Section 504


"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States... shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."


This one line powerful statement is the heart of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a landmark piece of legislation that laid the foundation for disability rights in the United States.  It was a groundbreaking step towards ensuring equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities in various aspects of public life.

The journey to its enactment and enforcement is a compelling narrative of relentless activism, dramatic protests, and the unwavering determination of a community fighting for their rights.

The Birth of Section 504

In 1973, the first federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, was signed into law. Section 504 specifically prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities by any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This law was based on the language of previous civil rights laws that protected women and minorities, recognizing that society had historically treated people with disabilities as second-class citizens based on deeply held fears and stereotypes. These attitudes had translated into pity and persecution and later into policies that were based on paternalism.

Activism and the 504 Sit-in

Despite its promise, the implementation of Section 504 faced significant delays and resistance. Between 1973 and 1977, no regulations were issued to enforce it. During this period, strong regulations were drafted by attorneys in the Office for Civil Rights and sent to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) with a recommendation to publish them for public comment. However, opposition from covered entities such as hospitals, universities, and state and county governments led to much delay. The disability community filed a lawsuit in federal court, and the judge ruled that the regulations must be issued but did not specify when.

In response to these delays, the disability community mobilized. One of the most significant actions was the 504 Sit-in at the San Francisco Federal Building in 1977, led by activists like Judy Heumann and  Kitty Cone. This sit-in, which lasted 26 days, was the longest nonviolent occupation of a federal building in U.S. history. Kitty Cone, in her "Short History of the 504 Sit-in" on the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) website, recounts the strategic planning and broad community support that sustained the protest.

Cone writes, "In the Bay Area, a broad cross-disability coalition, the Emergency 504 Coalition, began building for a rally on April 5th, knowing we’d sit in afterwards. We set up committees to take on different tasks such as rally speakers, media, fund-raising, medics, monitors, publicity, and outreach." The outreach committee's success in garnering broad community support from churches, unions, civil rights organizations, and others proved invaluable once inside the building. The Black Panther Party and Glide Memorial Church provided food, and the International Association of Machinists facilitated the transport of demonstrators to Washington."

The sit-in participants endured physically grueling conditions, sleeping on the floor and dealing with stress about their families, jobs, and health. Cone describes how all participants met daily to make tactical decisions in flowing, creative meetings that often went on for hours. This process was critical for developing consensus and a course of action.

Joseph Califano and the Regulations

The central figure of resistance within the government was Joseph Califano, the Secretary of HEW. Califano was reluctant to sign off on the regulations necessary to enforce Section 504. The activists' persistence, however, eventually bore fruit. Public pressure mounted, and the media attention garnered by the protests made it impossible to ignore their cause. On April 28, 1977, Califano finally signed the regulations, making Section 504 enforceable and marking a monumental victory for disability rights.

Impact of Section 504

Section 504 has had a profound impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and on American society as a whole. Key outcomes include:

  • Educational Opportunities: Section 504 has ensured that students with disabilities have access to educational opportunities and accommodations, leading to more inclusive schools and universities.
  • Accessibility: The law has prompted public and private entities that receive federal funding to make their programs and facilities accessible to individuals with disabilities.
  • Foundation for Future Legislation: Section 504 set the stage for subsequent disability rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), by establishing the principle that discrimination based on disability is illegal.

The false ideal of independence



Essential piece by@harisri108 about autism and loneliness. By making "independence" the platonic ideal for all people, it can wind up breeding the type of loneliness that can harm #ActuallyAutistic people. via
@time

https://time.com/author/hari-srinivasan/



 

Greek Theatre

Fond memories of Greek Theatre, built in 1903. 

Bonfire Night before the Big Game and who can forget the finale - Psychology Dept Commencement where I gave a speech on stage. 




Feelings and Body Signals in Autism

 [Plain Language for Lay Audience]

Alexithymia means having trouble recognizing and describing your own emotions. People with alexithymia often can't tell what they are feeling and find it hard to explain their emotions to others. This can make it difficult to connect with others and share feelings.

