#National Developmental Disabilities

[dogbunni]

I'm so cooked

[bleue-flora]

[original post]

@marshymashers hope it's okay to respond to you in a post, my answer was getting too long, so here we are. :)

First off, Tubbo isn't autistic. He has stated on multiple occasions [clip] [clip] that he isn't and it is none of our business to question him or diagnose him. That is incredibly disrespectful to Tubbo and anyone actually diagnosed with autism. He has stated that all the way back in 2022 that he is not, so please refrain from going around diagnosing people in real life and spreading false information. It is none of our business what diagnosis someone does or does not have unless they want to come forward and tell us.

Yes, Tubbo is dyslexic, as am I, which does mean he is neurodivergent, however dyslexia and autism are not the same.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): "Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave." [link]

According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH): "Some of the most common learning disabilities are the following: Dyslexia. People with dyslexia have problems with reading words accurately and with ease (sometimes called “fluency”) and may have a hard time spelling, understanding sentences, and recognizing words they already know." [link]

In my post, notice I am not talking about neurodivergence as a whole, but specifically autism and the effect it has on communication and behavior. I also did not and have not said that autism excuses behavior nor is any type of shield to be used to paint Dream as innocent. Again, my point here was not about the wrongdoings, but about the communication I have seen over the past few days that speaks to a pattern that I have experienced over and over for 20 years that only after my diagnosis and people willing to hear me out as a result has subsided. I am talking about a 3 hour stream where Tubbo and Dream repeated the same things to each other over and over and couldn't seem to understand each other no matter how many times they said it. That is what I am talking about. Because I believe not that autism should be used as a shield but as a lens to view the situation more clearly.

All I'm saying is if people went into the discussion with the mindset that this could be a moment of autism misunderstanding not malicious or manipulative intent, then it would be more productive. Instead over and over the assumption is that Dream has ill intent so everything that is rumored and hinted at or said is viewed under that lens.

For example, it is a very common characteristic of an autistic person (or person with adhd) to mix up names. So, on one hand, people could see Dream calling Tubbo "Tommy" multiple times in that stream as Dream not seeing them as separate people and only seeing Tubbo as Tommy's best friend, and using Tubbo as a way to talk to Tommy, or whatever. But in reality, I can say with absolute certainty that Dream just screwed up the names on accident, as is common place for autistic people. There was no ill intent behind it in the slightest, it was simply an accident. That's all. Do you see the difference? By constantly viewing Dream under a lens of malicious intention we are mistaking what could just be a more innocent moment of autistic difference for wrongdoing. And all I'm saying is that until people give Dream the benefit of the doubt or grace that it could be an autism miscommunication, things will never resolve or change.

And yes, execution is at the end of the day the result and it doesn't matter whether you meant to hurt someone or not, you still did. But knowing intention is the difference between Dream being an imperfect autistic guy versus a movie villain. And whether rumors about him should be taken at face value to be true or whether we should give Dream the benefit of the doubt first.

In addition, if we don't take into consideration that Dream sees a situation differently because he's autistic and therefore an explanation of his wrongdoing may not make sense to him, then we are going to just assume he isn't taking accountabilty when in fact, he really just doesn't understand. In the same way, that Tubbo doesn't understand his reasoning.

For example, with the perception that Dream and his friends are misongynistic and sexist:

Tubbo's reasoning:

there are multiple accusations you haven't refuted of you calling a woman a whore + you singled out Aimsey and Hannahrose in your stream + you disrespected Caiti in that situation by getting involved and sending hateful fans after her + downplayed your involvement and the situation's point by not including it in your vid => you are sexist and misongynistic and need to clean up your act with how you treat woman.

Dream's reasoning:

there are multiple accusations you don't refute of you calling a woman a whore there is one accusation that I don't remember but don't want to call someone a liar, from awhile ago when I used whore more in my joking slang with my close friends + you singled out Aimsey and Hannahrose in your stream in my stream I mentioned many creators, including Aimsey and Hannahrose, to highlight my points about rumors, misconceptions and mispeaking + you disrespected Caiti in that situation by getteing involved and sending hate after her I provided information as I was a witness of a situation involving my best friend + downplayed your involvement and the situation's point by not including it in your vid I didn't include it in the video as Tommy didn't call me out for doing something in it and the situation is George's and Caiti's to discuss not mine => you are sexist and misgynistic and need to clean up your act with how you treat woman contrary to Tommy's statement I am not sexist or misogynistic, nor are my friends as there is no proof.

I don't think Dream is trying to dodge accountability, because (unlike some creators) over and over we have seen him own up, apologize and admit he was wrong or out of line and try to make things right in a reasonable manner. He has proven that he can and does take accountability, in this instance he just simply doesn't see why he needs to as he doesn't follow Tubbo's train of thought and reaches a different conclusion, in the same way Tubbo isn't following Dream's train of thought... anyways I really hope that makes sense or clears things up for at least someone lol. :)

[sierrabravoecho]

I want to talk about Hodor's communication, and I'm making it your problem.

Long post below the cut!

Hodor is one of the most prominent characters with a language difference that we see in the ASOIAF books.

In the books (so far!) we get very little information on the root cause of his language difficulty beyond being told that he's "simple".

We can accept that people living in Westeros don't have the same language to describe communication disabilities and differences as we do in the modern age. Typically, it's assumed that Hodor has some form of intellectual disability (congenital or developmental disorders which [1] begin in childhood [2] affect intellectual functioning and [3] affect adaptive functioning).

That being said, the show presents Hodor's communication difficulties as acquired following a seizure brought on by Bran warging into the mind of a young Hodor.

This gives us another possibility: rather than presenting with an intellectual disability, Hodor is presenting with some form of aphasia. While it's usually best to separate show and book canon, I thought it might be fun to analyse Hodor's communication in the books through this lens.

Unlike my previous posts discussing communication difficulties in ASOIAF (x, x), I do specialise in adult acquired communication disorders such as aphasia.

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder. Aphasia is heterogenous in its presentation, and can affect people in many different ways, including deficits in:

Spoken language

Written language

Reading

Understanding the heard word

Gesture

While intellectual disability is genetic, prenatal, or early developmental, aphasia typically occurs as a result of damage to the language centres of the brain (e.g., stroke, trauma). There is an existing link between experiencing seizures and acquiring aphasia.

Another important difference between intellectual disability and aphasia is that aphasia purely affects language, and does not affect cognition. While a person who experiences a stroke may present with both aphasia and cognitive impairment, aphasia does not cause cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is a key feature of intellectual disability.

