The power of inclusive language

The power of inclusive language

May 12, 2022

The power of inclusive language

abilities.ca

The words we use carry meaning and power. This was the theme of a live discussion held for International Day of Persons with Disabilities last December. The panel of accessibility and inclusion experts from across Canada offered plenty of food for thought during the hour-long conversation that was moderated by disability advocate Marco Pasqua. The following is a summary of the conversation.



Video: Everyday Ableism

youtube.com



How to Avoid Ableism and Be an Ally to People With Disabilities

themighty.com

6. "Assuming a person is faking an invisible disability. Just. Don't."



5 Ableist Words a Parent Should Never, Ever Say in Front of Their Kid

fatherly.com

You and your kid are probably guilty of using them.



Ableist Tropes In Fiction I Could Do Without

bookriot.com

These 9 ableist tropes are often seen in contemporary fiction, and this disabled reader would like to see more nuance.



Thai royalists "outraged" over Lazada campaign "mocking disabled people"

thethaiger.com

Royalist groups in Thailand are in uproar, real or feigned, after a Lazada (online shopping platform) posted photos they claim mocked members of the Thai royal family and physically disabled people in a social media campaign.



TikTok Videos Show What It’s Like Living With Dementia, and Raise Privacy Questions

wsj.com

The posts can raise awareness but also spark debate about privacy and consent.



For Disabled Women, Goblin Mode Is Our Daily Reality

refinery29.com

Goblin mode is just a fun, fresh internet trend, right? Perhaps not. It's been the daily reality for many people with disabilities since forever.



An Idea: Let's Not Make Memes Out of Celebrity Trauma and Abuse Cases

themighty.com

"Laugh at how out of touch some of them are, but abuse and trauma are not things to mock no matter who it is."



Apologizing for My Behavior When Hypomanic But Not My Bipolar Disorder

themighty.com

"It is a delicate balance between being accountable for my actions, as opposed to apologizing for who I am."



Everyone should set boundaries – but it’s hard when you’re disabled

metro.co.uk

Disabled people are often pressured into doing things that totally step outside the realm of our boundaries just to be accepted.



Don’t Compare What People With Disabilities Can Do

themighty.com

"Many people get the false idea that people with disabilities can do anything."



In My Mother’s Eyes, and Mine

nytimes.com

I was finally ready to stop pretending that I could see like everybody else. Mom wasn’t.



My Autistic Brother And I - Essay On Letting My Brother With Autism Grow Up

esquire.com

Casey is autistic, and it's always been assumed that one day he would live with me. Why the hell didn't any of us bother asking him?



7 Facts About the Economic Crisis Facing People with Disabilities in the United States

tcf.org

More than three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, became law, disability remains both a cause and a consequence of poverty in the United States. Many of the persistent barriers to economic security facing Americans with disabilities are the result of policy failures that become visible when we center the perspectives and experiences of the disability community—from inadequate affordable, accessible housing and transportation, to a long history of disinvestment in community living supports, and more.



A Conversation Between American Queer-Crip Writer Kenny Fries and Aris Kleiotis: Discussing Fries

poeticanet.com

The aim of this online space is to host the research work of university students or young scholars as this emerges from larger projects focusing on the American poetry scene. The objective of this initiative is to bring this kind of research activity to the attention of the general public in an attempt to further promote the exchange of ideas with regard to the process of reading, understanding and appreciating poetry writing.



Podcast: Sickboy

cbc.ca

Sickboy is determined to break down the stigma associated with illness and disease. Join Jeremie, Brian and Taylor as they tackle health taboos with people who have experienced them firsthand. Taking the lead from Jeremie's life long battle with Cystic Fibrosis, the three best friends help us understand that sometimes the best way to deal with illness, disease and life is simply to laugh.



Two lively, entertaining new books from Deaf creators

washingtonblade.com

DiMarco’s memoir and Novic’s ‘True Biz’ give visibility to oft-ignored community.



A Voice in the Silence — Letter From the Editor

diverseabilitymagazine.com

It was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”



How "Talkies" Disrupted Movies for Deaf People

daily.jstor.org

The years of silent films are sometimes described as a "golden era" in the cultural history of the American Deaf community.



Inclusive storytelling chapter added to AP Stylebook

apstylebook.com

During a panel at the ACES: The Society for Editing national conference in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, Stylebook editor Paula Froke announced that the latest edition of AP Stylebook will include a new chapter on inclusive storytelling.



Rose Ayling-Ellis to become first celebrity to sign CBeebies Bedtime Story

limpingchicken.com

EastEnders actress and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis will be the first person to deliver a CBeebies Bedtime Story in British Sign Language (BSL) on Sunday, the BBC has announced.



Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice win Must-See Moment BAFTA for ‘silent’ Strictly dance

limpingchicken.com

EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and her Strictly dance partner Giovanni Pernice have won the Must-See Moment award at this year’s BAFTA TV Awards.



‘Everything I do is urgent’: actor Liz Carr on confronting mortality, taking risks

theguardian.com

The Olivier winner on how activism has helped her deal with online abuse, her two years of shielding – and why her life is amazing.



Jess Thom: A Tourette’s Hero Changing Disability Narratives

disabilityhorizons.com

We speak to Jess Thom about living with Tourette’s, her creative project Touretteshero and her appearances on stage and screen.



Disney Making Movie Centering On Girl Who's Nonverbal

disabilityscoop.com

Disney is set to film a new movie about a girl with cerebral palsy who's nonverbal and uses a wheelchair and her experience seeking out an inclusive education.



Marlee Matlin to Make Directorial Debut With Fox’s ‘Accused’

hollywoodreporter.com

The 'CODA' actress is getting behind the camera for an episode of Fox's new anthology crime drama.



Meet 7-Year-Old Karl Seitz, Appearing on 'This Is Us' Season 6

themighty.com

The visually impaired second-grader plays Jack Damon on the hit show.



Hallmark's 'Color My World With Love' stars lead with Down syndrome

today.com

“Color My World With Love” is set to debut later this year.



Autistic Actor and Author Mickey Rowe Fights Ableism On and Off Stage

observer.com

Mickey Rowe, actor and author of ‘Fearlessly Different,’ talks about autism, Broadway, and how ableism impacted his career.



Australian troupe of actors with disabilities set for European tour

sg.news.yahoo.com

In a quiet room in the southeast Australian town of Geelong, a group of actors with disabilities has gathered to rehearse for their first shows since winning a coveted award for the arts that is likened to a Nobel prize for theatre.



Watch These Hands: How Deaf Performers Are Making Music Accessible For Hearing-Impaired Fans

grammy.com

An estimated 400 million people have severe hearing loss. A growing group of musical pioneers is thriving to the sounds of silence. These interpreters, DJs and artists are making it their mission to help hard-of-hearing listeners feel the music.



People with disabilities remain unseen, unheard in mainstream media, says advocate

cbc.ca

"Often, the entertainment industry is oblivious to disabled people on the cultural continuum," says Nancy Hansen, director of the University of Manitoba's disability studies interdisciplinary master's program. "Our absence is largely unquestioned."



Vanessa Bayer Reveals How Her Own Cancer Battle Inspired I Love That for You

glamour.com

"Oftentimes people are portrayed as really angelic when they're sick, and that's not always the case."



BBC Sounds - Access All, Being gay and autistic at Eurovision

bbc.co.uk

Eurovision contestant Sheldon Riley says that being neurodivergent and LGBT "was tough”.



Star Trek: The Next Generation Explored Blindness & Accessibility With Geordi LaForge

gamerant.com

Lavar Burton's chief engineer embodies everything right about Star Trek's diversity and representation.



Artists with Disabilities Grant

nyfa.org

The program will distribute $1,000 to New York State artists with a disability who reside outside of the five boroughs of NYC and have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.



Video: A local home made accessible by its owners

youtube.com

These homeowners say that having a disability does not mean you have to lose your homes aesthetic. They gave our KARE 11 Sunrise anchor, Kris Laudien, a tour of their personalized property.



Kim Kardashian's Skims launches The Adaptive Collection for people with limited mobility

goodmorningamerica.com

Kim Kardashian's brand, Skims, launches an adaptive collection for people with limited mobility.



Paratrek Designed A Wheelchair To 'Make Hiking Accessible For All'

nocamels.com

A unique wheelchair developed for rough terrain gave riders who weren't able to walk the chance to join an annual high school hiking trip.



IndiGo 'denies' boarding to child with disability

disabilityinsider.com

IndiGo airlines faced the heat from passengers for not allowing a child with a disability to board a Hyderabad-bound flight with his family at the Ranchi airport in India on Saturday.



Man's Claim He Was 'Detained' at Airport for Stuttering Shocks the Internet

newsweek.com

"You have a speech condition that's completely valid, and they singled you out because of it," a TikToker commented.



How airline Apps let down blind passengers

which.co.uk

Only one major UK airline’s App works with screenreaders for the blind – but BA, Jet2 and Tui promise that they will improve after Which? investigation.



City of Regina to increase touchless crosswalk signals

leaderpost.com

The City of Regina is looking at upgrading more high-traffic pedestrian crossings with motion-sensored signals, for improved accessibility.



Opinion: Eliminate ableism in New York’s community engagement and planning

nynmedia.com

Ableism – that is, discrimination in favor of able-bodied people – is a pervasive issue in our society. People with disabilities often face exclusion and barriers to access in many areas of life. Decisions at the municipal level can exacerbate these barriers – or alleviate them.



