Travel

New Rule Requires Accessible Restroom on Single-Aisle Aircraft Delivered After 2035

On the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Transportation finalized a rule requiring airlines have an accessible restroom on all single-aisle aircraft, the type used for 86% of U.S. domestic flights. The new regulations also mandate onboard aisle chairs and annual training for airline staff on assisting disabled passengers to and from the restroom.  

Media

Disabled Writers and Actors Strike for a Better Future 

The unions representing screenwriters and actors have been striking for weeks, bringing Hollywood to a standstill. Teal Sherer talks with two wheelchair-using screenwriters about why they are striking, how it’s affecting writers and actors with disabilities, and the ways that the disability community can show support.  

Products

Lignorims Wooden Handrims Are More Than a Novelty

When we learned about a new wooden handrim from Austria, we were intrigued but had a lot of questions about how they’d hold up. Through an extended trial, Lignorims performed well in a variety of weather conditions, and even excelled in areas where most handrims struggle.

Healthcare

Dr. Feranmi Okanlami: Fighting for Access and Equality in the Hospitals and on the Courts 

As the son of two doctors, Feranmi Okanlami wanted to be a physician ever since he was a child. However, his 2013 spinal cord injury during his surgical residency program gave him an entirely different education — about how outdated the medical system is when it comes to disability. Now a professor at the University of Michigan, Okanlami is using his unique perspective as a wheelchair user and doctor to help make healthcare more equitable for all.  

Pro Tips

When an Accessible Hotel ‘Reservation’ Doesn’t Guarantee Anything 

For his first post-pandemic vacation, Ian Ruder booked an accessible hotel room with roll-in shower three months in advance and called to confirm it in the days leading up to his arrival. But when he got to the hotel, they had given the room away to another guest. Ruder details his battle getting the hotel chain to respond and talks to a Department of Justice attorney who urges wheelchair users to file formal complaints whenever this type of discrimination happens. 

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