Julia Métraux writes about the use of the term “special education” in an article for the NCDJ. An independent reporter and graduate student at University of California-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Métraux makes an appeal to education reporters to find alternatives, even if school officials continue to use the language, which, she says, reinforces the view that disabled kids’ needs are “special.” Read more
ableism
Beyoncé Changing Lyrics Over Disability Concerns
Beyoncé will alter the language in her song “Heated” days after it was released as part of her new album “Renaissance.” The track contained references to “spaz” and “spazzin.” Read the full story here.
Fans Ask Lizzo to Remove Song Over Offensive Lyric
Fans are asking the singer to delete and re-record her new single to remove an ableist slur from the lyrics. Read the full story here.
Once When I was Paralyzed
Jodi Hausen shares her thoughts on ableism. Read more here.
Three Disability Microaggressions and Why They Matter
Ableist talk matters–the language, conversational habits, and ideas that intentionally or not, sadden, frustrate, and anger disabled people. Read more here.
‘You Just Feel Like Nothing’: California to Pay Sterilization Victims
More than 20,000 people, many of them disabled, poor or people of color, were forced to undergo the procedure under the state’s decades-long eugenics program. California is prepared to spend $7.5 million to find and pay an estimated 600 surviving victims of coerced sterilization, both under the eugenics law and in prison.
Read the full story here.
People With Disabilities May Face Greater Challenges When Returning To In-Person Work
As more Americans receive vaccines and workplaces urge employees back into the office, people with disabilities may be faced with the challenge of justifying why they should still be allowed to work remotely. NPR reports.
Hear the full story here.
3 Ways Disability Allyship Can Go Off Track
April is Autism Acceptance Month. It’s a good time to rethink not only how non-autistic or “neurotypical” people can best support autistic people –– but also how non-disabled people in general can do better in supporting people with any kind of mental, developmental, or physical disability. There’s no shortage of good intentions. Most people if asked would say that they at least want to do right by people with disabilities. But being a good disability ally requires more than goodwill. This article describes three of the most common ways that even the best, most committed disability allies can go wrong.
Read the full article here.
Academy Awards Make Push For Increased Disability Representation
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new requirements aimed at increasing the amount of diversity in Best Picture nominees. Starting in 2024, movies will have to meet two of four requirements that account for disability and diversity representation to be considered for Best Picture.
State Policies May Send People with Disabilities to the Back of the Line for Ventilators
By Liz Essley Whyte, Center for Public Integrity/The Daily Beast
An analysis by the Center for Public Integrity reveals that policies in at least 25 U.S. states have provisions that could de-prioritize health care for people with disabilities if cases of COVID-19 continue to ravage hospitals’ supplies.
Disability advocates have filed formal complaints in several states for their policies on who should get ventilators if hospitals run out. These policies take into account patients’ expected lifespan; need for resources, such as home oxygen; or specific diagnoses, such as dementia. Some policies even permit hospitals to take ventilators away from patients who use them as breathing aids in everyday life, and give the ventilators to other patients.
Twenty-five states have similar provisions in their rationing policies — and many other states either don’t have policies, or aren’t releasing them.
“There is a long history of people with disabilities being devalued by the medical system. That’s why we have civil rights laws,” said disability-rights activist Ari Ne’eman. “We don’t have an exception in our country’s civil rights laws for clinical judgment. We don’t take it on trust.”
Read the full article here: https://publicintegrity.org/health/coronavirus-and-inequality/state-policies-may-send-people-with-disabilities-to-the-back-of-the-line-for-ventilators/