Why Home Parcel Deliveries Aren’t The Access Boon They Should Be For The Disabled

forbes.com

Despite home parcel deliveries being a lifeline for many vulnerable and disabled people, an inconsistent patchwork of policies and procedures from service providers and a lack of knowledge and education from couriers are leading to significant issues with disabled consumers receiving their goods.



Accessibility: The Biggest Scam in UX

bootcamp.uxdesign.cc

I can’t even possibly count how many times I have seen designers describing their work as accessible, throw around words like “inclusivity” and “universal design”, just to present a minimalistic — totally up to trends — white and choose any color prototype, thinking that’s it. Stop right now, I hate you.



The difference between co-design and participatory design

uxdesign.cc

Are you truly co-designing with users as equals or just patting yourself on the back for getting ‘user feedback’ ?



Toward Greater Accessibility in the Physical and Digital Library

newsbreaks.infotoday.com

How does it feel when you walk through the stacks of your library? When you enter the building, do you feel welcome? As you browse materials, are you able to find offerings that you can pull off the shelf, put in your bag, walk with to the circulation desk, check out, and excitedly take home to crack open? When browsing the website, can you easily find everything you need?I hope the answers to all of those questions are positive. But how might the answers differ if you change the way you interact with the spaces around you? Would you have the same experience if you used a wheelchair to get around? What about if you were blind or deaf? Accessibility in our public spaces, both physical and digital, is something many people take for granted.



ADA compliance cannot be equated with accessibility

theaggie.org

Simply put, even though UC Davis buildings comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this is not the same as having an accessible campus.



Braille bombing Melbourne to raise accessibility awareness

disabilityinsider.com

Monash University researchers will “bomb” signage across Melbourne with stickers containing braille to highlight the importance of accessibility, as part of this year’s Melbourne Knowledge Week.



The essential building blocks for accessibility services

tech.ebu.ch

Media accessibility relies on several building blocks, each one essential to the overall service. If any element in the user journey to being able to share in the experience of the media content is missing or even simply weak, it can negate the value of the service. In planning and implementing media accessibility services, all the elements must be strong.



Ava sets the example for universal live captioning and raises $10M to keep building

techcrunch.com

Ava's tools provide instant captions for any voice the user hears, whether that's in a video call, on a Tiktok video or out with friends.



7 Resources for People With Disabilities to Break Into Software Engineering Careers

containiq.com

This guide goes over resources that can help those with disabilities break into a software engineering career.



Dragon Speech Recognition: How Voice Controls Improve Accessibility

boia.org

Dragon speech recognition software can accommodate users with a range of disabilities. Here’s an overview of Dragon’s features and limitations.



Bringing Lessons from Autism IT Initiatives to Everyone

blog.dol.gov

As an autistic adult who works on disability policy, I often receive articles from friends and professional connections about different efforts to employ adults on the autism spectrum. In fact, I have received many in recent weeks due to April being National Autism Month. I always appreciate this information, as it directly relates to my work as a member of the employer- and workplace-policy team in the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. But over time, I have noticed a pattern with the articles in that most of them pertain to the information technology industry.



Project IRIS makes smartphones more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing people

rit.edu

The limitations of telecommunication relay services are being addressed with the development of a new program that explores how to make deaf and hard-of-hearing users’ experiences with cellular devices truly equal to those of hearing users.



First-time positions anchor accessibility agenda

reminetwork.com

Stephanie Cadieux and Michael Gottheil fill first-time positions, launching in May 2022, to support the mandate of the Accessible Canada Act



Is there a difference between Usability and Accessibility Testing?

riley-claire.blogspot.com

In this article, you will get to know what are the differences between usability and accessibility testing.



How to Efficiently Include Accessibility Testing Through Continuous Integration

tpgi.com

If you find it difficult to prevent and resolve accessibility issues throughout your software development lifecycle (SDLC), you aren’t alone. Integrating accessibility into your software development lifecycle can be challenging if you do so without proper commitments and accountabilities. There can be obstacles when launching or updating a website page or application, even without considering these assets’ accessibility. Layering in additional quality standards and testing for accessibility can easily slow your operations if you’re testing for accessibility before deploying your digital assets. But fortunately, there is a better way. By utilizing a continuous accessibility strategy, you’ll discover accessibility issues early on before launch.



Web Accessibility Checklist

webaccessibilitychecklist.com

A checklist for creating accessible websites and web applications.



New Accessibility Partnership With the Windows Insider Program

news.xbox.com

The Xbox Insider Program is joining forces with the Windows Insider Program to share upcoming accessibility improvements in Windows 11 and provide the opportunity for you all to give feedback! Accessibility needs are as unique as you are, and we hope that as new Windows accessibility features come online you will have an easier time to game or do anything else on your PC for that matter.



