News and issues on the disabled 5 Nov 2024
Azmi Anuar
Contents
1. BBC News UK - Blind yoga helps stroke survivor deal with sudden sight loss
2. The Brown Daily Herald USA - The Blind Urban Subject stands at attention on Thayer Street
3. The Berkshire Eagle USA - Maddelynn Burdette, a blind Pittsfield High School student, won an award from the state recognizing one of her 'absolute strengths': mobility
4. San Antonio Express-News USA - A blind San Antonio woman navigates life and expands the arts
5. The Straits Times Singapore - Jurong indoor map suggests barrier-free routes for disabled, guides blind people with audio cues
6. BBC News UK - ‘We won't let our disability stop us being independent'
7. Deccan Herald India - Disability rights: Why words matter
8. Montreal Gazette Canada - Disabled man to neighbourhood IGA: 'I feel like I'm begging just to buy groceries'
9. CBS News USA - NCIA empowers people with disabilities to vote ahead of 2024 presidential election
10. USA Today - Millions of voters have disabilities. Some say the presidential candidates are ignoring them
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1. BBC News UK - Blind yoga helps stroke survivor deal with sudden sight loss4 Nov 2024
When 78-year-old Carolyn Wightman had a stroke two years ago her life changed "drastically".
After losing the sight in one eye, she was suddenly forced to stop driving and seek assistance for household chores, such as cleaning and gardening.
When the vision in her other eye began to deteriorate unexpectedly in February, Carolyn, from East Lothian, turned to Sight Scotland for support.
It recommended its first-ever yoga class designed to promote physical and mental wellbeing among people with visual impairments.
The 60-minute classes, which are all done seated, include meditation, breathing techniques and mindfulness exercises alongside "eye yoga" to help participants relax and reduce stress.
Carolyn, who also suffers from spinal problems, says the classes have improved her flexibility and wellbeing.
"I can't do harsh exercise and I'm very limited with what I can do - I can't do walking groups or things like that," she says.
"The chair yoga is very gentle but very powerful. It's helped my fitness level."
Carolyn says she was interested in yoga before her stroke but struggled to find the time to attend a class.
She says it has helped being surrounded by other woman who have similar day-to-day experiences as her.
"My sight loss has been more sudden so it's taking me longer to adapt," she says.
"But everyone understands each other because we've all got vision loss and sight impairments.
"We don't have to explain anything to anyone, like why we're walking with a stick."
Betty Robertson and Rita Irving from Edinburgh have been coming to the class since April to meet other people in similar situations to them.
The two women both suffer from dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that blurs the central vision with no treatment.
Rita said she was told by an optician when she was only 14 years old that she would have trouble with her sight when she was older, while Betty said she was "lucky" to make it to 75 before her diagnosis.
Now, they describe their vision as "poor" and "like looking through mist" with difficulties recognising faces - a common symptom of the disease.
They say the class has helped them "to build confidence" and "relax".
The group's instructor Tamas Danyi-Nagy says he started practicing yoga seven years ago after suffering from serious neck, shoulder and spinal injuries.
"I decided I wanted to know how the body works and how to manage my anxiety and energies around the body," he says.
While completing his yoga instructor training, he started to volunteer for Sight Scotland as a befriender, where he would visit a blind woman and help her with her errands.
Tamas, who is now a community activity worker for the charity, says he was inspired to work with visually impaired people by a friend he had as a teenager who was blind.
"He was very dependant on others and always needed to be guided everywhere," Tamas says.
"Everyone was very gentle with him, but I would always take him to the beach and we would do crazy things together.
"We would go to the cinema and I would audio-describe to him what was happening on the screen."
It was while reflecting on how yoga helped him to heal after his injuries that Tamas realised he wanted to bring this practice to the blind community to promote mindfulness.
"If I had back pain, I would go on to YouTube and search 'yoga for back pain', then watch a video and copy what I'm seeing, while my very good friend wouldn't have that option.
"That's when I decided that this knowledge needs to be accessible for everyone, not just people who see."
Having taught yoga now for just over a year, Tamas designed the classes specifically to include a range of movements, such as shoulder, arm, neck, back, and leg exercises, as well as eye exercises aimed at reducing tension and improving peripheral vision.
Before starting the blind yoga class he had never heard of the practice that he says strengthens the connection between the eye and the nervous system.
The movements experiment with light and dark and different levels of concentration.
Through his research, Tamas discovered that as a visual impairment becomes more serious, people exercise their eyes less as they start to look at everything up close and on bigger screens.
He says: "When you see perfectly, you're naturally drawn to things around you - people, a tree, a plane in the sky, a bird - so your focus and peripheral vision changes all the time.
"People who are visually impaired sometimes see very narrow parts of an area or not at all, which makes it more difficult to move the muscles in the eye.
