Jason Hahr

The Voiceless Minority

Having Autism Doesn't Mean You Are Broken: Debunking Dangerous Myths and Demanding Respect By: Michelle Zeman

As you may or may not have heard by now, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently shared some statements about people with autism in an April 14 press conference. The rhetoric that he is spreading is causing an uproar within the autism community.   If you're new here, RFK has made some… bold (for lack of a nicer word)... statements about autism. : They will never pay taxes, they'll never hold a job, they'll never play baseball, they'll never write a poem, they'll n...

Finally, everyone can take to the skies, By: Jason Hahr

I have written a lot about travel for this blog. I have written about cruises and concerts, but I have never written about travel. That is because, until recently, air travel has not been accessible to someone like me. I’m not saying that someone can’t transfer from a wheelchair into a seat on the plane; it would be complicated for me to do so in my current state. When I was younger, people could lift me and transfer me to a seat; however, as I've gotten older, this is no longer possible without...

Finally, Comedy Is Accessible for All, By: Jason Hahr

LOS ANGELES — Joshua Meyrowitz stepped up to the stage at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood and announced himself to the crowd as “your fellow autistic,” spurring whoops and applause.“One of the hardest things as an autistic person is being able to relate to people,” the comedian said, “and as a stand-up comic, you are required to relate to people.“With an audience full of autistic people, I don’t have to relate to s— now!” Meyrowitz declared as laughter rippled through the room. “I’m in the zone,...

Autism, A Family Affair, By, Jason Hahr

On Monday, we posted an article about a quicker process to diagnose Autism. Today, we continue our series on Autism. This time, we're dealing with an article discussing new autism research. Last October, Disability Scoop published an article discussing the interesting finding that Autism may run in families. Without citing the entire article, I will outline the basics. The primary conclusion of this study, discussed in the article, was that children who have older siblings with Autism are 20.2...

Finding My Voice: Reflections from the First U.S. Autism Show By: Michelle Zeman

A couple of weeks ago, I shared that I would travel to Honolulu, Hawaii, to speak at the first U.S. Autism Show. Now that the event has wrapped, I wanted to reflect on the experience and share what that was like. I was honored to be one of only eight presenters at this event. Standing at the podium and sharing my story was profoundly personal and empowering. It was a chance to speak openly about my journey – through diagnosis, therapy, professional growth, and advocacy – and connect with others...

AI Can Do More Than Just Write Cheeky Facebook Posts, By: Jason Hahr

In a world where artificial intelligence is more prevalent now than ever, it is crucial to understand the technology and its possible impact on the disability community. Most of us are familiar with applications such as Chat GPT. Chat GPT allows a user to provide a prompt and then has artificial intelligence write a document based on the prompt for those unfamiliar. Numerous other applications are similar to Chat GPT, and AI is slowly taking over the world. Soon, we will live in the Matrix, but...

The U.S. Could Learn Something from the United Kingdom, By: Jason Hahr

Last September, a publication called Living with Disabilities out of the United Kingdom published an article about a charity that funded work opportunities for people with learning disabilities. I will link the article at the bottom of this post. After rereading the article this week, I decided to write this blog about employment and disability in the United States. Recently, my now fiancé had to give in her two weeks' notice to end her employment because if she had continued with the job, she...

Advocates Concerned About New Executive Order That Is Set to Affect the Voting Process, By Jason Hahr

On March 25th, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections." This EO proposes many changes to how our elections work, including voter eligibility, maintaining voter registration lists, vote-by-mail processes, which voting machines can be used, and who is responsible for managing elections. AAPD is highly concerned that if any aspects of this EO go into effect, voters with disabilities and other marginalized communities wil...

I want to Share My Love and Not Be Penalized for It: An Open Letter to Facebook and Other Social Media Platforms, by Jason Hahr.

DDear Mr. Zuckerberg, and other executives at Meta Platforms, Inc.My name is Jason Hahr. I am a 38-year-old disabled male who lives in Ocala, Florida. I have been active on Facebook since the early 2000s, yes, I am old. I’m writing to you today because, while I enjoy Facebook, there is one aspect of the platform that I think needs to be updated—and I’m not talking about the technology. Your platform is very intuitive and easy to use, even for someone as physically limited as me. I have Cerebral...

Breaking Barriers: The First Annual U.S. Autism Show, A Preview: By Michelle Zeman

Today, I am writing to you from my living room with some exciting news to share. On April 6, 2025, I am scheduled to present at the inaugural US Autism Show in Oahu, Hawaii. The conference is hosted by Spire Autism & Da Vinci NCR Services LLC. The event aims to celebrate and support the Autism community in the USA, with its primary audience being the Autism community and clinicians. Neurodivergent Board Certified Behavior Analysts, like myself, will speak. What inspired me to get involved in the...