Designing for Global Accessibility

nextbillionusers.google

Google's user experience researchers discuss the principles behind building globally accessible products and offer practical resources for the design and development community.



UX accessibility matters, Google and Microsoft surprise, and the metaverse gets enterprise scrutiny

diginomica.com

This week - lessons from UX accessibility keep us on our toes. Microsoft and Google buck the tech earnings blues - thanks to cloud. The metaverse gets an enterprise review, and NoOps wins buzzword bingo. As always, your whiffs.



Google leader on inclusion, accessibility: 'We can do more'

hcamag.com

As the global lead for disability inclusion at Google, he’s responsible for creating and executing the Mountain View, CA-based company’s strategy for hiring people with disabilities. That’s a huge responsibility that the California resident has been bearing to great success, as evidenced by the tech giant scoring a 100% on the Disability Equality Index – organized by global nonprofit Disability:IN – for three years in a row.



Firefox’s Picture-in-Picture rolls out subtitles – a Mozilla Connect community requested feature

blog.mozilla.org

There are so many different ways that Firefox users count on Picture-in-Picture for their best browsing and content viewing experiences.



Researchers studying how neurodiverse children use movement to convey emotion

disabilityinsider.com

Indiana University researchers in Columbus, Indiana, are working to better understand how humans use movement to convey emotion and how one’s ability to move — or lack thereof — affects how neurodiverse people are perceived.



The blind farmer: ‘It’s all I ever wanted to do. Now I can help others do it’

theguardian.com

Mike Duxbury never let the loss of his sight hold him back. That’s why he has set up a farm to train others with disabilities for a life in agriculture.



'Inspiration Porn'?: Mixed Feelings About Disclosing Disabilities on Law School, Bar Applications

law.com

Just as law students with disabilities often struggle with whether to request accommodations for fear of drawing unwanted attention to themselves, prospective law students and recent law grads must grapple with whether to disclose their disabilities on law school and bar admission applications.



Video: Racial Disparities in Emergencies

youtube.com

Racial Disparities in Community Living toolkit. The video talks about racial disparities in emergency management, explores how policy choices, now and in the past, keep disabled people of color from accessing community living in emergency management.



Will climate change mean India will get too hot to work?

mckinsey.com

In India, climate change could cause extreme heat and humidity which could put millions of lives and billions of dollars at risk. What will it take to reduce the risk?



What I wish non-disabled people understood about disability and plastic

greenpeace.org.uk

A new comic from illustrator and disability activist Ananya Rao-Middleton



Looking at Environmental Protection Through the Lens of Disability

diverseabilitymagazine.com

Individuals can only do so much to “save” our planet (and humanity) from the drastic effects of climate change.



Supreme Court Decision Weakens Disability Rights, Advocates Say

disabilityscoop.com

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision chips away at disability rights, advocates say, by making it harder to bring claims under some of the nation's anti-discrimination laws.



Why Americans In Some US Territories Can’t Get Disability Benefits

civilbeat.org

Residents of Guam and American Samoa won't be eligible for Social Security Insurance payments unless Congress chooses to act.



Voters with disabilities find barriers in new voting and election laws

vox.com

The pandemic helped improve accessibility, but new election barriers in states like Wisconsin are rolling back gains for thousands of voters with disabilities.



How Greg Abbott threatens voting rights for disabled Americans

msnbc.com

Laws disenfranchising people with disabilities came after the 2020 presidential election had a historic showing of disability voter power.



‘I’ve never felt this vulnerable’

theguardian.com

From eye-watering rent hikes and knock-backs to barely livable properties, this is the pointy end of Australia’s housing disaster.



Stuck in long-term care

abilities.ca

Without proper support to live at home, there are few, if any choices.



The long wait for disabled people to have adaptations at home

channel4.com

Now, access to a bathroom, or even getting through your own front door shouldn't be a daily challenge - but some disabled people are having to wait up to two years just to be able to live life independently.



Alarm after EHRC says long Covid should not be treated as disability

theguardian.com

Equalities watchdog statement provokes backlash from coronavirus support groups and unions.



Anti-vax parents leaving children with disabilities unprotected from COVID-19

smh.com.au

Children on the National Disability Insurance Scheme are more likely to be unvaccinated against COVID-19 than their peers.



COVID concerns of disabled people multiply as health protocols lifted

abilities.ca

In the two years we’ve been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become clear just how precarious the social positioning of disabled people really is.



Africa: We Cannot Keep Leaving Women With Disabilities Behind in Leadership - allAfrica.com

allafrica.com

Analysis - I know first-hand the difference that having women at the table can make.

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