Kind of a mix today, yet all three focused on some kind of advocacy or activism, either direct and specific, or as a sort of background flavor.
Your three disability-related links for Thursday, April 11, 2024.
1. AAPD Praises Department of Justice For Finalizing Title II Web Accessibility Rule
American Association of People with Disabilities - April 10, 2024
Source: Email bulletin
“‘For far too long, the digital divide has disproportionately impacted the disability community. We’re excluded from public activities and services like voting, filing taxes, accessing transit schedules, applying for public benefits, receiving emergency information, and more. The digital divide has become a civil rights issue. This final rule will improve the accessibility of government websites and applications so that people with disabilities can have full access to essential government information, services, and activities,’ said Michael Lewis, AAPD Vice President of Policy.”
I must confess that I thought regulations like these had been adopted already — years ago even. It will be interesting to see how the tech world responds to these new regulations. How many companies and their products are already accessible? How many have more work to do? How many will dig in and do the work? How many will complain bitterly and add the new accessibility regulations to their laundry lists of ways government bureaucracy stifles their unique and essential genius? Do I have a bit of an attitude about tech moguls? I guess I do!
2. Calls for Sonia Sotomayor to retire are ‘ableism, pure and simple,’ advocates say
Sara Luterman, The 19th - April 10, 2024
Source: X (Twitter)
“‘The call by several prominent progressive figures for Justice Sotomayor to resign at 69, because of her diabetes, are absolutely tied to ableism and the belief that disabled people are always just a step away from death,’ Ives-Rublee told The 19th. She has confidence that Sotomayor is fit to sit on the Supreme Court.”
U.S. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life. They can only be removed by impeachment, for grave and specific misconduct. A president can’t fire them because they want a chance to appoint another like-minded justice before an ideological opponent becomes president. Once someone is appointed and confirmed as a justice, it’s up to them when and if they wish to retire. A justice could, of course, step down for strategic reasons, because they want to give the current president a chance to appoint a like-minded justice who will serve longer. But that’s the justice’s choice, no one else’s. And Type 1 Diabetes does not pose a significant risk of sudden death or incapacity. If Justice Sotomayor is actually having serious health problems and knows that she, personally might be better off stepping down, that’s her affair. That’s the other half of why this is all about ableism. It’s ableism to assume that someone with diabetes is less fit for an important job. It’s also ableism to think that people with disabilities or chronic conditions are incapable of making their own responsible decisions about their own capacity to do their jobs.
3. Participants Needed for Employee Focus Groups on Long Covid
Center for Research on Disability - April 10, 2024
Source: Email bulletin
“You May be Eligible to Participate if you:
Are at least 18 years of age;
Currently experience a physical or mild cognitive disability or difficulty that limits your work performance (other than Long COVID);
Previously had or currently have symptoms of Long COVID;
Are working OR used to work at least 5 hours a week;
Are able to access and use computer and internet; and
Are able to comprehend English.”
We need to learn all we can about Long Covid, which is expanding the ranks of people with disabilities all over the world. And one of the most important components of understanding Long Covid is hearing from people who actually have it. The disability rights slogan “Nothing about us without us” definitely applies here. And participating in surveys like this is one way for disabled people to help.
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The Sotomayor article also gave me this thought: The progressive figures know that diabetes does not affect the Chief Justice's role. They hope her impairment helps remove her from the court, hoping that others buy into this nonsense. To me, this is extreme ableism and goes beyond discrimination. It's using a person's disability to obviously and overtly harm them and to prevent their participation. When ableism is so clearly directed in a harmful manner, it is destructive, ugly, and perhaps illegal. A whole lot of other words can be used.