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Emily Ladau

@emilyladau.bsky.social
6.1K followers 221 following 237 posts

Author of "Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally." Disability rights activist who lives life on wheels. ♿️

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Reposted by Emily Ladau
Disability Rights Advocates @dralegal.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
(1/2) Tickets for DRA’s Bay Area Celebration close September 1. Don’t miss your chance to join us on September 10. Learn more and purchase tickets: dralegal.org/2026-bay-are...
DRA logo + "Bay Area Celebration & Networking Event, Tickets close soon, 9.10.2016, Los Altos Community Center, Los Altos""Thank You to Our Sponsors" + Logos for CSAA, FTI Consulting, Google, King & Spalding, Morrison Foerster, Outten & Golden, Steno, Wells Fargo"Thank You to Our Sponsors" + "Acrisure Employee Benefits, William Alderman, Barb Izzo, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Joshua Konecky, Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, Shartsis Friese LLP"
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Jews For Racial & Economic Justice Action @jfrejnyc.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Our liberation as Jews is tied up with the liberation of ALL people around the world.
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Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) @autisticadvocacy.org · 01/03/2026
🕯️Today is Disability Day of Mourning, when our community remembers disabled people lost to filicide. Join us tonight 6pm ET for ASAN’s virtual vigil: youtu.be/HeF3LrHTuBM #DDoM2026
Dark blue gradient background. There are two illustrated white candles. Text reads: Today, March 1st, is Disability Day of Mourning. Today our community remembers disabled people lost to filicide. Join ASAN for our virtual vigil tonight on our YouTube channel.  The ASAN logo is at the bottom.
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Septima P. Snark @drsubini.blacksky.app · 23/02/2026
Here's a suggestion-let's listen to Black & Brown folks with Tourette's. Let's talk about systematic racism & ableism and how they work together in service of white supremacy. Center Black & Brown people with Tourette's and Black & Brown disabled people & de-center whiteness.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
It's reductive and downright missing the bigger picture to pit racism against ableism. Save your hot takes and defenses. Listen to and amplify the Black and Brown people, especially disabled people, doing the work of explaining the nuances of the BAFTA situation, though they shouldn't have to.
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Little Lobbyists @littlelobbyists.com · 23/02/2026
Voting by mail incentivizes higher turnout. In 2020, individuals with disabilities who voted increased to 62%, 6 points more than 2016. The majority cast their ballots by mail. www.kjzz.org/elections/20...
kjzz.org
Trump-backed SAVE America Act could spell trouble for voters with disabilities
The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. But, according to disability advocates, hundreds of thousands of Arizonans may have a harder time voting.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
The weather update on my phone's lock screen should obviously say "Blizzard Warning" but since it's cut off, all it says is "Blizzard War..." Feels ominous but accurate.
Screenshot of a section of my phone's lock screen showing the text that says "Blizzard War..."
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Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund @dredf.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Nine states are targeting the integration mandate that protects disabled people from forced institutionalization. Learn what’s at stake and how to fight back. Feb 25 | 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET Register: dredf-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/…
Graphic featuring a map of the United States with nine states highlighted in red: Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Black lines point from the 9 states to a callout box that reads, “9 states are attacking the right of people with disabilities to live in the community.” The headline reads, “Texas v. Kennedy (2026): The renewed attack on Section 504 and Olmstead. Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:30 am PT | 1:30 pm ET.” REGISTER"
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Gaelynn's writing is such a joy to read. Absolutely worth getting on the pre-order bandwagon!
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
I absolutely cried at the Puppy Bowl today and now I'm crying because that halftime wedding was real. variety.com/2026/music/n...
variety.com
Bad Bunny Stuns the Super Bowl With Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and a Real Wedding Ceremony as Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba and More Party on Stage
Bad Bunny staged a Super Bowl Halftime performance for the ages on Sunday, with Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, an elaborate set and a real wedding.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
The horses are so far out the barn door already that they've galloped onto a boat heading to another continent, and NOW you're telling people to get vaccinated? Okay.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
I care only about puppies, bunnies, and seahawks today. I do not care about patriotism.
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Sara Luterman @slooterman.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Important and alarming autism news from @rosebroderick.bsky.social at @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2026/01/23/k...
statnews.com
Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear
Researchers and advocates fear a key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda.
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Sara Luterman @slooterman.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Last month, Secretary Kennedy had a press conference where he claimed that the original intent of the ADA was to exclude trans people. So I asked a bunch of experts and someone who was actually there.
19thnews.org
Disability groups are standing united for trans rights. That hasn't always been the case.
Forty years ago, disability advocates abandoned the LGBTQ+ community in exchange for legal protections. Decades later, they are fighting a Trump administration rule to roll-back more safeguards for tr...
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Are there 9 million other dumpster fires to put out? Yes. Does this deserve swift and immediate attention? Yes. I know everyone is tired, but please add this issue to your list of calls to make.
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The 74 @the74.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Hinds & Floyd: Shifting the focus from education to diagnosis could mark a return to low expectations and lack of services for kids with disabilities www.the74million.org/article/movi...
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
People embracing the resurgence of the r-word really think they're such groundbreaking and hilarious comedians, but they're lazy, unfunny, and looking for cheap laughs at others' expense.
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Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
This is one of the things that I find is most shocking to people outside Minnesota who don’t realize it yet—the scale at which everyone who isn’t white has been forced into a spectrum of hiding. Very good article drawing out the Tahrir Square comparison.
Knutson mentioned in passing that his neighbor had “an adopted brown kid down there; they hid her in the basement yesterday.” This kind of thing no longer sounds weird in Minneapolis. Many people are hiding indoors—so many that, in a city with a substantial minority population, I hardly saw any Black or Latino faces on the street.
