Rock Steady Blog

By Michael Rock As our society becomes increasingly aware and accepting of disability, it is important to recognize some of the latest developments. In Maryland, public school authorities are working on a curriculum that includes the history of the disability rights movement, along with that of the LGBT rights movement, as part of the larger […]

By Michael Rock It is often said that married couples whose children have developmental or intellectual disabilities will inevitably divorce, as in the recent case of former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her soon-to-be ex-husband Todd, whose youngest son, Trig, has Down Syndrome. Fortunately, there is no evidence that […]

By Michael Rock In the past week, several individuals with autism have gotten attention for their accomplishments. Sixteen-year old Greta Thunberg of Sweden has made international headlines for her activism against climate change. On September 20, she spoke in New York City’s Global Climate Strike, which also had smaller rallies worldwide, ahead of a United […]

By Michael Rock As people with intellectual and developmental disabilities age, one of the biggest fears their parents often experience must confront is where their children will live when they are no longer able to care for them. In some places such as Canada’s Ontario province, government-funded housing for people with such conditions is not […]

By Michael Rock: One near-constant that people with disabilities and their loved ones face at some point or another is the pain of judgement at the hands of strangers while in public. Fortunately, there are an increasing number of spaces that are designed or adapted in a way that allows people with disabilities to be […]

By Michael Rock: Summertime can be difficult for children with disabilities and their families. While parents usually work during the summer months, many summer camps are unwilling or unable to be as inclusive of campers with disabilities as they should be. Fortunately, there are numerous programs throughout the US that are specially developed to accommodate […]

By: Michael Rock As the 2020 presidential campaign has begun, there are many questions about how the candidates will address issues specific to people with disabilities. A recent Rutgers University study showed that in the 2018 midterm elections in which a record 53 percent of eligible voters came to the polls, voters with disabilities were […]

By Michael Rock July 26, 2019 marked the twenty-ninth anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The act attempts to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities by establishing a set of national standards to better address their needs in areas ranging from housing to employment to recreation to education. […]

By Michael Rock For many people, marriage is an important development over the course of life. Unfortunately, people with disabilities experience social, legal, and financial discrimination if they want to get married. Stigma and misconceptions surrounding people with disabilities are just one reason why they have a harder time getting married than those without disabilities. […]

By: Michael Rock Being a parent is a challenging job. For parents with disabilities, it can be even more daunting. According to the latest research, the United States is home to anywhere between 2.9 million and 4.1 million parents with disabilities. Many such parents say the unique struggles they face raising their children are primarily […]