Because aphasia is such a broad term, there are many different ways through which we can categorise the types of aphasia. The most universally employed method of aphasia categorisation is the Boston Classification System, which classifies aphasias as receptive or fluent (more difficulty understanding language) or expressive or non-fluent (more difficulty using language).

As we know from the above, Hodor can only use a single word. We are also shown that Hodor is able to follow simple instructions:

Because of this, we can assume that Hodor is presenting with an expressive aphasia. I'm not the first person to come to this conclusion: this post by the National Aphasia Association also deduces that show!Hodor's communication aligns with the characteristics of expressive aphasia.

Another article goes one step further and diagnoses show!Hodor with a severe form of Broca's aphasia, a subtype of expressive aphasia.

There is a possibility that book!Hodor is presenting with Broca's aphasia. However, I'd also like to consider that Hodor is presenting with another, more severe form of non-fluent aphasia called Global aphasia.

Here's a comparison of both subtypes:

We can see based on what we have previously said about fluency that Hodor aligns more with Global aphasia. His verbal output also shows us that he aligns more with Global aphasia in terms of naming and grammar. In particular, people presenting with Global aphasia tend to use neologisms (a series of sounds which do not form a real word) more often than those with Broca's. We know from Bran that Hodor is not an existing word in the Common Tongue, and therefore is a neologism:

In terms of what we've seen above relating to comprehension, Hodor aligns more with Broca's aphasia. However, there are some instances where Hodor doesn't seem to comprehend what is being said to him:

Unfortunately, we don't have data from the books relating to his repetition, reading, and writing. The lack of data is unsurprising for the latter two given Hodor's station and upbringing.

Hodor does not seem to be aware of his communication difficulties. Typically, people with an awareness of their communication difficulties tend to show frustration when their message is misinterpreted, or make efforts to fix communication when it breaks down. In contrast, Hodor is depicted most often as smiling and genial, showing little awareness of his difference in communication.

Finally, in terms of prognosis, we see that Hodor's communication does not change over the course of the books. Hodor's first word to us is Hodor; as is his final word.

Given all of the above, I would argue that Hodor is presenting with Global aphasia. He doesn't tick every box, which isn't all that unusual - only ~ 30% of people with a diagnosis of aphasia fit neatly into the Boston classifications.

In terms of the other criteria needed in order to differentiate whether Hodor is presenting with an intellectual disability, it is difficult to fully rule these out because of the severity of his language difficulties. However, in the below paragraph we can see that he is capable of both efficient adaptive functioning and skill learning (though this is one instance, and doesn't rule out intellectual disability in the slightest):

In order to give a definitive diagnosis, we would also need confirmation from GRRM whether his communication difficulty is acquired or developmental. And in the long run, a definitive diagnosis isn't all that useful for Hodor. Diagnosis is often used as a tool to pinpoint areas where a person may benefit from additional support, or input, in order to maximise communication in a way that best works for them. As Hodor is currently locked in a cave of horrors beyond the Wall, I don't think that this is a priority for him or his support system at the moment.

TL;DR: Hodor.

[and-her-saints]

is there a patron saint of autism, or close enough, id dap them up so fast

i believe so!!! informally, mostly. it must be said though, the neurodivergence of saints themselves is very nebulous because anachronisms etc. etc. this is my list of saints i have seen autistic people gravitate towards/saints already considered culturally as patrons for autistic people. i will also be including saints (well... turns out just 1 saint) whose hagiographies specify they had intellectual/developmental disabilities because i think they would be great patron saints in general <3

St. Thorlak — (Iceland, XII century) He was a bishop of Skálholt, and is the patron saint of Iceland. He is the main guy nominated to be the patron saint of autism™️. In 2019 this parish in New York made a sensory-friendly worship space, and they named it after St. Thorlak. Apparently, little is known about him. Some people say he had many autistic traits when alive, because he loved rules, I guess. However, what I find most compelling is that a lot of devotees report that they will call on him when having a meltdown and he will aid. <3

S.O.G. Léonie Martin — (France, XIX century) She was one of the sisters of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, usually the most forgotten and the one seen as "difficult". It is pretty much agreed upon now that she was likely autistic. She was a "problem child," very odd, disruptive. She was expelled from school, left religious life at some point. But she re-entered religious life after St. Thérèse's death, inspired by her little sister. Her story is very comforting to me, and I see myself in her a lot.

St. Agatha Kim A-gi — (Korea, late XVIII-early XIX century) She had an intellectual disability that made it so she couldn't learn the faith. Thus, her faith community would not allow her to be baptised, however much she longed for it. She's one of the Korean Martyrs. When she was captured and tortured in order to denounce her faith, St. Agatha Kim A-gi would say: “I only know Jesus and Mary.” She was finally baptised in prison, before her martyrdom.

Fra Juniper — (Italy, XIII century) This is by far the silliest one. He's apparently called "the renowned jester of the Lord" or the "holy fool" (???) and he was one of St. Francis of Assisi's early followers/friends. He took everything extremely literally (i.e. The Legend of the Pigs Feet). He really wanted to be helpful but would often end up causing trouble. He had to be told to stop giving everything away, to stop tearing his tunic to give other people clothes because I believe he was lowkey flashing everybody. Also, if his fellow friars left something of theirs unattended, he would just grab it give it away to the needy. He also decided to go silent/"non-verbal" (?) for six months because he kept doing this ritual of going three days silent for the Trinity, and one day silent for the Virgin Mary. And he just kept going.

[1] St. Thorlak – 15th century tapestry, National Museum of Iceland // [2] St. Léonie Martin - photograph, Sanctuaire Louis et Zélie d'Alençon // [3] St. Agatha Kim A-gi, digital 2023 digital illustration commission by yours truly (me) // [4] Full-length caricature of Fra' Ginepro — 18th century (British Museum)

[luidilovins]

Conservatives better get really comfortable with infantacide real quick. Abortion rights as well as other forms of birth control are under threat and sex education in schools is abysmal by design. People can't afford to feed themselves let alone spend upwards of $50 dollars on baby formula.

CPS already doesn't do their job, the foster system is overloaded and federal goverment spending is expecting to drop to 6% by 2033. The adoption process is predatory, lengthy and tedious and costs $20 grand and babies who are nonwhite are less likely to be adopted as well as babies with visible disabilities.

