CW: Ableism
Disability has entered cultural discussions in new ways, but the idea that it is trendy or cool to be disabled is unrealistic. I have cerebral palsy, and nothing about it is trendy or cool. I’m comfortable with my disability because I’ve had to be, but it is not cool. Cerebral palsy has never made anything easy. It is difficult to live with and it is certainly not cool.
That gap between perception and reality is reflected in many recent discussions about disability, particularly in higher education. Providence College professor Justin Noia says accommodations undermine universities’ ability to grade students fairly. He says they distort grading and imply that students with the same grades can perform equally well in the real world. His remarks are indicative of a growing attitude that sees accommodations as loopholes rather than supports that allow disabled students to participate.
Nicholas Wolfinger, a sociology professor at the University of Utah, has witnessed the number of students who receive accommodations rise over the course of his career. When he started teaching in 1998, accommodations were rare. Now he estimates that one in ten of his students receives accommodations. He worries that some students will become accustomed to accommodations that may not be applicable in the workplace.
Many people are concerned about fraud or people taking advantage of the system. However, treating accommodations as if they are an advantage is stigmatizing. It forces disabled people to justify their needs.
Cultural messaging adds another layer of confusion. Former British boyband star Robbie Williams recently joked about using his autism diagnosis as a “get-out-of-jail-free card” at an event. No disability is a “get-out-of-jail-free card.” Autism is a disability, and it impacts people’s everyday lives.
Economic challenges are also impacting disability services. In the US, cuts to Medicaid mean that people are losing important services like therapies and home healthcare that they need to live their lives. Home and community based services which help people live in their communities are optional, which means they are often the easiest to cut.
In the UK, the situation is also tough. Approximately 10% of working-age adults are now getting disability benefits, and the number of children receiving these benefits has doubled in the last ten years. When governments cut spending, the people who lose help first are those who can’t work, can’t live on their own, and need ongoing care.
Disability is not a trend.It isn’t a lifestyle. It’s a reality millions of people navigate every day, often quietly and without the support they need.
Sources:
Broderick, O. Rose. “As Trump Administration Cracks Down on Health Care Fraud, People with Disabilities Feel Singled Out.” STAT, 18 Mar. 2026, https://www.statnews.com/2026/03/18/trump-health-fraud-crackdown-disability-concerns/.
Coburn, Poppy. “How Having a Disability Became Cool.” The Telegraph, 5 Sept. 2026, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/05/disability-became-cool/.
Horowitch, Rose. “Accommodation Nation.” The Atlantic, 2 Dec. 2025, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2026/01/elite-university-student-accommodation/684946/.
Kaplan, Ilana. “Robbie Williams Reveals Autism Diagnosis: ‘It Explains So Much.’” People, 14 Aug. 2026, https://people.com/robbie-williams-reveals-autism-diagnosis-12060050.
Maniates, Hannah. “Why Did They Do It That Way? Home and Community-Based Services.” National Association of Medicaid Directors, 16 Apr. 2024, https://medicaiddirectors.org/resource/why-did-they-do-it-that-way-home-and-community-based-services/.
Noia, Justin. “Giving Students Accommodations Is a Disservice to Employers.” Times Higher Education (THE), 22 Oct. 2024, https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/giving-students-accommodations-disservice-employers.