@MotherJones
reporter covering disability • Alum
@UCBSoJ
• she/her • Say hello: jmetraux
@motherjones
.com • Please DM instead of @-ing me on story ideas
If you're a professor who is difficult about disability accommodations (including complaining about too many students having them), you're actively participating in a culture that gatekeeps disabled people from academia.
Blaming people who need to use AC to not get sick during heat waves is wild, especially considering disabled people are more likely to die in extreme weather events.
The wild part of disabled people being painted as litigious for filing ADA lawsuits is...it's not our fault that the ADA is largely enforced through lawsuits.
Both FDR and JFK (though less often) used mobility devices due to their disabilities. Both tried to hide their health issues due to ableism. This cover art is just ableist.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she may enact a mask ban to supposedly protect Jewish New Yorkers.
But, some Jewish NYers I spoke with said this is ridiculous, in part because Covid is not over.
My latest for
@MotherJones
Hello!!! In professional news, I’m being hired as a full-time reporter at
@MotherJones
covering disability. I’m excited to continue on this beat at a publication that has been encouraging of me pursuing these stories for over a year. (1/2)
Minnesota, under Tim Walz, was the first state to dedicate funding for Long Covid and related conditions in its budgets. Walz becoming VP could be a hopeful step in pushing for more funding federally. New from me at
@MotherJones
Hey fellow journalists, we're not supposed to do harm in communities we're parachuting into. If you're in DNC, it's a good idea to wear a mask on public transportation to limit spread of Covid to workers who may not get sick days. 😷
Happy ADA Day! When you talk about access....please remember how dropping of Covid precautions has pushed out many disabled people from participating in a lot of things.
I reported on the cruelty of the ending of a federal program to give uninsured and underinsured Americans free Covid vaccines during a surge at
@MotherJones
.
Scoop: When Nassau County passed its mask ban, the police department claimed there would be training. But as an information request from
@NYCLU
reveals, there doesn't really appear to be any! New from me at
@MotherJones
.
Journalism tip: Disabled people's needs are just needs – they're not special. That's why us journalists should not be using the term "special needs" in articles.
Until March of this year, the White House required anyone around Biden to test for Covid. Biden’s Covid reality is very different from many disabled, low-income and working class people. Some thoughts from me at
@MotherJones
.
Exclusive: Rep.
@Ilhan
will introduce the Long Covid Research Moonshot Act in the House of Representatives today. This is the companion bill to what Sen. Sanders introduced last month. My latest for
@MotherJones
.
I also hope this includes getting rid of submimum wage for disabled workers, who can legally be paid cents an hour in sheltered workshops in a majority of US states.
👀: VP Harris announces during a Las Vegas rally that if elected, she will work to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes for tips towards service workers
New from me at
@MotherJones
: the first class action lawsuit against a mask ban was filed by
@DRNY_org
yesterday in federal court, against New York's Nassau County.
cw: assisted suicide
Comprehensive palliative care (that is free for patients) should be a required treatment step before medically assisted suicide is even mentioned as a possibility by doctors.
If your argument is, they can just go to cooling centers:
1) Physically getting there can have access issues.
2) Many people at cooling centers are not wearing masks. Covid isn't over.
Maybe if you attack a 17-year-old for being emotional about his dad....you're the weird one. Wrote about the right going after Gus Walz for
@MotherJones
.
Disabled people are more likely to die in climate disasters. For
@MotherJones
, I reported on how agencies in the US should really be working with local Centers for Independent Living to help disabled people when disaster strikes.
I will start my first full-time non-fellowship job created for me, where my job is to cover disability issues, officially on Aug 1.
I did not think this would be the case when I graduated from grad school last year.
VP Kamala Harris plans to fight to get rid of subminimum wage for disabled people if elected elected as President—but there are no plans to do so in prisons, where disabled people are disproportionately incarcerated. My latest for
@MotherJones
.
Before you judge people for not evacuating during an emergency...what are you personally doing to help make sure disabled, aging and other low-income folks don't get left behind in your area?