Conservatives better get comfortable with increased cases of shaken baby syndrome, repeaded child abuse and neglegence, kids that go to school hungry because their parents aren't feeding them, children getting dropped off at a realtive's house or daycare and their parents not coming back for them, babies being born with developmental malformation from failed at home abortion and acute withdrawl from drug or alcohol use.

"In 2021, 31 babies were placed in dumpsters, found in backpacks, or discarded in other dangerous locations. 22 of these infants were found deceased." -National Safe Haven Alliance

Republican conservatives better start getting comfortable with more people throwing their newborns into trash cans or leaving them on the side of the road or snuffing them with a pillow because even if you can force people to have babies you can't force people to raise them. You can throw that person in prison, but the US's obsession with crime and punishment does not take preventative action, nor does it reverse time.

For whatever reason they didn't want that kid. That's what the birth control was for.

[cripplecharacters]

hello, i want to write a protag with down syndrome and i was wondering if you have any previous ask/links about how to go about it? i dont know what their mental capacity or function is like, is it similar to the autism spectrum?

Hi asker,

This is mostly a research question. I appreciate your ask, but I want to clarify that we generally don't answer purely research questions.

I will provide you with some links. We also do in fact have a #Down Syndrome representation tag, as well as an #intellectual disability representation tag, which is relevant because pretty much people with DS are also intellectually disabled. (The main exception is likely people with mosaic DS, in which not all their cells have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.)

There's a pretty big variation on the abilities of people with DS. You could probably meet a bunch of people with it, and some will live on their own and have a job, and some will need 24/7 care, and some need someone to come help them twice a week, and some can only do a very simple job by themselves and not much else. And they still all have the same condition. This will vary based not only on their mental abilities, but on their physical abilities as well. DS is not exclusively a 'mental disability,' it affects the body.

I'm going to broadly answer the "is it similar to the autism spectrum" question.

Down Syndrome is diagnosed and defined by a genetic marker that affects both physical and mental development. Pretty much all people with DS are intellectually disabled. About half have heart defects that need to be corrected, because heart defects can be fatal. Many have hypotonia, and/or hearing loss, and/or visual conditions. I think this is often forgotten about.

Meanwhile autism is diagnosed behaviorally. It's defined by social & communication difficulties and restrictive behavior. About a third of autistic people are also intellectually disabled, which means it's common but not automatic. Autistic people can have some physical health problems that are common, but they are not linked in the same way as DS’s physical disabilities are.

They both are pretty common disabilities, they both can have a pretty wide spectrum of abilities, but they're ultimately not inherently super similar other than they are developmental.

Here's some links:

About Down Syndrome from the National Down Syndrome Society

About Down Syndrome by Down Syndrome International; this page has various links

Facts and FAQs about Down Syndrome by Global Down Syndrome Foundation

Down Syndrome by the US's CDC

Intellectual Disability Overview by the Cleveland Clinic

Intellectual Disability and Health by the University of Hertfordshire.

Hope this helps,

mod sparrow

[magpiemagica]

Disability in the US: A Masterpost

DISABLED AMERICANS CAN’T EVER CATCH A F*CKING BREAK?!

Sorry for yelling; just very scared and upset at the state of my nation right now. And the fact that the only people I see standing up for the disabled community right now is teachers, doctors, and adults of disabled children! I will be using this post to document and educate on disabled issues.

Note from March 25, 2025: Some stuff near the top might be out of date, specifically regarding the state of The Department of Education. I will however still keep those (pre-closure) links up as they are still relevant. Just be aware of the timeline while reading; I started dating my updates around Early March.

(Note: In this post, I will be going over a bunch of stuff concerning the disabled community. I am an adult diagnosed with autism (and some other stuff) who although being Lv1, needs support. These issues will obviously affect more than just Americans with developmental disabilities (autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, etc.) and I will try to be as inclusive as I can to ALL disabilities in this post. This is just the personal experience I am bringing in.)

RFK JR. (he is a whole pile of worms, no pun intended)

17 states are in a lawsuit to eliminate section 504 of of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this would allow public schools to discriminate education against disabled students. This includes removable of disability accommodations. 504 applies to other government assisted services as well such as hospitals and doctor's offices. This possible removable is a big civil rights issue.

Below are Section 504 itself and the lawsuit.

Speaking of disability and education, the dismantlement of the Department of Education. Just like stated in GOP plan Project 2025, Donald Trump plans to eliminate the Department of Education. This is a horrible idea for so many reasons but especially for disabled students and their parents. The DOE funds special education or "SPED" programs in schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, (in 2022-23) 7.5 million students in America receive special education or related services.

Obviously, the pulling back and demonization of DEI will be a big negative for the disabled community, one that already struggles with finding employment, belonging, and support. But most people are already aware of it.

Problem Presidential Actions/Executive Orders. There are many; some linked below. These are specifically ones that impact disabled Americans; lots of ones not mentioned are just as if not more concerning for other reasons.

KEEPING EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE AND ENDING COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES IN SCHOOLS: will endanger communal health, especially that of the immunocompromised

AMERICAN HEART MONTH, 2025: Magpie, wanting to raise awareness for heart disease is obviously a good thing! Why put this in here? "And we will fulfill our pledge to investigate what has caused the decades-long increase in health problems and childhood diseases — including obesity, autoimmune disorders, infertility, and autism." Yes and, my main concern is their inclusion of "autism". Ignoring the fact that they referred to it as a heath problem or childhood disease, I am autistic adult who has lived on this earth for around 20 years now. For me, this screams Autism Speaks. Autism is a genetic disorder and there have been many studies about its potential causes. This administration has rejected and censored the medical world; this will only result in misinformation being spread.

Update: April 6, 2025: more autism stuff.

WITHDRAWING THE UNITED STATES FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: This one should be self explanatory.

There is more.

There's more concerns I have but I'm tired :/. So tired. Just wanted to raise awareness. I'll post something fun next.

UPDATE: MARCH 11, 2025

Soo...it gets worse, like it always seems to do nowadays.

CDC is planning on doing a nation wide study, studying "the link" between autism and vaccines. The link that seems from the debunked and medically controversial 1998 Wakefield study. Anyone who has a valid medical degree, did basic research on the topic, or is educated on autism can tell you that you cannot "get" autism from vaccines. It is important to note that developmental, neurological, and mental delays due to things like lead poisoning, injuries to the brain, and medical issues like diseases or strokes. However, this is not the case for autism. Autism is a condition you are born with, similar to other developmental disabilities. It seems to be only really questioned because unlike other disorders like down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, autism does not display any physical deformities or traits. You cannot tell if a baby is autistic at birth, only later on as it goes through stages of development. Autism is a genetic disorder with some suspected environmental risks.

