related links to start a new week. Also, if you haven't already, please subscribe, free or paid, consider

9/25/25 - More autism reactions

Hi there ... I'm not feeling well today. So, I'm going to send out the links and quotes I had set up for today without adding my own commentary. I think these articles speak well enough for themselves anyway. All three are about this week's

9/24/25 - Autism, Gaza, and rhetorical honey

Hello! Expect at least a few more articles on the Trump administration’s autism announcements in the next few days. This Vox piece is the first one I read, so I’m sharing it first. But all three of today’s links and their topics are worth your time. The

9/23/25 - Social Security, an Atlanta activist, and smartphone accessibility

Good afternoon! Here are three disability-related links for your Tuesday reading ... Trump's Social Security shakeup is hurting the disabled and poor, advocates say Emily Peck, Axios - September 22, 2025 "The findings, based on interviews with 14 benefits specialists, attorneys and others who help multiple people apply

9/22/25 - Rehabilitation, AI biases, and COVID vaccine access

Good afternoon! And welcome to Autumn. It's my favorite season, weather-wise, here in Northeastern New York State. The leaves aren't anywhere near full color yet. When they are, I may share a photo or two here, to provide a bit of tranquility in these intense

9/19/25 - Friday Video Share: "Shane's Disastrous First Love"

TGIF! "Shane's Disastrous First Love" Sqirmy and Grubs | YouTube - July 9, 2025 It's not exactly a happy story, strictly speaking. But Shane's story both specific to the experience of disabled kids, and so utterly typical of all kinds of kids, disabled or

9/18/25 - Issues in the US, the UK, and The Vatican

Hi there! Kind of an odd little variety today ... Five Key Moments: Hearing on Barriers to Work for People with Disabilities Rep. Jason Smith, United States House Committee on Ways & Means - September 13, 2025 "Despite 60 percent of DI and SSI beneficiaries indicating they would like to work,

9/17/25 - Disability rights at risk, institutional “Hell,” and blind accessibility

Good afternoon ... There’s some tough reading today in the first two articles. But both are worth our time and resilience. Donald Trump’s Assault on Disability Rights E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker - September 16, 2025 "A few weeks later, Fernandez texted me a link to an Instagram

9/16/25 - Education, and more on COVID vaccines

Hello! For today's links we have two pieces on education, and some practical updates on this year's COVID vaccines ... Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica - September 10, 2025 "

9/15/25 - Disability hiring, Gaza, and respectful research

Good afternoon! After much frustration and thought, I have decided to shut off the comments feature for this newsletter. It's just too difficult and inconvenient for people to use. And none of the alternative comment features seem any easier to deal with. Instead, if you have comments on

9/12/25 - Friday Video Share: "How Do College Disability Services Help Students?"

So, is this the real deal, or something ... else? "How Do College Disability Services Help Students?" Accessible Learning for All | YouTube - August 25, 2025 Despite its long and carefully worded "About" section, this channel gives almost no information on who or what, exactly, produced these videos.

9/11/25 - RFK Jr's weird and poisonous project

Hello! It's time for another round of links about what's happening in the US Department of Health and Human Services and the agencies it controls – driven by Robert Kennedy Jr's odd beliefs and obsessions. In seeking something to blame for autism, RFK Jr. wrongly

9/10/25 - #DisabledRage, UK disabled employment, and AI accessibility

Good afternoon! There's a new "Take Action" item – a social media campaign that's detailed in the first of today's three links. It's a great opportunity to say in a bold, public way what's making you, and other disabled

9/9/25 - Disabled voting, and a new disability blog program

Good afternoon! I took Monday off to finish a couple of the home projects I've been working on this summer. So here are three link for Tuesday that were originally planned for Monday … Disability Voting Rights Week is Almost Here! American Association of People with Disabilities "The

9/5/25 - Friday Video Share: "Gambling on Humanity With An Invisible Disability"

I took the day off yesterday to spend time with visiting cousins. We had a great time! For the end of week video, I've chosen an older TED Talk on a fairly broad but important topic ... "Gambling on Humanity With An Invisible Disability" Lainie Ishbia | TEDxJacksonville

9/3/25 - Pre-natal testing, life expectancy, and disabled internet use

Hello! The first link today is kind of a think piece that’s indirectly about eugenics and how it relates to advances in prenatal testing and to disability. The other two articles are unrelated, except that they both report seemingly eye-popping statistics about disabled people. Each is interesting by

9/2/25 - More COVID vaccine updates

Good afternoon! Here are some more updates on COVID in the US, following on from the one link in last Thursday's edition of Disability Thinking Weekday ... These are the conditions that make you eligible for an updated Covid-19 vaccine Jacqueline Howard, CNN - August 31, 2025 "Determining

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Disability Thinking Weekday - August 2025 Recap

8/29/25 - Friday Video Share: "What It’s Like Being Away From Your Wheelchair"

What It’s Like Being Away From Your Wheelchair Empowered Para, YouTube - August 26, 2025 I really like this format of two disabled people talking and sharing stories for an extended period. It would be great to see more of this type of thing, and with different subject areas and

8/28/25 - COVID vaccines, "Baywatch," and some disability basics

Good afternoon! Another mixed bag today ... F.D.A. Approves Covid Shots With New Restrictions Christina Jewett and Jacey Fortin, New York Times - August 27, 2025 "The agency authorized the vaccines for people who are 65 and older, who are known to be more vulnerable to severe illness from

8/27/25 - A quarter, ugly laws, and electronic speech

Hello! Today we have some followup on the new US quarter honoring disabled activist Stacey Park Milbern, plus articles on one of the more "ugly" episodes in disability history, and some thoughts on the value of ultra-high-tech research meant to bridge people's disabilities. Also,

8/26/25 - Medicare, Amtrak, and electronic access

Afternoon everyone! A random assortment for today … Advocates Fear Proposed Medicare Rule Could Limit Access to Catheters and Ostomy Supplies Ian Ruder, New Mobility - August 19, 2025 "‘The real danger is in this space, where there are so many different kinds of products for so many different needs, that

8/22/25 - Friday Video Share: Life After Official Trailer

Life After Official Trailer Together Films, Vimeo - July 2, 2025 Debates over "assisted suicide" or "medical aid in dying" are mostly dominated by two factions. There are the libertarians who see it and explain it as an issue of personal choice and civil rights. And then