@MotherJones
Getting Covid again or the first time is a safety issue for disabled/chronically ill Jewish people (and anyone can develop Long Covid)
And by enact, it looks like she would try to get the NY legislature to pass it, and then she would sign it into law. But the gov's plan is tbd.
As I reported for
@MotherJones
, Nassau County PD had no training for cops for them to tell if someone is wearing a mask for health reasons–yet the lawsuit was dismissed because of the health exemption claim.
"I wish people were aware of how sudden it can be and how no amount of 'healthy' eating, exercising or wellness culture will spare you from becoming disabled."
Feels a little weird for
@hrdive
to put out a call for how to support disabled & neurodivergent employees and then...
require a phone call and state "no written commentary accepted"
I was gonna pitch, but phone calls are pretty inaccessible for me
BECAUSE OF MY NEURODIVERGENCE
A year ago, I applied for a
@soljourno
fellowship wanting to highlight how online communities can be vital for young disabled and chronically ill people's wellbeing. I just published a guide on this topic, featuring articles as well as tips for reporting.
I’m open to tips for story ideas at jmetraux
@motherjones
.com – tell me about issues that you’d like to see me cover, especially if you’d be interested in sharing how something impacts you in a potential article (unable to respond to all emails but grateful for all of them). (2/2)
New: A federal investigation found that disabled people are five times more likely to experience domestic violence. And domestic violence shelters are not always set up to meet their needs. From me at
@MotherJones
.
When possible, avoid the terms special needs and special education.
While they remain in wide use in education and law, many view them as euphemistic and offensive. Instead, aim to be specific about the needs or services in question.
Everyone should be able to physically rest when they get Covid to reduce chances to develop Long Covid. But policies under the Biden administration don't allow blue collar workers the ability to do this.
Today, I learned that the car accident I was in eight years ago when I was 18 not only likely triggered my vasculitis, but ME/CFS as well.
Getting a diagnosis can feel a bit weird but maybe I'll be kinder to myself with feeling I'm not being productive enough.
For
@MotherJones
, I reported on impending changes to New York's CDPAP program—where this home care program will turn into a monopoly. Disabled people I talked to are scared they won't be able to get the assistance they need.
#CripTheVote
The North Carolina House just passed its revised mask ban bill. New from me at
@MotherJones
The Dem governor could veto it, but the General Assembly could override the veto.
Some things as I noted in my article that are important to keep in mind re mask bans
1) Covid isn't over
2) Wearing masks can help disabled people participate in society, which includes going to protests.
3) Mask bans lead to people wearing masks getting harassed
New: Project 2025 is using disability rights law Section 504 to try and attack abortion by falsely claiming that abortions disable fetuses (or smthn that's illogical). Disabled people need and want to get abortions.
My latest for
@MotherJones
New: On Monday, a federal judge struck down restrictions that limited who can help return a disabled person's absentee ballot in Ohio, saying it violated the Voting Rights Act. Latest for
@MotherJones
.
Btw, if anyone knows of upcoming nonfiction books that touch on chronic illness/disability, please email me at jmetraux
@motherjones
.com! I'd potentially like to do more book Q&As.
In Disability Rights Wisconsin vs. Wisconsin Elections Commission, the defendants are arguing that if people with print disabilities are allowed to vote electronically, then the state will be required to buy screen readers for all disabled people, so it's expensive.
#CripTheVote
Lol it's Disability Pride Month too. Anyway, wonder how many disabled people are involved in the art department at the Economist, and if there's an environment where people can speak openly about concerns.
Hi! For a
@MotherJones
piece,
@sophiehurwitz
+ I are looking to connect with outdoor laborers who have conditions/are on meds that make them sensitive to the heat. Reach out at jmetraux
@motherjones
.com (we can discuss using first name only). Retweets appreciated.