So, why is the CDC spending this amount of energy on a theory from a disgraced man who got his medical license revoked and has been fact checked by the medical community multiple times? Short answer, money. I talked on this weeks ago in the American Heart Month section. This is plan to transfer money away from important services and spend it on something meaningless. I don't want to call it embezzlement but that is what it is currently looking like to me :/.

I would be incredibly upset if this happened anytime but now?? The worst time. Antivaxx has been gaining more and more popularity over the years and I have seen a sharp increase of medical misinformation since the confirmation of RJK Jr. The United States government themselves pursuing this theory only validates medical denialism. And with the very real threat of a nationwide Measles outbreak; people need to be vaccinated against MMR more than ever. No more kids need to die because their parents didn't give them the proper vaccines.

Oh and also big Medicaid cuts.

Ugh. Signing out for now <3

UPDATE (March 31st)

UPDATE: MARCH 21, 2025

So, it’s happened. The Department of Education I mean. Not surprised, I’m one of the few who sat down and read Project 2025 (Section 11 linked). But God.. it doesn’t feel real. I’m scared, especially for disabled kids, especially in poorer areas. These families. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know what to do. God bless the teachers of America.

UPDATE: MARCH 25, 2025

Back to bullshit. Sorry if that's too harsh; I'm just not really in the mood for pleasant formalities. Due to the Department of Education being destroyed (including OSERS), as mentioned above, the responsibility of Special Education will be transferred to Robert F. Kennedy in The Department of Health and Human Services. He and his department not qualified to handle SPED at all. In fact, looking back at when I originally wrote this post, he was one of the leading threats I identified in this administration relating to disability justice.

UPDATE: MARCH 28, 2025

So, about the The Department of Health and Human Services...

Another link. And another link, more specifically about disability and these cuts (from Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund).

Sorry that there is no description on this update; hopefully I will fix that in the future. I am writing this in a hurry.

UPDATE: APRIL 17, 2025

RFK Jr. Another link. This shit is really bad. I'll add more details when I have the energy.

UPDATE: APRIL 24, 2025

Fuck.

Update: April 26, 2025: It’s been refused

Update: April 28, 2025: The Section 504 lawsuit threat seems to be dropped for the time being, at least the argument in it that 504 is unconstitutional and should be removed from 17 states. Instead they are going to just argue to remove gender dysphoria from the list of protected conditions. Here's the updated case.

Update: May 23, 2025: So the "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill" (that is the bill's legit name; I am not calling it beautiful myself) passed the house. Now it goes on to Senate. The biggest threat to disability is the cutting down Medicaid, something so many disabled people rely on. Although I did read the whole bill myself, I am not the most lawfully literate so I recommend doing your own research. The bill itself is linked at the top of the post.

[darkmaga-returns]

A major peer-reviewed study has concluded that chronic illness and deadly diseases, such as cancer, are virtually non-existent in people “who’ve never received a vaccine in their life.”

The study compares rates of chronic disorders – such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, developmental disabilities, and autism – among unvaccinated Americans with those vaccinated with a varying number of vaccines.

The team of researchers, led by scientist Joy Garner, found that unvaccinated people have far lower rates of illness and death.

The study’s lead author also notes that vaccine trials use faulty baselines, as their control groups do not consist of wholly unvaccinated individuals.

“Because 99.74% of the U.S. population is vaccine-exposed, published national disease rates invariably reflect the frequency of observed negative outcomes arising from exposure to vaccines,” Garner explains.

In the “Abstract” section of the study, the author notes that “those refusing vaccines are thriving while those accepting them are being injured and met with a multiplicity of grave injuries as well as sudden unexpected death.”

The results of the bombshell study were published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Vaccine Research.

However, the journal has scrubbed the study’s paper without explanation.

A copy of the study’s paper has now been published by Slay News here.

[labelleizzy]

From Robin Alperstein on Facebook:

Listening to Senator Cory Booker, who has held the Senate floor for the last 16-plus hours to discuss in detail the manifold devastation and havoc to people's lives and the economy and the rule of law that TrumpMAGAMusk GOP is inflicting, I am struck by his exchanges with his fellow senators in which they ask questions and he responds with clarity and little evidence of the exhaustion he must feel.

Booker, together with Schumer, is pointing out that not one of the cuts to Medicaid or other programs that DOGE and Trump are making has done a thing or is intended to do do anything for efficiency; there is no studying, no expertise, no examination of whether there will actually be any "efficiencies" or on the effects of their cuts on people's lives or on what these agencies and programs and departments actually do. Booker and Schumer give examples of that devastation, quoting from actual constituents in REPUBLICAN districts. Not only will millions of people lose their health care, the Medicaid cuts will cause closures of hospitals in rural neighborhoods, in middle class neighborhoods, and even upper class neighborhoods. People in nursing homes will have nowhere to go.

Schumer points out the specific number of jobs that will be lost and people who will lose their health care in Staten Island (voted for Trump) and parts of Long Island (voted for Trump) and the Bronx, and how those cuts will end up hurting hospitals and people in neighboring areas, and then highlights that if the 3 Republican House members in each of those SI and LI districts would break with their party to protect their constituents instead of hurting them, we would not be here. And they both point out it is all about making sure Musk and others wealthy like him pay no or almost no taxes, adding TRILLIONS to the deficit: Americans are going to DIE so that people who don't need more money can have even more.

That's just one example. Elizabeth Warren is now speaking with Booker, explaining that Social Security isn't a "gift", it's OUR right for having paid into it our whole lives, and that all the closures of the offices and slashing of staff prevent people from accessing their benefits that are not even in question, and function as CUTS to benefits without formal cuts to benefits. This is 73 million people that Trump is attacking, again to fund their own tax cuts for themselves and other billionaires.

Booker has spent the last 15+ hours highlighting all of this. It's so needed!! And I hope it stands as a reminder and call to action to get out in the streets April 5th to say NO MORE.

It's critical that people understand that this isn't just Trump and Musk, and it NEVER HAS BEEN. This is the entire Republican Party. It is Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House, pushing through a grotesque bill that yields the power of appropriations and allows these assaults on our programs and rights, and then, when courts AROUND THE COUNTRY including many with Republican-appointed judges, enjoin their illegal actions, now talking about targeting judges or ignoring the law.