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Sara Nović @novicsara.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
I made this ASL video about the SALUTE/ACTUAR acronyms re: observing ICE, but @bsky.app won't let me post here because, best I can tell, hands are moving too much? Anyway, if you have a moment to share, many d/hh folks have 1st lang that's not English. www.instagram.com/reel/DT5OPk0...
instagram.com
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Always read @mashagessen.bsky.social.
nytimes.com
Opinion | State Terror Has Arrived
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Juan Escalante @juanescalante.com · 25/01/2026
ARLINGTON, Texas — Less than a month after demanding the release of a North Texas father detained by ICE, the disabled son of that man has died, the family confirmed. The family is calling on ICE to release Maher Tarabishi so he may attend his son's funeral.
wfaa.com
Disabled son of ICE detainee dies after 30 days of hospitalization
It had been months since Wael Tarabishi seen his father. The family is calling on ICE to release Maher Tarabishi so he may attend his son's funeral.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
If putting your body on the line against ICE is not a physically safe or viable option for you right now, that is okay. But if you have the privilege of being safe and warm in this moment, there are other ways to resist. Do not look away.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
"People with disabilities face an increased threat of violence at the hands of the federal immigration enforcement agency." True, and yet it's so much more urgent than these words can convey.
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Disability Rights Advocates @dralegal.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
DRA is hiring for a Directing Attorney in our #NewYork office! This is an incredible opportunity to build and litigate some of the most blockbuster #DisabilityRights cases that are happening in this country. Spread the word or apply today! dralegal.org/jobs/directi...
DRA logo + "DRA is hiring! Directing Attorney, New York. https://dralegal.org/jobs/"
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
My husband and I set reminders for ourselves labeled “drugs” and “ice.” Drugs as in ibuprofen, ice as in cold pack from the freezer. Only realized how ridiculous it was when both reminders went off. Sigh. Anyway…abolish ICE.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Generally try to avoid things that are gimmicky but lemme tell ya, the whole blanket with sleeves thing is actually genius.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Leaned over sideways to pick up a water bottle I dropped. Fell out of my chair and broke my ankle. 🙃
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Circling back doesn't match my chaotic energy for 2026 so this year I will only be trapezoiding back. Thank you for your understanding.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Told my husband I was reading the NYT Morning email but he heard me say "warning email" and really, that's the more accurate name for it.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Not that I have a PhD in international relations or anything like that, but I did pay enough attention in AP US history to know that the military intervention in Venezuela isn't the flex this administration thinks it is.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
One of my 2026 goals is to handle myself with care (including more proactively managing physical pain), so I made a doctor appt with a shoulder specialist and got baby's first cortisone shots. My arms feel like lead but the mental load is a little lighter today.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
How many more decades will stories like this will remain commonplace before anything changes? Always appreciative of @nprjoeshapiro.bsky.social's reporting.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
This administration wants us terrified of one another. To sow seeds of distrust so we direct our hatred toward people whose lived experiences differ from ours. To make us believe that our survival is dependent on disposing of those we perceive as enemies. emilyladau.substack.com/p/how-do-we-...
emilyladau.substack.com
How Do We Outrun the Politics of Fear?
On ableism, antisemitism, and being pushed to perceive those who differ from us as our enemies
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Trump talking so much about Biden gives the vibes T-Swift sings about in "Actually Romantic."
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Disabled woman here. Got married 2 months ago. Just read this to my husband and he said "I rate our marriage a 10/10, no notes." So anyway, Justin can stuff a sock in it. Also, reminder that many disabled people are barred from marriage due to policy. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
A federal judge nominee said disabled people shouldn’t be wed. In fact, many can’t.
Marriage often nullifies the government benefits they need to get by.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Love it when I go to the doctor because I care about health and science and they're blaring The 700 Club on the TV. 🙃
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Unfortunately, almost every time I accomplish something through my advocacy, the reality of inaccessibility crashes down on me. The systems we’re operating within are broken, and this administration is hell-bent on taking a hammer to the shattered pieces. emilyladau.substack.com/p/broken-whe...
emilyladau.substack.com
I Testified Before the Senate About Community Living. Then My Wheelchair Broke and Trapped Me Inside.
Thoughts on a broken wheelchair and broken systems + a link to my 2025 Disability Holiday Gift Guide. Balancing the joy and the chaos.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
You know what's *actually* a wasteful abuse of power? Halting the use of a typeface simply because you don't like that more people can read it. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/u...
nytimes.com
At State Dept., a Typeface Falls Victim in the War Against Woke
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The 2025 Disability Holiday Gift Guide is here! 🎁✨ Check it out: emilyladau.com/2025/12/2025... Yes, the world is in fiery chaos, but we can absolutely still embrace joy...which there's plenty of to be found in this year's gift guide! Always love collaborating with @kcaldwell.bsky.social on this!
emilyladau.com
2025 Disability Holiday Gift Guide by Emily Ladau and Kate Caldwell
Support disabled creators and give back to disability organizations this holiday season with the 2025 original disability holiday gift guide.
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Julia Métraux @juliametraux.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
👋 Call for sources: My name is Julia Métraux, and I am @motherjones.com disability reporter. I am working on a series (to be published before May 1) profiling three American aging adults (50+) about how you're aging independently while taking care of your health. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
Aging with complex chronic illnesses and disabilities at home
Hi! My name is Julia Métraux, and I am Mother Jones' disability reporter. I am working on a series (to be published before May 1) profiling three American aging adults (50+) about how you're aging ind...
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Cheshire Cat ᓚᘏᗢ, @autismsupsoc.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
I see people saying “I would use alt text but I keep forgetting!” Thankfully, @bsky.app has a setting for that. - Go to Settings - Then Accessibility - Toggle “Require alt text before posting” to the active setting. Now Bluesky will remind you to add alt text to all of your posts.
Bluesky Accessibltg Settings menu 

