News Items - August 16, 2026
Editor's Note: The disability community is increasingly preferring to use identity-first language (disabled person) in place of person-first language (person with a disability). This is because many in the community view disability as being a core component of identity, much like race and gender. Some members of the community, such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, still prefer person-first language. Both should be considered valid. Articles shared in this newsletter may contain one or the other (or both) depending on the author's preference, and if they themselves have a disability.
After a Lifetime of Disability Advocacy, I Fear We Are Losing What We Built by Gary Blumenthal on August 13, 2026 at Heartland Cynic (his own newsletter)
"Of all the harmful decisions made by Donald Trump and his gang of acolytes, nothing enrages me more than what they are doing to people with intellectual disabilities and autism."
The Orwellian Company Behind ICE’s New Electric Shock Gloves by Sophie Hurwitz on August 15, 2026 at Mother Jones
"The gloves, manufactured by a company called Compliant Technologies, have been used by police, sheriffs, jail wardens, and even school resource officers for years. They’ve been described by groups like Amnesty International as “readily misused for torture.” And this week, ICE published a plan to order $20 million worth of them. "
In New Assault on Trans Youth Care, Trump Administration Bars Medicaid and CHIP Coverage for Necessary Health Care by Delphine Luneau on August 11, 2026 at Human Rights Campaign
"For many people, medical care for purposes of gender transition is medically necessary care that is supported by every major medical and mental health organization as best-practice medicine — including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. Research has consistently found that the receipt of gender-affirming care can significantly improve the lives of people who receive it."
Trump’s Head Start Overhaul Could Strip Away Key Protections for Kids by Chabeli Carrazana of the 19th on August 16, 2026 at TruthOut
"Fundamentally, the changes would have Head Start operate much more like other childcare centers under state and local rules. Because quality is such an important benchmark in Head Start, its rules are more stringent than the rules governing other childcare options — in many places, those differences would disappear."
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