I learned from a friend this morning that her colleague's wife's entire branch at the CDC was just fired by Musk -- and the wife was in the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disorders. DOGE thinks preventing birth defects and dealing with developmental disorders is "nonessential." These people are tanking research for illness, disease, the disabled. They are erasing and killing any ability to fight or deal with the climate change that is devastating the world and many species. The party of "life" is a murder-suicide cult of absolutely militant and toxic ignorance and cruelty and hatred.

Now Booker is reading aloud from letters of people who lost their jobs at USAid, who are detailing just how important the institution is/was, explaining its incredible impact across the world, and how dreadful the destruction of this agency is on both the lives of the American workers and the people across the world whom USAid's programs assisted. It's extraordinary to hear these letters and to listen to Booker, voice breaking, read them and respond. One of these letters detailed the propagandizing attacks on workers' lives and integrity Musk spewed, and what these lies mean for American workers, to create support for cuts that are devastating. These letters expose just how egregious the hate-filled lies that Trump and his jackboot treasonous henchmen are vomiting out to destroy lives in an endless firehose of calumny and mendacity, and the danger that Americans were put in from them, as well the increased instability that these cuts will directly contribute to.

I wish I'd stayed up all night listening to Booker -- he's an amazing communicator. I wish everyone had, especially the Trump voters whose livelihoods, medical care, Social Security, and other rights are being attacked by the MAGA Republican party they routinely elect, people who don't understand or care about the importance of the U.S.'s role abroad. They are finding out the hard way what they should have known already: the only representatives who will fight for them and true American ideals are the Democratic electeds they vilify and despise. The party that gave them Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and the ACA and SNAP and every other benefit they rely on. These are primarily white voters who seem only to take issue with the pain and devastation and corruption and cruelty that are the lifeblood of this rotten-to-its core fascist Republican party when they become its victims.

P.S. If you haven't tuned in yet, please do turn on the You Tube livestream. It'll help him and the cause-- it will help you too to see the light sSon Munn what is going on. Link in comments. (h/t to Son Mun for suggesting everyone tune in even if just on background to boost and support this.)

P.P.S I can't stop listening. Booker's moral clarity is incredible, his capacity to articulate the issues and contrast what is with what ought to be, so critical. He discussed how Trump has sown so much fear and anxiety about the Social Security cuts, and then contrasted that with FDR comforting people and showing leadership (yes ignoring Japanese internment camps and racism...but in describing the Medicaid and Social Security cuts): “This is not a model of leadership, it's a model of cruelty, of mean-spiritedness ...You cannot say you love your country and call yourself a patriot, you cannot do that unless you love the men and women in it. This is not right or left, it's right or wrong."

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

This WILL affect you.

"CDC was massacred. Entire divisions and topic areas completely wiped out. The future of public health is grim. These are some of the programs that were terminated:

IOD (Immediate Office of the Director) * OHE (Office of Health Equity) * OEEO (Office of Equal Employment Opportunity) * OC (Office of Communications)/ DMR (Division of Media Relations)/Broadcast and Multimedia Branch; Digital; Broadcast

OCOO (Office of Chief Operating Officer)/ * Much of OHR (Human Resources) * OFR (Office of Financial Resources) * OAS (Office of Acquisition Services) - only OD remains * FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) - entire office

NCCDPHP (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) * OD/ OIIRM (Office of Informatics & Information Resources Management), OPHP (Office of Public Health Practice) * DOH (Division of Oral Health) * DRH (Division of Reproductive Health)/FSB (Field Services Branch), WHFB (Women's Health and Fertility Branch) * DPH (Division of Population Health)/ Prevention Research and Translation Branch (PRTB), ESB (Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch), HAB (Health Aging Branch) * OSH (Office on Smoking and Health)

NCHHSTP (National Center for HIV, Viral Hep, STD, TB) * Director reassigned to Indian Health Service * DTBE (Division of TB Elimination)/ CEBSB (Communication, Education, and Behavioral Studies Branch) * DHP (Division of HIV Prevention) / BCSB (Behavioral and Clinical Surv Branch); PCB (Prevention Communication Branch); HPCDB (HIV Prevention Capacity Development Branch); HRB (HIV Research Branch); QSB (Qualitative Sciences Branch) * DSTDP (Division of STD Prevention)/ SLRRB (STD Lab Reference and Research Branch); DIRB (Disease Intervention and Response Branch) * DVH (Division of Viral Hepatitis)/Lab Branch GHC (Global Health Center) * Director reassigned to Indian Health Service * DGHT (Division of Global HIV and TB)/ PBEMB (Program Budget Extramural Management Branch); MCHB (Maternal and Child Health Branch); EHSRB (Economics and Health Services Research Branch); HIDMSB (Health informatics, Data management, and Statistics Branch); SPIN (Special Initiatives Branch) - SPICE (Strategy, Policy, and Communications Branch); SIB (Scientific Integrity Branch)

NCIPC (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control) * DVP (Division of Violence Prevention) * DIP (Division of Injury Prevention) * Office of Informatics

NCEH (National Center for Environmental Health) * DEHSP (Division of Environmental Health Science & Practice) * Asthma and Air Quality Branch * Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

NCIRD (National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases) * ISD (Immunization Services Division)/PHEB (Partnership and Health Equity Branch)

NCBDDD (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities) * OD (Office of the Director) * DHDD (Division of Human Development and Disability)/DHB (Disability and Health Promotion Branch) * DBDPHG (Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics)/Blood Disorders Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch; Hemostasis Lab Branch

NCEZID (National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases) * Deputy Director reassigned to IHS

ORR (Office of Readiness and Response) * CFA (Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics)/Technology Branch; Director to IHS

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) - All except World Trade Center and DCAS * OD (Office of the Director) * HELD (Health Effects Lab Division) * RHD (Respiratory Health Division) * DSI (Division of Science Integration) * Office of Mine Safety and Health Research * NPPTL (National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory) * Pittsburgh Mining Research Division * Spokane Mining Research Division * Office of Extramural coordination * Office of DDMOCP * Human Capital Management Office * Facilities Management office * IT * Policy Planning and Evaluation * Division of Science Integration * Education and information division * Information resources branch * Science application branch * Social science and translation * Training research and evaluation * Risk evaluation branch * Emerging technologies branch"

(Thanks Lenore Thompson)

[ngdrb]

Is Donald Trump Mentally Challenged?

The question of whether or not Donald Trump is mentally challenged is a complex and contentious one, with no definitive answer. It is a topic that has been debated extensively by mental health professionals, political analysts, and the general public alike. In this essay, we will explore some of the potential factors that may contribute to this perception and the implications and consequences of such a characterization.