"It's so important for people with visual impairments to make a conscious effort to strengthen the eye muscles and make the eyes as healthy as possible."
The charity aims to bring the class to more locations and continue working to help visually impaired people gain back independence and bring a community together.
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2. The Brown Daily Herald USA - The Blind Urban Subject stands at attention on Thayer Street3 Nov 2024
Passersby on the northwest corner of Thayer and Angell Street might have noticed a new addition to their route: a binocular tower viewer. When peered into, the tower simulates the perspective of people with four visual conditions: glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.
Officially launched on Friday, the art installation — dubbed “The Blind Urban Subject” and spearheaded by Daniel Solomon ’26 — is the work of a collective of Brown and RISD students with the support of both universities, multiple organizations and the City of Providence.
Born with ocular albinism, a genetic condition that affects vision and light sensitivity, Solomon said he was motivated by his own experiences as a legally blind individual. Through his activism within the blind community, he sought to increase urban accessibility and raise awareness about the ways in which visually impaired individuals engage with their environments.
“At its core, ‘The Blind Urban Subject’ offers passersby a vantage point to experience a familiar urban intersection — Thayer Street and Angell Street — from the perspective of someone who experiences life much differently than most,” Solomon wrote in an email to The Herald.
“Even if only in some small way, we hope that this installation helps people gain a more mutual understanding of the blind and visually impaired,” he added.
The event generated much buzz, attracting attendance from Brown administrators and Rhode Island elected officials. Following a short reception on the steps of the Lindemann Performing Arts Center, organizers introduced the art installation and recognized the many contributions that led to its creation.
Zoe Goldemberg ’27, a Brown-RISD Dual Degree student, served as the installation’s design engineering director. Goldemberg was part of the entire construction of the installation, from research and prototyping to the physical installation.
“I put together a team of RISD industrial designers who each had a specific role in terms of mechanical design, rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing,” Goldemberg wrote in an email to The Herald.
The design team, consisting of RISD students Gresh Chapman, Hudson Hale and Brown-RISD Dual Degree student Yutaka Tomokiyo ’27, worked alongside medical professionals to better understand different visual conditions and how they could be depicted through the binocular tower viewer.
Throughout the speeches, much of the conversation centered around an important theme: increasing accessibility for visually impaired individuals in Providence.
Rishika Kartik ’26, the installation’s community engagement and outreach director, has worked extensively with the blind community. Together with Solomon, she helped co-found Blind@Brown, an organization dedicated to advocating for blind, visually impaired and low-vision students.
“I hope visitors learn that blindness isn’t taboo, mysterious or something to be afraid of,” she wrote in an email to The Herald. “We hope people realize that the majority of blind people are also very engaged in urban life, and because of that, urban accessibility is all the more crucial. Ultimately, we hope that people are encouraged to consider accessibility more, as a friend, citizen, employee and member of the world.”
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, one of the elected officials in attendance, emphasized the importance of urban accessibility.
“Accessibility in this city is very broadly defined, and we want to be inclusive,” he said. “We need empathy to ensure that we are building a city, an infrastructure, that works for all.”
Grace Pires, the president of Rhode Island’s National Federation of the Blind chapter, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the necessity of curiosity in cultivating inclusivity.
“It is incumbent on us, the blindness community, and our allies to raise awareness — not only of the barriers that we face, but also about the capacity of blind people,” Pires said.
In the presence of the many elected officials, Pires reminded attendees that in addition to being a groundbreaking art installation, The Blind Urban Subject also serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to make urban cities more inclusive.
Following comments by speakers, Solomon led guests on a walk down Angell Street for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that would inaugurate the installation for the public. Lining the path down Angell and Thayer Street were decals that describe the types of blindness featured in the installation.
“I’ve been passing the art installation during my everyday walk, so I was really curious about it,” launch attendee Sofia Kassalow ’26 said. “I figured I would learn all about how it came to fruition and the story behind it.”
Patricia Poitevien, the interim vice president of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, also attended the event.
“I’m thrilled that space is being created for students who have different abilities because they are a very important part of our community, and in particular, an important part of underrepresented populations,” she said.
“I think it’s a really hard thing to understand what it’s like to live with a visual impairment,” said Jack Morris ’25, a visually impaired student who attended the launch. “I hope people will just come take a look and try and get a sense of the unique physical perspective that we all have in navigating the world.”
For Solomon, the opening of The Blind Urban Subject is just the beginning.
“We want people to think new thoughts,” he said. “We want them to challenge their realities.”
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3. The Berkshire Eagle USA - Maddelynn Burdette, a blind Pittsfield High School student, won an award from the state recognizing one of her 'absolute strengths': mobility4 Nov 2024
PITTSFIELD — As she sat with her daughter, Maddelynn Burdette, Rachel D’Avella was beaming with pride. Between them was a golden plaque with Burdette's name etched in black letters and raised Braille characters, honoring her prowess navigating the halls of Pittsfield High School.