#JournoRequest
Some newsrooms decide whether to run articles on topics their readers will click on. If you want more articles on Covid, I encourage you to read + share articles on this topic. (Not talking about my newsroom, just in general)
The left wing media will stop at NOTHING in an attempt to attack conservatives, including encouraging voter suppression of elderly and disabled individuals in Tarrant County.
Today I spoke in support of lowering the number of College campus voting sites to focus on senior
Hi! For
@MotherJones
, I'm looking to talk to 3 disabled university students in Texas who either have voted on campus or plan on doing so. My email to get in touch is jmetraux
@motherjones
.com. Retweets appreciated.
#CripTheVote
#DisabilityTwitter
For
@MotherJones
, I talked to
@MadelineRyan4GA
on what it's like to run for office in Georgia as a young blind candidate and the importance of accessibility in campaigns.
#CripTheVote
"A collective union action pushing for better ventilation at work, for example, has a much higher impact than a single disabled worker asking for this accommodation."
@MotherJones
I still think it's bad that Biden ended the Covid emergency ten months before people had to stop testing around him. Covid clearly is not over.
and even if you get one, in university, it can take weeks or almost the entire semester to get accommodations.
(Highly recommend applying for accommodations during the summer)
Many people with conditions/medications that make them sun + heat sensitive get advice to stay out of the sun when it’s really hot. But as
@sophiehurwitz
and I reported for
@MotherJones
, that’s not really possible when your job requires you to be outside.
@mkarolian
I've previously asked the FDA why an approval thing was taking so long, and I was told they couldn't answer that question. So, I imagine other journalists are hitting that wall.
Opportunity:
@soljourno
just opened its youth mental health fellowship for its second year (its a year-long fellowship)! Honorarium up to $5,000. Deadline Oct. 8
For those waiting for
#StopTheShock
news, I did ask why it's taking the FDA far over 30 days to come to a decision to re-ban shocking disabled kids as punishment (30 days is typical when comments agree with rulemaking), and I was told this information can't be shared.
For my
@soljourno
fellowship, I embarked on a journey to report on stories on how online communities/resources are vital for disabled people's mental health. Here are the three stories that I've had published. 🧵
Potentially hot take: I don't think it matters that much that some people are saying they're shocked they got Covid from DNC. Anything that encourages asymptomatic people to test who were also there is good.
Happy disability pride month! As journalists, we could all do a better job of hiring disabled writers and editors, writing stories about disability issues and quoting disabled people in routine news coverage.
@FaubelRegina
@MotherJones
There are for sure non-Covid reasons to wear masks!
Given newly cut grass (grass is my worst allergy) once sent me to the ER after a soccer game in middle school, I feel silly for not wearing them before!
The EEOC and its consent decrees can be crucial in fighting disability discrimination in the workforce. For
@MotherJones
, I reported on how Project 2025 wants to attack the EEOC's important tool.
@MotherJones
His nephew has been advocating for getting more resources (not just for him, like at a WH meeting) for how expensive some disability care is – and that was Trump's response
You can write articles about the Paralympics without using the word "inspiring," I promise.
A trick is if you're not going to describe an Olympian without a known disability as inspiring, don't describe a Paralympian that way.
It's Swiss day, and as a Swiss citizen, it makes sense that I get myself a chocolate treat to celebrate my disability reporter position officially starting today, right?
@bibicosplays
Assuming you have $500 to give for this is wild – and also ignoring your tweets that you have expenses to pay (I think I saw you tweet something about AC, which can be expensive to get)
DNC denying some reporter’s request for disability accommodations:
“After reviewing your request, we are pleased to inform you that there is no need to change your seat,” read one such email sent from a DNC media logistics manager to an outlet.
Let me walk through all the ways this essay in
@chronicle
fails and the potential harm it can cause to an already marginalized group--students with disabilities. I'm not linking to it, because I don't want to drive more clicks. 🧵 1/x
“Long Covid is a silent health crisis impacting over twenty-three million Americans, including one million children,” Rep. Omar said to
@MotherJones
. “I’m proud to lead this effort in the House to recognize Long Covid as the public health emergency that it is.”