One of the primary reasons why some people view Trump as mentally challenged is his often erratic and impulsive behavior. He tends to make contradictory statements, engage in personal attacks, and exhibit a lack of impulse control. This behavior has led many to question his ability to think rationally and make sound decisions, which are crucial traits for a leader of a nation.

Additionally, Trump's communication style has been a source of concern for many. He frequently employs simplistic language, repetitive rhetoric, and exaggerated claims, which some perceive as indicative of a limited vocabulary or cognitive abilities. His tendency to spread misinformation and embrace conspiracy theories has also fueled speculation about his mental acuity.

However, it is essential to acknowledge that the evaluation of an individual's mental state is a complex and nuanced process that should not be reduced to mere speculation or armchair diagnosis. Mental health professionals emphasize the importance of a comprehensive psychological assessment, considering family history, educational background, and medical records.

Furthermore, the label of "mentally challenged" itself is a sensitive and often stigmatized term that can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to the marginalization of individuals with genuine cognitive or developmental disabilities. It is crucial to approach this topic with empathy, respect, and a commitment to destigmatizing mental health issues.

Ultimately, the question of whether Donald Trump is mentally challenged is a subjective and highly contentious matter. While his behavior and communication style may raise concerns for some, it is important to refrain from making definitive diagnoses without proper medical evaluation and expertise. Instead, it is more constructive to engage in thoughtful and respectful discourse, acknowledging the complexities of mental health and the potential implications of such characterizations.

[ravasz]

. ⭒ ❅ — stories  of  muffled sounds of laughter behind closed doors, the feeling of being watched, talking too loud and too fast, frost bitten autumn leaves, hurried steps on marble floors.

basic information.

official  name:  martyn stark.  noble  title:  lord of winterfell.  date  of  birth: 18th day of the eighth moon  age:  29.  birthplace:  unknown.  home:  winterfell, westeros.  nationality:  westerosi.  gender:  demi man.  pronouns:  he/they.  orientation:  pansexual panromantic.  monikers:  the winter sun.  languages:  common.  accent:  northern.

physical information.

faceclaim:  brenton thwaites.  ethnicity:  the first men.  hair:  brown.  eyes:  brown.  height:  five foot eight inches.  build: athletic.  scent:  sandalwood, cherry and vanilla.  dominant  hand:  right.  allergies: pollen. neurological conditions: hand tremors as a result of the lake incident.  scars: stab wound over their left hip after the highgarden attack, one over their right eyebrow after a childhood accident, a couple over their arms and legs from when they broke some bones falling off their horse.  distinguishing  features:  glint of mischief in their eyes, constantly searching for an opportunity to annoy someone, a distinct smirk on their face whenever they’re getting yelled at.  clothing  style:  the usual northern aesthetic with softer shades of blue and grey, though Martyn does prefer to venture outside of the box sometimes, wearing more elaborate embroidery, with long tunics that go just under their knees and almost serving as a skirt, belts fastened around their waist for a more feminine silhouette.

personality.

positive traits: bold, observant, intelligent. negative traits: selfish, stubborn, manipulative. label:   the jester.   mbti:   estp.   enneagram:   the enthusiast.   element:   fire.   star   sign:   leo.   temperament:   sanguine.   moral alignment:   chaotic good.   character   inspirations:   roman roy (succession), dandelion (witcher), eddie munson (stranger things). deadly   sin:   lust.   heavenly   virtue:   prudence.   godly   parent(s):   apollo, loki. developmental disabilities: ADHD.

drives.

hobbies:  poetry, singing, drawing.  religion:  the old gods.  alliance:  the north.  personal goals:  tbd.  would they choose family or power? family.

familial ties.

parent one:  ruling lord jon stark, deceased. parent two:  dowager  lady  leona  stark  neé  karstark. spouse:  n/a.  sibling one:  ruling lord theon stark. sibling two: anya stark.  sibling three: raya stark.  good sister: ruling lady shirei stark neé manderly. niece: lyanna stark. nephew: benjen stark.

direwolf.

name: dusk. fur color: copper with some grey and white. eye color: amber

Much like his owner, Dusk is never in his expected place, running off as soon as he loses interest in any situation whatsoever. Martyn had never expected him to be anything different, their bond only strengthening each time they find their way back to each other again. Many a times has Dusk helped the young lord play pranks on others, and even though Martyn knows well that a direwolf is the farthest from a toy, they both seem to find amusement in their games together. He is loyal, intelligent, and though he might not be the strongest out of the other direwolves, he finds a way around any obstacle without any help needed.

rumors.

It was a bloodthirsty ironborn (with a description very similar to a certain lady of house Harlaw) that stabbed Martyn at the attack on Highgarden - she actually saved his life

Martyn and Elira Dayne have had a very tempestuous courtship of scandalous dances, hushed whispers, soft laughs, and heated arguments - they're just fucking around playing pretend cuz it's fun lmao

(gore tw) Despite his reluctance for combat and participating in jousts, Martyn showed an impressive display of ferocity at the attack on Highgarden defending his family, some have even been witness to him biting one of his attackers, tearing flesh and having blood dripping out of his mouth, mirroring his direwolf stalking beside him - this is actually true

At the age of twenty, Martyn and Alaric Mormont were asked to stop pursuing their budding romance, it is unclear whether they have or haven't - yeah this is also true

headcanons.

Voice of an angel, can play the lute quite well.

They're not the best at close combat. That said, their fighting style focuses on agility rather than strength, with double short swords and daggers. Ever since the attacks in Highgarden, they'd been practicing a lot more. Their proficiency would be in archery.

Their body temperature is very cold, they gotta be warmed up by hugs i fear...

Speaking of, after the accident they were bedbound for a couple of weeks, and their direwolf Dusk, known for running away a lot, had instead stayed by his bedside the whole time, curling up around him and giving him some of his warmth.

They are terrified of open water and swimming. They always ask for their baths to be scorching hot, and they need help from staff to do something as minuscule as washing their hair. They don't talk about this, or the accident in the lake, but there definitely are rumors going around about it.

The only things that don't make them instantly petrified as soon as they touch water are the hot springs in the godswood of winterfell which, whenever he's home, he visits frequently.

Has been to the Wall before when his father threatened to send him to join the Night's Watch so that he'll learn how to behave properly. Has been beyond the Wall as well, but only for about an hour or so.