Burdette is one of two people in the state to receive the Meg Robertson Mobility Award from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, which is given annually to individuals who demonstrate mobility skills with a white cane — a device that allows the visually impaired to scan for nearby obstacles and orientation marks. Burdette, 16, has septo-optic dysplasia, a condition which has made her completely blind.
Pittsfield High School student Maddie Burdette has received the Meg Roberston Award from the Massachusetts Commision for the Blind in recognition of her use of a white cane to navigate school life.
For D’Avella, the award ceremony was an uncommon chance to celebrate her daughter’s accomplishments — since she doesn’t participate in extracurriculars or sports, there aren’t always abundant opportunities for her to do so.
But there is still a lot to appreciate about her. Burdette is an avid swimmer — a “little fish,” D’Avella said, who doesn’t want to leave the water once she’s in it. If she’s not in the pool, she might be on one of the two swingsets in her home. She also loves music, especially songs from Disney movies, which she plays often on her tablet.
Those are the things that make her smile, D'Avella said.
Showing her strength
On Friday, Burdette was the center of attention at Pittsfield High School, surrounded by paraprofessionals, teachers and classmates congratulating her on the big day.
D’Avella credits the high school for encouraging her independence and progress, which has resulted in a “huge change” in her mobility and communication.
“I really don’t know what it was, but she just seemed to blossom,” D’Avella said. “I’m so happy that she’s here and she’s doing well.”
Pittsfield High School student Maddie Burdette gets a hug from her mother, Rachel D’Avella, at Pittsfield High School.
Burdette received the award at a White Cane Day Celebration at Pittsfield High, which included a luncheon prepared by visually impaired students instructed by Todd Eddy, a culinary arts teacher at Taconic High School. Mike Dionne, a Western Mass-based orientation and mobility specialist for the commission, presented the award to Burdette.
Burdette was nominated by Lynn Shortis, a teacher for the visually impaired and certified orientation and mobility specialist for the past 26 years at Pittsfield Public Schools. Shortis has known Burdette since she was 5 years old, and said her ability to travel using the white cane was extraordinary.
“She never ceases to amaze me,” Shortis said. “With all of her challenges, she shines and she soars and she just shows her strengths in her own ways.”
Mobility is Burdette’s “absolute strength,” Shortis said — an uncanny memory and spatial awareness allow her to move through the sometimes labyrinthine high school with ease using her white cane.
Pittsfield High School student Maddie Burdette has lunch with her mother, Rachel D’Avella, at Pittsfield High School.
Moving 'mountains'
Burdette is part of a “substantially separate” education program at the school, Shortis explained — she learns math, science and social studies in a different format more tailored to her needs.
In recent weeks, Burdette has also been given a job as part of a “major overhaul” in the school’s library where she has been sorting through boxes full of markers, working with Shortis to identify the working ones from the faulty ones. The job reflects an overall goal of the high school program, Shortis said, to help visually impaired students find ways to contribute to the community and help out at home.
Shortis was thrilled that Burdette received the award, noting that she’s “an absolute sweetheart” who has come a long way in the time that she’s worked with her.
“She’s amazing,” Shortis said. “And she deserved this.”
Burdette is one of 18 visually impaired students at Pittsfield High School, and one of 51 visually impaired students in the Pittsfield Public Schools. Shortis works with all of them — no small feat, according to paraprofessional Terry Quinto, who said the work that she does with the students is simply “incredible.”
“I can’t even tell you the lengths she goes to for these kids,” Quinto said, echoed by fellow paraprofessional Michelle Gutzmer, who said the two of them “would move mountains” for Shortis because “she would move mountains for you.”
Shortis’ work is certainly appreciated by Kayla and Chris Markham, the parents of sophomore Xavier Markham, who is legally blind. Xavier is an AP honors student who plans to be a lawyer when he graduates — he particularly enjoys Italian and biology lessons for now.
Kayla Markham said Shortis has helped to ensure that Xavier has the proper aids and guidance to succeed in school since he lost his vision as a young boy — a service that they can’t thank her for enough.
“We would be lost without her,” Kayla Markham said.
Pittsfield High School student Maddie Burdette has received the Meg Roberston Award from the Massachusetts Commision for the Blind in recognition of her use of a white cane to navigate school life.
The right fit
Burdette’s remarkable progress over the last year has solidified D’Avella’s decision to send her to Pittsfield High School. Around the end of eighth grade, D’Avella wondered whether the public school system was the right fit for her daughter, and had considered enrolling her at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown.
But the school’s staff have done an “amazing” job taking care of Burdette and helping her grow, D’Avella said, which has made her more mobile and communicative. Things haven’t always been easy, D’Avella said, but she draws off her daughter’s joy for life to find inspiration.
