Equal access, equal opportunity

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life.

Disability rights activist Judy Heumann laid the groundwork for this act when she led a 504-person sit-in. And while the ADA was a significant win, there is still a long way to go — especially when it comes to women. Here’s why:

1.	Disability is more common among women: 1 in 4 women have a disability.
2.	Before the pandemic, only 34.6% of women with disabilities were employed in the US — compared to 82.5% of women overall.
3.	During the pandemic, people with disabilities have been losing their jobs at a higher rate than people without disabilities … and so have women.
4.	Intersectional pay gaps are real: The average working woman with a disability is paid 83% as much as a working man with a disability — and 67% as much as a working man without a disability.

Every woman deserves the opportunity to create a rich life for herself. Advocating for these gaps to close is not only the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do: On average, companies that prioritize inclusion of people with disabilities earn 30% more.

What actions can we take? If you’re a business leader, do everything you can to become inclusive. If you’re a colleague, support and advocate for your co-workers (and remember that many disabilities are non-visible). And if you can, consider putting some of your donations budget toward orgs like Women Enabled International to help close these gaps.

Here’s to going through more of life’s ups and downs, together.

Air hug,

Alexandra Ramirez, she/her
Brand Marketing Director

An illustration of a woman in a blue pantsuit walking with various pink, red, orange, and yellow shapes trailing behind her.

How (and if) you should disclose

If you live with a visible or invisible disability, here’s what you need to know if you want to tell your employer, from The New York Times. Illustration by Mark Wang.

READ THE ARTICLE >

The Elle Raisers spotlight graphic with Michelle Dufflocq’s beautiful photo in the middle of it.

Elle Raiser of the week

Elle Raiser Michelle Dufflocq is mentoring young women, sharing advice for navigating a career in digital marketing, and negotiating higher rates for sponsored content. And we are so here for it.

READ THE SPOTLIGHT >

A tweet from The Cut that quotes disability rights activist Judy Heumann saying, “Can people see disability as a normal part of life? As we very well know, life is not going down a path of flowers. Life’s got ups and down, and the issues of how we deal with it individually and as a community are critically important.”

What’s happening next week

•	Members-Only Workshop: Let’s Talk About Imposter Syndrome, with Lead Executive Career Coach Gala Jackson \| October 20 \| 12:30 PM ET \| Become a member
•	Instagram Live: First-Time Homebuyers 101, with Lead Financial Planner Rachel Sanborn Lawrence \| October 21 \| 3 PM ET \| Bookmark
•	Members-Only Workshop: How to Pay Off Debt, with Lead Financial Planner Rachel Sanborn Lawrence \| October 22 \| 11 AM ET \| Become a member
•	Members-Only AMA: Ask Me Anything, with Lead Executive Career Coach Gala Jackson \| October 28 \| 6 PM ET \| Become a member
•	Members-Only Workshop: Budget How-To, with Lead Financial Planner Rachel Sanborn Lawrence \| October 30 \| 5 PM ET \| Become a member

A photo of Jessica Alba with a heading underneath that says “Honesty is the Best Policy.”

Financial Feminist Friday

After the birth of her first child in 2008, Jessica Alba had an allergic reaction to a “baby-friendly” detergent and realized that her daughter could be at risk. So she founded The Honest Company. Her approach to business is clearly working: The Honest Company has grown sales to $350 million this year.

READ THE FEATURE >

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This week’s newsletter was brought to you while watching disability rights advocate Kings Floyd’s TED talk about the cost of failing to design accessibly. Forward it to a friend who is a designer.

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Raising Elle Edition: Disability Awareness and Advocacy

Equal access, equal opportunity

How (and if) you should disclose

Elle Raiser of the week

What’s happening next week

Financial Feminist Friday

Access money and career coaching.

This week’s newsletter was brought to you while watching disability rights advocate Kings Floyd’s TED talk about the cost of failing to design accessibly. Forward it to a friend who is a designer.

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