They have a sweet tooth. Always seen munching on cakes and tarts and whatnot.

His swords are named: Frostfang and Winter's Dawn

history.

trigger warning: cold water/ice exposure, hypothermia, parental death 

As second son to the ruling lord of Winterfell, Martyn had been brought up just like any other member of the noble house of Stark, if not with less focus on duty and accomplishments. And what else was a lordling to do other than relish in the lack of responsibilities and enjoy their influence? They acted out, played tricks on staff, ran away, no amount of activities could calm their mind. One cold morning, at no more than ten years of age Martyn had snuck out, finding the crisp air after a snowstorm filling his lungs soothing, the silence grounding. Their memories of the next moments are still obscure after almost two decades, only filled in by their family and guards once they woke up in their bed. (hypothermia tw starts here:) They didn't realize they were standing in the middle of a frozen lake, covered by snow. They could still feel the sensation of their stomach dropping as the ground shattered beneath them. They'd never felt that cold before in their life. They're not sure they will ever feel the true warmth of their childhood again. (hypothermia tw ends here.)

Coming into their adult age, they had found solace in the arts, getting into trouble for having chalk or dry paint on their hands at dinners, and spending their days with their lute composing songs.

Much to their advisors' exasperation, it turned out that Martyn was far too good at charming guests, especially when they came to the North for diplomatic reasons and thus, the lordling had been tasked to attend every dinner to lighten the mood and soften whatever blow the ruling lord had prepared. It wasn't much of an assignment, however it had just enough responsibility for Martyn to not feel so left out of things, and to not feel the crushing weight of duty at the same time.

If they weren't playing on their lute in their free time or helping their father out, Martyn was traveling. They adored getting to see the North as they traveled across it, visit their father's vassals, their cousins in Karhold and White Harbor. But none had they visited longer than they had Bear Island. Martyn spent many summers on the island once he forged a close connection to Alaric Mormont.

The death of their father came suddenly and without any warning, and in the ascension of his brother Martyn helped as much as he could, trying to keep himself busy in order to not be left alone with his own thoughts as the mere idea of that made him feel like he would crumble from grief. He still hadn't processed his father's death yet, even after two years. He doesn't talk about him, only when he's drunk on wine enough to forget about the conversation the next day.

With the crown forcing to have them travel back and forth on a strenuous and dangerous journey south from Winterfell to King's Landing, then to Highgarden to play court, Martyn was always unsettled about, and after the attack that stormy night, after once again having to travel back home broken and distressed, he has had enough. Not soon after they arrived to Winterfell, Martyn set out on the road again, visiting Bear Island for a couple of months where he would train with his dear friend Alaric, having realized that he would have to be more proficient in combat if he believed the whispers about something brewing in the realm were true.

[cripplecharacters]

Hello! First of all I wanted to thank everyone who runs this blog, it's wonderfully helpful in a lot of ways, and it's nice to see so much information coming from direct sources all in one place. I have a lot of anxiety around accidentally harming people with my work, so finding such a wealth of references, opinions, resources, and discussion is very valuable to me. It gives me the confidence I need to move forward knowing that I won't get everything right, but I can avoid what I know to be harmful.

I do have a question, sorry for taking so long to get to it. I want to write a story featuring a physically disabled character from at least a semi-accurate historical lens (specifically 19th century England), but I don't want to rely on notoriously ableist doctor's accounts. That's potentially useful for understanding how the medical field understood various disabilities and the social attitudes surrounding them, but I want to know more about the day-to-day lives of actual disabled people before modern medicine/research, especially those who may not have had access to hospitals. My intent is this- I want to understand my character and her disability from a modern perspective, but within the time frame I know this character would not have access to the same information and so would approach her life differently than a person today with the same disabilities would. Do you know of any particular historians or research organizations that might have that kind of information? I apologize for the broad scope of the question, but I am very lost on where to actually start looking and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this ask, and for all the work you do in general, have a great day!

Hi,

Thank you for your thoughtful question.

I'll start of with the fact that disability history is painfully under-researched, particularly the further back in time you go.

Part of this is modern ableism, part of it is ableism from the past, part of this is scattered understanding of conditions in the past, part of it is that a decent number of disabilities need treatment for survival, and part of this is simply a lack of sources. There's other factors, of course, but these are all pretty relevant.

If I'm honest, I generally do my historical research in very sort of piecemeal ways and I get bits and pieces from various sources that I often lose years later, which I recommend to no one lol.

I usually end up reading scientific/historical modern articles that I go to like the third page of google to find, or try my best to find a period piece that will show me a sense of how a person with a certain condition could be treated,

However, let me point you towards some organizations that might help:

This is a page from Historic England that has a general history of disability from 1050 onwards. It's categorized in general time periods, starting with 11th-14th century and ending in the modern times. I like this resource and have used it often, and it's pretty accessible and easy to read since it's made for the general public as opposed to for researchers and historians. Historic England also has further Inclusive research, if you're interested.

The US's National Parks Service (unlikely source, I know) has a project named Telling All Americans' Stories, and has a section for disability history right here. It has a general overview, a section for places, a section for people, a section for education, and one for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's experience and impact re: polio and resulting disability. Of course, this source has more things connected to the national parks, given who is doing the research, but I still find it a pretty good source to start off with. It's also quite accessible since it's aimed at the general public and not historians or researchers.

The Minnesota State Government has a "Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities," and this council has a general history of developmental disabilities resource right here. It's divided into pre-1950 and post-1950, but it covers a lot of ground while being pretty accessible. It's a pretty cool resource, actually. I'm pretty sure I've found relevant photographs here.

The Disability History Association was established in 2004 has a podcast and is focused on specificlly funding research of disabilities. They have a page right here with a list of recent books and articles about disability history. These are all 2016 to present and all seem to be English language. It also lists two upcoming research publications that are in progress. I haven't specifically used this for my research, but I recognize some of the articles it refers to on that second page I linked. It's entirely possible I've been on this site before without remembering, though.

All Of Us is a blog by the above DHA which seems to have multiple contributors. This one I have not used.

Inclusive Historian has a resource here on a sort of general disability history, and is aimed more towards historians themselves to use to write more effectively. I also see this as a potential tool for fiction writers, as it can be useful when it comes to combining historical accuracy (to whatever degree you want it in your fiction) with modern sensitivities for modern audiences.

Disability Social History project is a self-named newer project aiming to collect historical information about disability and disabled people. It has a resources page here as well.