“No matter how much I think I’m struggling on a day-to-day basis, she can just smile and I’m like ‘nothing is wrong,’” D’Avella said. “If she can be happy, I can be happy. And she’s one of the happiest little kids I’ve ever met.”
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4. San Antonio Express-News USA - A blind San Antonio woman navigates life and expands the arts4 Nov 2024
Jennifer "Jenny" Salinas has a BFF (that’s Best Friend Forever), a constant companion. Every morning when she heads out the door, her must-have checklist includes her keys, phone and the BFF — her white cane.
It’s kind of like a GPS (that’s Global Positioning System) that helps her navigate the world with confidence.
“It’s something that if I didn’t have, I wouldn’t have the full independence that I desire,” Salinas said.
Addressing a White Cane Awareness Day event Oct. 10 hosted by Vibrant Works, formerly known as San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, she described how her cane is more of a buddy than a tool.
CEO Cindy Watson joined employees as they marched with their canes to celebrate their empowerment and independence. Family and supporters followed outside the Eads Avenue location, where the nonprofit provides programs and services.
It was the Vibrant Works version of White Cane Safety Day, which is Oct. 15 and so designated by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The local nonprofit is older, launched in 1933 to provide rehabilitation services and employment for people who are vision impaired and blind.
About the author
A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning.
Watson, the first woman and blind person to head the organization, said independence is critical for those adapting to new environments and life with vision loss.
“This day holds personal meaning for me, as I was diagnosed legally blind at age 9,” Watson said. “I’ve had many years to adjust and I, too, had to overcome the reluctance to accepting the white cane life. Once I did, I felt unstoppable. It was so amazing and liberating to have the independence to get around and go about life.”
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who read the official proclamation, called the nonprofit’s work “critically important” for San Antonio.
Salinas spoke of how her cane symbolizes strength, courage and motivation.
“Here’s the truth — sometimes life will test you,” Salinas said. “It will throw challenges your way that seem impossible. But that’s when you find out what you’re really made of.”
Since 2022, Salinas has worked as an administrative assistant in the Services Department at Vibrant Works. Before her vision decreased, Salinas went through assisted technology training to use its software.
These days, she works in the low-vision store, selling adaptive aids ranging from calendars to tactile bump dots used to help identify items. Her checkout register offers audible aid, emitting different beeps depending on the type of transaction.
Salinas was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when she was 2, a disease that had affected her eyesight by the time she was in kindergarten. Four years ago, her low vision grew worse. As she walked across a parking lot to a local International House of Pancakes, the sidewalk seemed the same level. Then, without warning, the ground slammed into her body — she’d fallen off the curb.
She needed help. Training with Vibrant Works, she learned to use a white cane, but it was intense. She had to wear sleep shades that blocked the vision that remained. She can still see slivers of light, but she can’t make out a person’s face. Hours of training included crossing through crowds at a local mall.
“My trainer was so incredible,” Salinas said. “You need someone who is telling you ‘I’m right here, you’re doing a great job.’ ”
The ground to the cane — then the cane to her hand — is now part of her mind set, Salinas said. It lets her see what’s three feet ahead of her. It also allows her to stand straight and lift her head up.
As an indication of vision impairment, it’s also put her in the path of good folks who ask if she needs help and open doors for her. Salinas believes they recognize she’s not helpless and knows what she’s doing.
An actor, she has a bachelor of fine arts degree from Texas State University. Working in theater productions led her to talk to Vibrant Works about the need to share a live audio description program for the vision impaired.
When her own vision decreased, she felt excluded during live performances — she wasn’t in tune to audiences when they laughed or reacted to costumes and physical scenes on stage.
Salinas mentioned the problem after she played an older woman in the show “Senior Play” at Jump-Start Theater in November 2022.
Vibrant Works has partnered with The Public Theater of San Antonio to audio-describe every final Sunday matinee performance of each play in its 2024-25 season at San Pedro Playhouse, including, “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story,” on Dec. 22.
Kimberly Montford manages Vibrant Works’ audio program. She reviews scripts, attends dress rehearsals and notes the key visual cues, then uses a microphone and transmitter during live performances to narrate facial expressions, movements and costume changes. Theatergoers listen to the description through a single earpiece that allows them to simultaneously hear the actors, too.
Not only do people with vision impairment get a fuller story, but they also are “included in the conversation of art,” Salinas said.
Technology has played a big part in Salinas’ journey, but she said she’d be lost without that pre-electronic accessory — her cane.
On a first-floor wall at the Eads location, a mural of Vibrant Works workers invites visitors to “Gain a new perspective on vision loss.” At the front, is a floor-to-ceiling photo of Salinas and her quote in large letters: “I’m proud of how unique I am.”
As her image faces the world, she’s not alone — she’s with her BFF.
