What Is Eugenics? Tracing the Roots of Ableism and Racism in America Part II of II (copy)
Part II of II of our "What Is Eugenics? Tracing the Roots of Ableism and Racism in America" series.
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What Is Eugenics? Tracing the Roots of Ableism and Racism in America Part I of II
What is Eugenics? As the attack on people of color and people with disabilities intensifies in the United States, it’s time to step back and take a long look at the structures that have led us here. Eugenics and eugenic thinking have permeated our nation for hundreds of years, and understanding that history can help us better understand the motivations of some of our politicians today.
From Hospitals to Fitbits: The Fight for Medical Privacy
The Trump administration has issued subpoenas to several hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to minors, requesting personal information about patients including names, home addresses, therapy notes, and Social Security Numbers. Among these hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is fighting back. They have filed a response detailing the harm that releasing this information would cause.
Vaccines Save Lives
RFK Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary, and chairman of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, just announced the rollback of funding for mRNA vaccines. This move puts the lie to his claims (under pressure from senators at his confirmation hearing) that he would support vaccines for all Americans. Despite the Secretary’s woeful ignorance and disregard for humanity here, vaccines are scientific, evidence-based, and, in fact, work.
We Are Not Going Away: Homelessness, Disability, and the Latest Executive Order
On July 23 we marched in Boston with over a 1,000 other disabled advocates and allies celebrating the 35th anniversary of the ADA. The next day another Executive Order (EO) was released. Several clauses in this dangerous EO require our attention and advocacy.
The order is called “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” and it has several sections. The order as a whole shows a lack of understanding of substance use, mental illness, and the factors that lead to homelessness. Rather than creating more affordable housing and support systems for those who need them, this order proposes institutionalizing unhoused people in order to “clean up the streets.” This is a disability rights issue – from “ugly laws,” preventing disabled people from being seen in public, to the ongoing institutionalization of people with disabilities, this is exactly the kind of rhetoric that dehumanizes people who simply need support.
Stop Complaining...Organize!!!
Stop complaining…organize!
The American with Disabilities Act is 35 years old! We need to celebrate it and be prepare to defend it. As opinions about equal access shift, as programs and services for people with disabilities continue to erode, is the ADA relevant today? What do access, equity, inclusion, and diversity mean in the context of the ADA? These words should not be controversial. Ask yourself, can a person who is blind get a job if they need JAWS to read text? Can a person using a wheelchair get onto a bus? Can a person who is Deaf order a pizza using the video relay service? What about accessible bathrooms when I go shopping? And getting a quieter place to deal with my anxiety disorder should be a given accommodation. These are all examples of what the ADA covers. It boils down to providing access and equity to people with disabilities so that they can be included, and become participants in diverse communities.