Advocacy Works: The EMPSA Act Could Provide Hope for Some People with Disabilities Who Want to Get Married. By Jason Hahr

Image description: Above is a poster for Patrice, The Movie. It shows two people holding hands, a man in a wheelchair and a woman standing beside him. Patrice, The Movie is written in yellow above the picture.  Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope your week started on a good note. Today’s article will be brief. The last several posts have dealt with the topic of disability and marriage. Apparently, our advocacy is getting some attention throughout the nation. On January 13, 2025, Congressman David Va...

Disability Transportation Crisis In America: Affects More Than Just Providers by Jason Hahr

I hope you are having a satisfying Saturday. Although we have made great strides, significant work remains to be done. Yesterday, I posted a blog about Patrice: The Movie. If you haven’t had the chance to read it yet, be sure to click the link at the bottom of this post. On the surface, one may think the movie is just about one disabled couple’s journey to get married, but it is about much more than that. While telling the story of Patrice and Gary, it also highlights the transportation crisis...

Patrice The Movie Makes Me Wonder If Marriage Equality Will Ever Exist for All People, Including Those with Disabilities. By: Jason Hahr

Okay, enough with inflating your head as you are reading this. Now, down to the fun stuff. Last September, Patrice: The Movie premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Shortly after, in October, it premiered on HULU. I will link an article written by Amy Kuperinsky for Disability Scoop that outlines the movie's plot in greater detail. However, I still recommend that you watch it for yourself. Recently, I watched it, and it inspired me to write this blog about the movie and other important tidbits...

America Is One Step Closer to Disappointing Me: Unfortunate Progress Has Been Made to Cut Medicaid by: Jason Hahr

What a worrisome Wednesday it is for the disability community. Steps are being taken to erase the work of great disability champions such as Judy Heumann and Ed Roberts, to name a few. As a relative of mine put it a couple of days ago, laws are made, then they are repealed, so advocates must never stop fighting. Although my relative and I sometimes disagree politically, I could not agree more with her words. Indeed, it looks like it is happening yet again. This past January, Donald Trump became...

America In Danger of Going Backwards: If We Forget Our History, We Are Doomed to Repeat It by Jason Hahr and Samantha Lebron

Okay, so maybe I’m late to the party. Still, I was recently made aware of a disturbing lawsuit taking place that will effectively erase the strides we have made as disabled people in America over the last several decades. The lawsuit that is slowly gaining traction, Texas vs. Becerra, is an attempt by 17 states to overturn the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protections for people with disabilities, explicitly aiming to overturn the 504 provision. I will list the 17 states that I believe are harming...

Against Technoableism: Re-thinking Who Needs Improvement, By Ashley Shew: A Review Written By: Jason Hahr

Image of Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement, By: Ashley Shew Standing Up On Bookshelf.The Voiceless Minority has gained tremendous traction over the last several months, and it will always be my primary outlet for my advocacy work. We have grown tremendously and had the opportunity to incorporate guest writers, including a permanent contributor, Michelle Zeman. We have also been given an excellent opportunity to present at the largest Disability Expo in the nation this upcom...

The Need for More Inclusive Dental Clinics by Michelle Zeman

In March 2024, the University of Illinois-Chicago opened an inclusive dental clinic designed specifically for people with disabilities. This facility features a desensitization room for patients experiencing anxiety, specialized equipment that allows individuals with physical disabilities to receive care without leaving their wheelchairs, and wider hallways to ensure safe and accessible movement throughout the clinic. Currently, the clinic serves up to 28 patients per day, with future plans to i...

Not All Disabilities Are Visible By: Gizelle Koontz

My name is Gizelle Koontz, and I am a woman in my fifties currently residing in Belleview, Florida, a small town outside of Ocala. I was born in Canada and moved to Florida as a child. I graduated high school in Florida and eventually became an American citizen. I have worked in healthcare for a few decades, mainly as a Phlebotomist and Laboratory Technician. However, I have also worked as a Medical Assistant and have had employment outside of the medical field, such as working for the post offi...

Assistive Technology Can Give a Voice to the Voiceless By: Sally Ouimet Waters

Today, we welcome a new guest writer to The Voiceless Minority community. Thank you for joining the fight, Sally. Sally Ouimet Waters, MA CCC-SLP, received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Florida. She completed her Clinical Fellowship at the Malcom Randall VA Hospital in Gainesville and has over ten years of clinical experience in the Ocala area, specializing in adult dysphagia and neurogenic cognitive-communication disorders. Sally utilizes current evidenced-based...

Advocates and Allies Are Concerned Over the Future of Medicaid in the United States By: Jason Hahr

We are one week away from Donald Trump retaking the presidency once again after an overwhelming victory last November. Disability advocates and allies have some concerns regarding a Donald Trump presidency. This article will build on an article published by Disability Scoop late last year. By the end of it, you, the reader, will be more aware of crucial programs like Medicaid and how they affect persons with disabilities. Along with a Trump presidency, the Republicans will maintain a slim major...
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