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5. The Straits Times Singapore - Jurong indoor map suggests barrier-free routes for disabled, guides blind people with audio cues4 Nov 2024
SINGAPORE - Visitors to Jurong can now use an indoor mapping mobile app that guides users through a network of linked malls and hospitals, including Jem and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
Like an indoor version of Google Maps, the CityGeni app suggests directions to stores or facilities within the mall and hospital network, highlighting the shortest paths and even barrier-free routes for users with disabilities.
The app also includes an alternative mode designed to assist visually impaired users, guiding them with audible blips as they move through the mall.
Available on Android and iOS, the free service, which was released to the public on Oct 23, is part of a collaboration between Hong Kong navigation tech start-up Mapxus and the National University Health System (NUHS) to help users, especially those with disabilities, navigate indoors.
The CityGeni app’s services will officially expand to Jem and other locations in January 2025.
Believed to be a first for Singapore, the app uses unique mapping technology to match Wi-Fi beacon codes with a map, simplifying indoor mapping for venues without requiring new hardware.
It is designed to guide users through different levels of an indoor location, unlike most navigation apps that can pinpoint a user’s location from a bird’s-eye view but not the exact floor within a building.
For example, in Jurong East, shopping malls like Jem and Westgate, as well as the nearby hospitals, are connected by bridges with access points that may not be immediately clear to new visitors.
The app complements the work of hospital staff in escorting individuals between the hospitals’ facilities, said NUHS chief operating officer Ng Kian Swan in reply to queries from The Straits Times.
“The initial deployment covers public areas within the hospital that do not require registration, allowing easy access for all visitors,” said Mr Ng, adding that the service specifically targets wheelchair users and people who are blind.
“We are also evaluating the possibility of extending coverage to (hospital wards) in the future to support even more comprehensive indoor navigation,” said Mr Ng, who oversees the healthcare group’s facilities management.
Founded in 2018, Mapxus is among companies under the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Spark programme, which supports start-ups through industry connections or other government grants.
Mapxus’ technology, which has been used in transport networks and more than 150 buildings in Hong Kong, was among the winners in the Jurong Lake District Innovation Challenge in 2023, where participating teams proposed urban solutions for challenges issued by the hospitals and other stakeholders like SMRT and CapitaLand.
Explaining Mapxus’ technology, the company’s business development head Joseph Yi said the user’s position is determined through the phone, which detects the unique signals from Wi-Fi beacons within an indoor location.
The app does not require logging into the premises’ Wi-Fi network and collects only non-sensitive data from the Wi-Fi beacon’s code and signal strength, which are cross-referenced with a blueprint of the premises to identify users’ locations, said Mr Yi, 39.
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6. BBC News UK - ‘We won't let our disability stop us being independent'4 Nov 2024
Buying your own home is a dream that can feel out of reach for many young people.
But for twins Sam and Alex Bolton, who have spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), they face even bigger hurdles to realise their ambition of living independently.
Their condition means the brothers, from Derby, use wheelchairs, have weaker muscles and face problems with movement.
Despite doctors saying they would not live past the age of seven, the brothers, now 19, are both studying a film and television degree at university.
They said they hoped to one day be able to live independently, but the cost that comes with making adaptions to make their homes accessible poses a huge challenge for them.
Alex said: “Without our benefits we are left needing to find a full-time job, which could have certain health risks for us working full days and getting tired.
“So it’s not a feasible option to work full-time so we rely on these benefits that aren’t sustainable for adults.
“When we grow up I’m hoping we don’t live together. I quite like [Sam] but not enough to live with him for that long.”
Sam added: “[We have] a muscle weakening condition that puts us in wheelchairs but on a daily basis we do our best not to let it stop us.
“Independence in the form of our own house will be one of those key steps to living not just a normal life but an exceptional life. That’s what we hope to do.”
When their landlord put their specially adapted family home up for sale, they feared they would have to live in a hotel until alternative accommodation was arranged.
“We were told our house – the one we’ve rented for 15 years – was being sold and put on the market,” Sam said.
"This period was one of the hardest of our lives, with the weight of the threat of homelessness on our shoulders every day.
"If this were happening to anyone else, they could find somewhere else – whether temporarily or permanently – and it would be acceptable.
“We were told we might be put in a hotel which doesn’t consider our needs – there aren’t many hotels anyway that can look after us for a weekend never mind until we find our new house.”
A housing association then purchased the property so the family could continue living there - but the crisis made clear the problems they could face when owning a home of their own.
Wednesday's Budget allocated £500m to the affordable homes programme, including supporting home ownership for people with long-term disabilities.
This is positive news for Sam and Alex, who have been campaigning for more support for people like them to get on the property ladder.
David Abbey, director of MySafeHome, helps people with disabilities apply for a specialist mortgage that supports them in buying a home of their own.
