News Items - May 24, 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.
Euphoria Season 3 Uses the R-Word in 4 Out of 5 Episodes So Far. It's Making the Slur Feel Normal Again Op-Ed by Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc on May 13, 2026 at Teen Vogue
"Euphoria, historically, has been a pop culture force. It has, to various degrees, shaped how young people talk, joke, post, and think about what counts as funny or edgy. When a show like this keeps wantonly using the R-word—even when the word comes from unsavory or un-aspirational characters—it may signal to others that it's safe to use again."
Congressional Republicans Recklessly Bill Taxpayers for the Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Slush Fund and Wasteful Ballroom by Rosa Barrientos-Ferrer, Ben Greenho. Debu Gandhi and Silva Mathema on May 20, 2026 at The Center for American Progress
"American communities are living with the chaotic consequences of the Trump administration’s reckless immigration policies. Instead of putting a halt to these ill-advised actions, congressional Republicans seek to issue another multibillion-dollar taxpayer-funded blank check—one that will not make American communities safer—on top of the OBBBA."
Transgender youth and their families struggle to find gender‑affirming care – even in states where it’s still legal by Susan Radzilowski on May 20, 2026 at The Conversation
"Together, misinformation, legal threats and evolving policies have made accessing evidence‑based care more difficult. This has resulted in the weakening of the safeguards supporting comprehensive care and ongoing monitoring of young patients’ physical and mental health. Some families have been forced to navigate fragmented access to care, rely on less experienced providers or attempt to piece together care on their own."
Warren, Markey, Pressley Release New Report Warning That Ending Legal Status for Haitian Workers Would Devastate Health Care System Press Release posted on Senator Warren's Website May 19, 2026
"In February, the lawmakers, along with nearly 60 other members of Congress, wrote to LeadingAge, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Nurses United, MASS Senior Care Association, The Arc of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Nurses Association, SEIU 509, and the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, asking them to share how the termination of TPS for people from Haiti would affect their staff and patients."
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