CW: Ableism
Bryan Rowe is 21. He is a young man who does what millions of young men do every day. He shows up, works hard, proves himself, and hopes that his effort will lead to bigger opportunities.
Rowe also has myotonic dystrophy. Myotonic dystrophy is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. People with this disorder often have prolonged muscle contractions (myotonia) and are not able to relax certain muscles after use.
For nine months, he participated in a supported internship, working as a garbage collector. He arrived early, took pride in his work, and earned the respect of his coworkers. However, when he applied for a paid position doing the same job he had been doing, he was denied—twice. That kind of rejection doesn’t just close a door; it shakes a person’s sense of worth.
The internship gave him structure, confidence, and a sense of belonging. He thought he had found a place where he could contribute and be valued. Instead, he felt used—good enough to work for free, but not good enough to hire. His mother’s frustration is clear, not just because her son faced rejection, but because that rejection came after he proved himself concretely by doing the job well.
The Southampton council’s response, a mix of political jargon and vague statements, deepens the feeling that something is wrong. They claim their recruitment process is fair and inclusive, but the result paints a different picture. If Bryan can spend nearly a year doing the work successfully and still be seen as unemployable, what does “inclusive” really mean? It raises tough questions about whether supported internships are real pathways to jobs or just sources of unpaid labor that don’t lead to real employment.
This isn’t just a problem in Britain. The undervaluing of disabled workers is a global issue. In the United States, it’s even written into law. In 34 states, it’s still legal to pay disabled workers below minimum wage—sometimes as little as twenty-five cents an hour. This system of subminimum wage is not only legal but also more common than many realize. As of 2024, around 38,000 disabled people across the country earned less than minimum wage under this setup. Additionally, 16 states have already eliminated subminimum wages without hurting disability employment rates, showing that fair pay and opportunity can go hand in hand.
The roots of this system go back to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, specifically Section 14(c). This section allows employers to obtain a 14(c) certificate, which permits them to pay disabled workers—mainly those with intellectual and developmental disabilities—well below standard wages. These certificates are issued to various organizations, including businesses, hospitals, school work programs, and community rehabilitation programs. However, 93 percent of these certificates, as of May 2024, are held by sheltered workshops, facilities that often isolate disabled workers from the general workforce while paying them much less.
The reasoning behind this system is similar to what Bryan faced. It operates on the belief that disabled people’s work is inherently worth less and that they should be thankful for any chance to participate. Productivity is measured by standards not designed with them in mind. Many workers in these programs spend years doing real work for subminimum wages, with few chances of moving into competitive employment. The pattern is clear: disabled people are welcomed as unpaid or underpaid labor, but when they ask for fair compensation, the enthusiasm disappears.
Bryan’s experience illustrates this global trend of undervaluing disabled workers. It shows a mindset that views disabled people as eternal trainees, always preparing for a job but never quite ready. This mindset keeps people trapped in cycles of dependency, not due to lack of ability, but because the systems around them refuse to see their contributions as equal.
Bryan internalized the message and concluded that he wasn’t good enough. This is the true cost of such decisions—not just the lost job, but the eroding of confidence, the shrinking of ambition, the quiet acceptance that opportunities are not meant for him. Stories like Bryan’s remind us that inclusion isn’t achieved through slogans or policies alone. It’s measured by the moments when someone who has already shown their worth gets a fair chance to keep contributing.
“Binman with Disability Denied Paid Role after Working for Free.” The Telegraph, The Telegraph, 23 Mar. 2026, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/23/binman-disability-denied-paid-role-after-working-for-free/.
Bird, Thomas D. “Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.” GeneReviews®, edited by Margaret P Adam et. al., University of Washington, Seattle, 17 September 1999.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20301344/
Trends and Current Status of 14(c). Association of People Supporting Employment First, July 2024, https://apse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/APSE-14c-Update-REV-Jul24.pdf.