Alt Text submenus

Options are:
Require alt text before posting
Display larger alt text badges

Both have toggles for on or off.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) turns 50 today. I fear it could be the last year the law is intact. It was never fully funded by any administration, nor is it a perfect solution for inclusion. But its existence has been a vital path to education access. We must protect it.
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Kate Marvel @drkatemarvel.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
I really wish we'd stop calling them climate "skeptics" or "vaccine skeptics", if you jump off a cliff we don't call you a "gravity skeptic"
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
i very openly ugly-cried during "for good."
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Olivia Messer @oliviamesser.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old with intellectual disabilities, wandered away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE. “They’re failing all of us,” his mom said. thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
thebarbedwire.com
A Disabled Child’s Mom Reported Him Missing. He Was Locked Away by Federal Immigration Authorities for 48 Days.
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old who has an intellectual disability, walked away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. Houston Police called ICE.
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Eric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
My first piece for the newly-rebranded @msnowreports.bsky.social: RFK Jr.'s changing the CDC's stance on autism and vaccines signifies just another step in the backlash to #Neurodiversity. And it is a disservice to #ActuallyAutistic people. www.ms.now/opinion/rfk-...
ms.now
Opinion | RFK Jr.'s latest anti-vaccine move will cause untold harm to autistic Americans
The Trump administration is working toward treating autism as something to be prevented, rather than building a health care system that helps people.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
It takes a true villain to bring enemies together. Glad to read this statement. Wish it didn't need to exist.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Yes, the world is overflowing with slop and mush and nonsense, but this piece ENTIRELY ignores that the concept of an IQ is deeply ableist (and in fact heavily connected to eugenics). Intelligence takes so many forms, and none of them are the measure of the worth of a person.
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Emily Ladau @emilyladau.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
I don't know which is more infuriating: 1) That HHS is pushing "healthy eating" & avoiding "environmental toxins" as the administration is causing food costs to skyrocket & demolishing climate-safe practices. 2) That HHS is pushing the ableist narrative that you can exercise away health problems.
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