Interoception is the ability to sense and understand signals from inside your body. These signals include things like hunger, thirst, heartbeat, temperature, breathing, and the need to go to the bathroom. Interoception helps keep our bodies balanced and healthy by letting us know what we need and how we feel inside. It also plays a big role in how we experience and control our emotions by linking our body sensations to our feelings.

Both alexithymia and interoception issues can happen together in autism. 

Autistics might have unusual interoceptive awareness, meaning they can be more or less aware of their body signals than other people. This can cause problems like not noticing when they are uncomfortable or sick, or misunderstanding changes in their emotions, which are important for social interactions and taking care of their health.

Here are some examples of how this can affect autistics:

  • Eating: Not knowing when they feel full, which can lead to overeating.
  • Anxiety: Not feeling their heart race when they are anxious, making it harder to know they are stressed.
  • Pain: Feeling an injection as more painful than usual, or not showing pain, which can confuse doctors.
  • Exercise vs. Anxiety: Mixing up a racing heart from exercise (good) with a racing heart from fear (not good).
  • Toilet Training: Taking longer to learn to use the toilet or having random accidents even into adulthood  because their body can't recognize when they need to go.

From a brain science perspective, the insular cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are important for interoception. The insula helps combine body signals with thoughts and emotions, while the ACC is involved in feeling pain. In autism, these brain areas might work differently, affecting how body signals and emotions are processed. Studies using brain scans have shown that the insula reacts differently during body signal tasks in autism, which might explain their unique interoceptive experiences.

Addressing both alexithymia and interoception is important for improving emotional understanding and overall well-being. Helping autistics improve their interoceptive skills can lead to better emotional control and awareness, making it easier for them to connect with others and take care of their health.


2 Versions of this article: 

Academic/Scientific Audience

Plain Language for Lay Audience

Other Articles in Plain Language #PlainSpeak

Hybrid employment models



Mainstream discussions around remote and hybrid employment models often focus on productivity, or the perceived reduced networking and socialization.

Paradoxically, these very reasons serve to increase productivity for many disabled people, including the autism community.

Misunderstanding that autistics with higher support needs do not experience mental health issues.

"Accessibility and inclusivity of positive psychology interventions is limited across the spectrum, particularly for the most marginalized members… A critical misunderstanding that exemplifies these issues is the misconception that autistics with higher support needs do not experience mental health issues. This not only excludes a significant portion of the autistic population from mental health initiatives but also from the benefits that positive psychology can offer, highlighting the urgent need for more inclusive and accessible practices in this field." - Hari Srinivasan 

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2024.38246.pw


A nice note

 Got a nice package in the mail with this note,  as I head into the next Duke ACE meeting. 



 



"Willy-nilly... existing autism research findings, and the resultant therapies and educational strategies, have been applied across the board to all autistics.

Unfortunately, a lack of success in therapies not suited for you in the first place, leads to negative downstream impacts such as being placed in low expectations classrooms, the closure of opportunities, and less than positive lifetime outcomes."
-Hari Srinivasan, Time


Blindsight and its relevance to Autism

Autism Lexicon: Blindsight

Blindsight refers to the residual visual capabilities in individuals with damage to the primary visual cortex, allowing them to respond to visual stimuli without conscious perception. Its relevance to autism lies in investigating the potential for similar dissociations between conscious and subconscious sensory processing in autistic individuals.[Read More: Academic/Scientific Audience ]

PlainSpeak: Blindsight is a phenomenon where people with certain types of brain damage can respond to visual stimuli without consciously seeing them. Its connection to autism involves exploring how sensory information might be processed differently in both conditions, sometimes without conscious awareness. [Read more: PlainSpeak Plain Language for Lay Audience]



"Strengths-based opportunities are what the disability rights movement has always advocated and include education, technology, communication support, and accommodations, which have empowered individuals like myself....

Challenge-based solutions involve researching physiology, brain biology, gene-environment interactions, biomarkers, precision medicine, sensorimotor supports, and developing long- term supports, treatments, and technologies. Such care also needs to be part of routine care and delivered in mainstream settings for autistics that need these solutions. Neglecting these challenges leads to marginalization and impedes true inclusion and belonging"

- Hari Srinivasan, Newsweek