He said: "We welcome the top-up for the funding of the affordable homes programme. Obviously we’d like more because there’s a high demand for homes especially for people with disabilities.
“We recognise that resources are limited but we’re hopeful that a spending review in the spring of 2025 will set out the longer term of plan for affordable homes for all.
“[This includes] for people with disabilities who have sadly been excluded from home ownership in the past.
“Home is the foundation of a good life and so it’s important that people have a real choice about where they live and also the type of properties they live in.”
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7. Deccan Herald India - Disability rights: Why words matter4 Nov 2024
In his story titled Naya Samvidhaan, Sadat Hasan Manto conveyed the inherent limitations of legal changes in bringing societal transformations. Despite the enactment of right-based laws regarding persons with disabilities in India, it remains an unfortunate reality that ableism is still deeply entrenched in our society.
Deep-seated prejudices, discrimination and stigma associated with disability have impeded this process of social transformation because of which equal respect remains elusive. Language is a very important tool in this process. The use of appropriate language can either facilitate the process or continue the ableist narrative, effectively impeding the process of fostering inclusion and respect.
Recently, the Supreme Court of India released a ‘Handbook Concerning Persons with Disabilities’, offering guidance on stereotypes related to disability and the need and manner of employing respectful language. The handbook aims to address a troubling social pattern in India of using derogatory language for persons with disabilities.
A few months ago, three former cricketers posted a video mocking physical exhaustion. Despite the ‘alleged’ intent of humour, the video trivialised persons with locomotor disabilities in its implications. In the past, platforms like TikTok have faced backlash when videos mocking persons with disabilities were shared.
Indian political leaders, including the current Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, have repeatedly used derogatory terms involving persons with disabilities to undermine their opponents. To discourage such incidents, the Election Commission of India had to come out with guidelines to “nudge political parties towards respectful discourse for persons with disabilities”. Such a political climate is reflective of the troubling social tendency that trivialises the mocking of persons with disabilities.
It is pertinent to note that the Indian state continues to use ‘Divyangjan’, literally meaning ‘persons with divine bodies’, as an official term to refer to persons with disabilities. Disability rights organisations and activists have expressed serious anguish over the usage of this term because of its dehumanising context and patronising tone. An ‘official’ mark of identity that has come to be perceived as an insult has continued to be in use despite the concerns expressed by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), referring to the same as ‘derogatory’.
The pervasiveness of such language in our public discourse reveals a recurring social pattern of dismissive attitudes towards persons with disabilities. These incidents point towards a larger and more persistent problem — a climate of social and political apathy towards the use of derogatory language against persons with disabilities. From casual mockery to the use of derogatory language, the trivialisation of disability in Indian society remains widespread.
Terms like “langda”, “retard”, “behra” and “andha” have shifted from medical terms to slurs, reinforcing negative stereotypes about disability. Such insults perpetuate ableism, causing psychological harm and broader exclusion. The recurring use of this language reflects systemic prejudice and dismissive attitudes toward persons with disabilities, highlighting the need for more robust legal enforcement and societal change.
While the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 penalises offensive speech, it only includes speech made with an offensive intent. This focus on intent means that insults made with the awareness of their potential derogatory impact — or those made negligently or recklessly — are not penalised under this provision. Consequently, the burden of proof lies heavily on the prosecution to demonstrate this higher standard of intent. Ignorance, masked as humour, often allows individuals to evade accountability, making it challenging for the penalisation to act as an effective deterrent.
The Supreme Court’s handbook emphasises the importance of using sensitive and respectful language when referring to persons with disabilities, urging judges and professionals to avoid derogatory or condescending terms like “crippled” or “differently-abled”. It promotes a people-first approach (eg., “persons with a disability”) but acknowledges that some may prefer identity-first language. This shift may seem subtle but has a profound impact, as words shape how we perceive and treat those with disabilities.
Language shapes societal perceptions, and by choosing respectful and inclusive terms, we pave the way for a more equitable society. The release of the Supreme Court’s handbook is a crucial step in this direction, underscoring the need for collective responsibility in fostering an inclusive future for all individuals, regardless of their abilities. As we move away from stigmatising language, we can create a world where everyone belongs, and language becomes a bridge to understanding, acceptance and respect.
(Meghna Sharma is an assistant professor and Sandhyashree Karanth is a BA LLB (Hons) student at the School of Law, RV University)
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8. Montreal Gazette Canada - Disabled man to neighbourhood IGA: 'I feel like I'm begging just to buy groceries'3 Nov 2024
When retired professor Donald Hinrichs began using a mobility scooter, shopping at his local IGA grocery store off Place Dupuis was straightforward. He could pick up his favourite items, like pastries and sodas, without trouble. But that access changed when the store installed poles at its entrance, blocking scooter access.