The Missouri History Museum has a legacy website called Action for Access with a focus on the history of the disability rights movement. This is a narrower focus and earlier than the time period you're going to write about, but it has pictures to browse. I have not found a modern equivalent of this website. Be aware that this website might not fit accessibility standards more common today because it's a legacy website.

Anyway, sorry that this seems so broad and maybe less specific than you'd like — I still hope it helps you and anyone else needing a jumping off point to research.

– mod sparrow

[martyrbat]

being heumann: an unrepentant memoir of a disability rights activist – judith heumann

[TEXT: I think what people miss sometimes, when they’re thinking about disabled people, is our vulnerability. The boy whom the grandmother wanted to kill was a baby and so of course completely dependent on his mother and father for survival. But that vulnerability doesn’t end with infancy or childhood. Our continued need for help as disabled adults makes us vulnerable. Over eighty percent of women with disabilities will be sexually abused in our lifetimes, which is about four times the rate among nondisabled women. What is even worse is that people don’t believe us when it happens—they use our inability to speak or our developmental disabilities as reasons not to believe us.

Despite this reality, however, our issues weren’t on the agenda of human rights activism at that time. There was an international movement, which I was a part of, and the United Nations was making an effort to call attention to our situation. But any mention of disability was virtually absent in the major international treaties, funding was limited, and data across the world documenting numbers and disability issues was scarce to nonexistent. We were off the radar for any major foundation, and most graduate programs on international human rights didn’t even cover people with disabilities. We were some of the most vulnerable people on the planet, some of the poorest of the poor, and we were still invisible. Even to activists.]

[darkmaga-returns]

by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today criticized mainstream media for pushing the narrative that rising autism rates are just a result of better diagnosis.

“One of the things that I think we need to move away from today is this ideology that autism diagnosis, that the autism prevalence increases, are simply artifacts of better diagnosis, better recognition, or changing diagnostic criteria,” Kennedy said at his first press conference since taking office.

HHS called the press conference to share results of the latest study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on autism prevalence, published yesterday.

An estimated 1 in 31 (3.22%) 8-year-old children had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in 2022 — up from 1 in 36 (2.8%) in 2020, the CDC said in its latest report from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM), which is published every two years.

Overall, the prevalence of autism in U.S. children rose approximately 17% between 2020 and 2022, continuing a decades-long trend.

[reasonandempathy]

A brief summary of how Education fails Boys

I saw people sincerely questioning and minimizing the current struggles boys face in education.

So, I wanted to collect some relevant information, with sources. All of these are from the past couple of years, from 2021 onward.

Girls have more difficulty accessing education and are more likely than boys to be out of school at primary level. However, boys are at greater risk of repeating grades, failing to progress and complete their education, and not learning while in school. Globally, 128 million boys are out of school. That’s more than half of the global out-of-school youth population and more than the 122 million girls who are also out of school. The Leave no child behind: Global report on boys’ disengagement from education shows that boys are increasingly left behind in education. They are at greater risk of repeating grades, failing to progress and complete their education, and not learning while in school. While previously boys’ disengagement and dropout were concerns mainly in high-income countries, several low- and middle-income countries have seen a reversal in gender gaps, with boys now lagging behind girls in enrolment, completion and learning outcomes. Boys are more likely than girls to repeat primary grades in 130 countries, and more likely to not have an upper secondary education in 73 countries. At tertiary level, globally only 88 men are enrolled for every 100 women. 

In 1970, women only made up 42 percent of the college population. Today, the roles have essentially reversed. The U.S. Department of Education estimates men to make up 43 percent of enrolled individuals in college. And this crisis impacts minority populations even more: only 36 percent of Black and 40 percent of Hispanic bachelor degree recipients are male. 

This is not an issue of colleges neglecting to admit men at an equal rate. Rather, colleges are receiving fewer applications from men than women. In 2010, only 44 percent of college applications were from men and that number has been steadily declining since. The decrease in male applicants is a sign that men are discouraged from pursuing higher education at a disproportionately high rate. 

These statistics point to a larger, systemic problem. The American education system perpetuates a series of gender norms that cause significant harm to children; boys are impacted by these expectations in a way that tends to be overlooked. The stereotype that boys have a higher propensity to misbehave has led to the over-punishment of boys in the classroom.        

Boys are facing key challenges in school. Inside the effort to support their success

An APA task force is spotlighting the specific issues and recommending evidence-based ways to enact swift change At school, by almost every metric, boys of all ages are doing worse than girls. They are disciplined and diagnosed with learning disabilities at higher rates, their grades and test scores are lower, and they’re less likely to graduate from high school (Owens, J., Sociology of Education, Vol. 89, No. 3, 2016; Voyer, D., & Voyer, S. D., Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 140, No. 4, 2014; “The unreported gender gap in high school graduation rates,” Brookings, 2021). These disparities persist at the university level, where female enrollment now outpaces male enrollment by 16% (Undergraduate Enrollment, National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). “The gap between boys and girls is apparent from very early on,” said developmental psychologist Ioakim Boutakidis, PhD, a professor of child and adolescent studies at California State University, Fullerton. “The disparities not only exist across the board—from kindergarten all the way to college—but they are growing over time.” For boys of color, that gap is even larger. They face suspension and expulsion from school at almost five times the rate of their White male classmates and are even less likely to finish high school or college (“Exploring Boys’ (Mis)Behavior,” Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinities, 2022 [PDF, 261KB]). The implications of these disparities are huge. Doing poorly at school is strongly associated with major challenges later in life, including addiction, mental and physical health problems, and involvement with the criminal justice system—problems that also have ripple effects on society at large. In the United States, getting at least a college degree may be the one remaining, relatively stable ticket to a decent life, Boutakidis said.

In a recent New York Times essay, “It’s Become Increasingly Hard for Them to Feel Good About Themselves,” Thomas Edsall reviews a variety of research studies highlighting the plight of young men in the United States. As a front-line educator who has worked in boys’ schools for 30 years and served as the head of a boys’ school for the past 20 years, I’ve been an unhappy witness to this dilemma. Data supports the claim that boys are falling behind, and dramatically so. For example, there is a growing gender gap in high school graduation rates. According to the Brooking Institution, in 2018, about 88% of girls graduated on time, compared with 82% of boys. For college enrollment, the gender gap is even more striking, with men now trailing women in higher education at record levels. Last year, women made up 60% of college students while men accounted for only 40%, according to statistics from the National Student Clearinghouse. College enrollment in the United States has declined by 1.5 million students over the past five years, with men accounting for 71% of that drop.