“Now, I have to wait for someone to let me in,” says Hinrichs, 82. “I feel like I’m begging just to buy my groceries.”
Originally from Pennsylvania, Hinrichs moved to Montreal in 2004 after a long teaching career. He also taught sociology at McGill for a few years after moving.
Hinrichs has been using a scooter for mobility for a few years following a hip-replacement surgery and recovery that he says did not go well. The IGA on Place Dupuis is one of the closest grocery stores, along with a Metro.
Since raising his concerns about the poles blocking access, he received little response, he says, even after following up in writing.
“My spouse even went in and spoke to them despite my asking him not to, and they said: ‘Oh yeah, we’ve had a lot of complaints.’”
Hinrichs finds it particularly frustrating he must rely on employees for help.
A spokesperson for the grocery chain says the poles were added as a security measure because of rising grocery-cart theft. To ensure accessibility, staff members are always available to assist customers, she says, adding the store is installing a doorbell to alert staff when help is needed.
However, Hinrichs says staff are not consistently available to move the posts blocking the entrance. As for the doorbell solution, he feels it would only add to the problem.
“I shouldn’t have to signal for help every time I want to enter a store that’s supposed to be accessible to everyone,” he says.
According to Linda Gauthier, co-founder of the Quebec advocacy group Regroupement des activistes pour l’inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ), Hinrichs’s experience is not unique.
About 50 per cent of Montreal stores lack adequate accessibility for people with disabilities, Gauthier says. Barriers range from physical obstacles to poorly designed entrances, limited signage and insufficient staff training.
This situation persists despite about 11 per cent of Quebec’s population experiencing a moderate to severe disability, according to provincial data.
Gauthier notes Quebec’s regulatory framework for public accessibility lags behind those of neighbouring regions. Unlike the United States, where the Americans With Disabilities Act mandates stringent accessibility standards, Quebec laws only require “reasonable accommodations,” she says.
“It’s like we are treated as second-class or even third-class citizens sometimes. Dogs and cats have more rights than we do.”
In Hinrichs’s case, Gauthier argues IGA has the resources to make the store accessible to everyone.
Hinrichs contrasts his difficulties at IGA with his local Metro grocery store, which offers an accessible layout and doesn’t restrict access.
“Shopping there is no problem,” he says.
When it comes to the broader issue of accessibility, Hinrichs is unsure of the solution.
“The city has done a lot. When you go from the sidewalk to the street, they have ramps like driveways, but some are still pretty rough.
“So I usually ride in the street,” he adds, “which drives my children crazy.”
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9. CBS News USA - NCIA empowers people with disabilities to vote ahead of 2024 presidential election4 Nov 2024
BALTIMORE -- Election day is around the corner and, for the first time, the NCIA is coming together to learn about the voting process.
The organization's new "Rock the Vote" campaign aims to tackle voting barriers for people with disabilities.
The NCIA supports individuals with intellectual, developmental, and emotional disabilities, those reintegrating into society after incarceration, at-risk youth, and adults facing complex needs, according to their website.
"It's important because they have a voice," said Michele Jacobs, the NCIA's Associate Director of Employment and Community Inclusion.
Chardae Henry and her friends at the NCIA are getting prepared for the election.
"I didn't know people with disabilities could vote," Henry said.
"We've been working on teaching them through workshops and educational programs so that they understand the process of campaigning as well as like what people are running for," Jacobs said.
The "Rock the Vote" program creates an inclusive space for voting education through workshops and an in-house practice election.
"We've done a mock debate where they've had the opportunity to have speeches and understand that process," Jacobs said.
The activities give them a firsthand experience navigating a real election and voting process.
All voices heard
The NCIA's effort is part of a bigger movement to make sure all voices are heard and to advocate for an accessible election process.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 6 voters in the 2020 election were individuals with disabilities, a reminder that accessible voting matters more than ever.
"Everybody has a right to have that voice, to be heard, to have a choice and make a decision that's based on their own desires," Jacobs said. "We have not done any political swaying of the votes. We just really want them to understand the whole process and be able to make it independently, make a decision on their own."
The NCIA works directly with participants to understand what accommodations they might need and to help them learn their voting options, making the process easier for them to understand.
By engaging in debates and a mock election, participants gain confidence and learn the practical steps they'll need to vote independently. The hope is the campaign instills a sense of civic pride and personal empowerment, encouraging participants to make their voices heard.
"Polls are accessible now that there's people there to assist you, and that you have the ability to go in and do this on an independent level, based on, you know, learning the skills and the processes involved," Jacobs said.
"I learned that I could do it on my own, that people were there to help me to fill out the paper or use the computer and vote," Henry said.
"They're going to learn the steps of actually voting for someone and then taking that initiative to the polls," Jacobs said. "We will have staff available to transport people to the polls on Tuesdays if they choose to vote."
Headquartered in Baltimore, NCIA works with 25,000 individuals throughout Maryland and beyond.
NCIA's Day Program provides community, facility-based, and virtual programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Participants can choose from an array of programming, including job development and employment training, career discovery, volunteerism, recreational activities, and community engagement.
To learn more, visit the NCIA's website.
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10. USA Today - Millions of voters have disabilities. Some say the presidential candidates are ignoring them2 Nov 2024
Sarah Massengale, a 36-year old undecided voter in rural South Carolina, felt empowered when she first reached out to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to tell her story.
“Their website was accessible,” Massengale, who is blind because of a congenital condition. “It was easy for me to find a place to write to her. And I felt really empowered, and I shed some tears over it.”
She said she waited and waited, and when she didn’t get a response from a staffer, chalked it up to societal dismissiveness of people with disabilities. But she said the experience stung because she thinks very highly of Harris, whom she calls “very powerful” and “very badass.”
Disability advocates say candidates often ignore their community, although the Census Bureau says more than 13% of people in the United States has a disability, and a 2021 study from Rutgers University found that 17.7 million people with disabilities voted in the 2020 election. (Another 11 million disabled adults didn’t vote that year.)
Two major national disability advocacy groups — the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability Belongs — say they were unable to get the campaigns for Harris, Donald Trump, and earlier, for Joe Biden to complete questionnaires describing their positions on disability issues.
A third group, the National Disability Rights Network, said it asked primary candidates to do interviews with presidential candidates in advance of the presidential primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina, or Washington, D.C. When no candidate participated, they pivoted and made a video interviewing voters.
“It’s very difficult to get candidates for public office to share responses and tell us what they think about particular issues,” said Ariel Simms, the president and CEO of Disability Belongs, an advocacy organization where most of the staff are disabled.
Disability issues are pretty much the same as everybody else's issues, Simms said. “We have a saying in the disability world that every issue is a disability issue, or every policy issue is a disability policy issue, because no matter what we’re looking at, there’s always going to be a unique impact on the disability community,” she said.
She pointed to the ongoing conversation around the cost of living. People with disabilities spend more on health care services, mobility devices, and household services. “It’s just built into our daily life on top of paying for food and absolute essential health care,” she said.
The Harris campaign did not provide a comment for this story.
Harris told a voter at a town hall in October, "All people regardless of disability should have equal access to housing to job opportunities, to education, and again, to dignity."
The Trump campaign disputed the idea that Trump ignores people with disabilities.
"President Trump will be a president for ALL Americans, including Americans with disabilities,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
LaQuanda Clark, a 41-year-old who lives in Lexington, South Carolina, criticized Trump for mocking a reporter with a disability at a campaign event in 2015. The reporter had a chronic condition affecting arm movement, and Trump flailed his arms around while criticizing the reporter’s article.
“That was a big ‘no’ for us,” said Clark, a burn survivor who had both her hands amputated.
Clark said Harris does a good job with inclusion at her events, but she’d like to see the vice president tackle disability issues head-on. Clark wants more funding for independent living agencies that help people with disabilities learn life skills and get jobs, such as the one where she works.
“As a person with a disability and also as a Black woman, I’m in a lot of minority groups, and when it comes to who’s running right now, it’s a hard decision because disabilities are not being brought to the forefront,” Clark said.
Matt Bellina, a 41-year-old from Holland, Pennsylvania, said he was a Gary Johnson libertarian before supporting Trump in his first run for president. Bellina lives with the fatal neurodegenerative disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease after the famous New York Yankee who died of the condition.
Trump signed a bill Bellina personally asked him to support that makes it easier for terminal patients to get into clinical trials for experimental drug treatments.
“I don’t like or dislike political figures,” Bellina said. “They are just supposed to be tools that citizens use to shape policy. Trump is a more useful tool than Harris.”
Harris has proposed having Medicare pay for home health care, a move that is widely seen to benefit people in the disability community, who often need to get institutional care through nursing homes in order for insurance to pay for it. Others have to rely on Medicaid, which has an asset limit to qualify, so people with disabilities have to spend down their savings.
“The issue with home health care is a shortage of quality candidates,” Bellina said. “Medicare coverage doesn’t address the root cause.”
Massengale called Harris’ home health care proposal “a great start,” but also said it wouldn’t benefit her. As a pre-diabetic, what she wants is a law that makes certain medical devices more accessible to people who are blind.
Speaking to USA TODAY just days before the election, she remained undecided about who to support. She said she expects to go to the polls planning to vote for one presidential candidate and to choose another when she gets into the booth.
“I don’t feel seen,” she said. “I feel seen as a woman. I feel seen as a member of the LGBTQ community. But I don’t feel seen as a blind person.”
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This Google Group news service has been made possible by courtesy of the Society of the Blind in Malaysia