The disability paradox
Some years ago, I sat on a bench in the city centre and the man sitting next to me looked at me, looked at my walking stick, and said “Get off your arse and get a job”. I told him I had a job. He...
Author: Philippa Willitts
Philippa Willitts is Editor in Chief of Global Comment. She is a British freelance writer who specialises in writing about disability, women's issues, social media and tech. She also enjoys covering politics and LGBTQI-related topics. She can be found on Twitter and Instagram @PhilippaWrites.
On Harvey Weinstein and why men must hold men to account
In the last few days, how many times have we heard a famous man say "It's important that I speak out against the sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein because I have a daughter, a sister, a mother,...
Stop blaming mental illness and start blaming men
This week, Stephen Paddock, surrounded by dozens of lethal firearms, shot 59 people dead and injured hundreds of others in Las Vegas, USA. In May of this year, Salman Abedi blew himself up in...
Disabled people and London’s Uber problem
Being disabled or chronically ill can be pretty exhausting. From the moment you wake up, there are battles to fight that non-disabled people don’t take into account. Will the energy it takes to...
Assisted suicide is dangerously disablist
For many disabled people, the prospect of legalised assisted suicide is chilling. We spend our lives hearing “I’d rather die than be in a wheelchair / use a feeding tube / lose the ability to see...
In-work poverty at shameful levels in the UK
As a new £10 note comes into circulation today, the Independent reports that, thanks to Brexit, it is “15 percent smaller, and 16 percent less valuable” than its predecessor. Worth just £8.60...
McStrike: UK McDonald’s workers take historic action
People who work in McDonald’s face 10-hour shifts in difficult conditions working in the heat, suffering regular oil burns, standing for long periods of time and dealing with problem...
Hurricane Harvey has grim disaster planning lessons for disabled people
Hurricane Harvey has been at the top of the news all around the world this week. The devastation seen in Texas has left homes underwater and people wading down streets with their entire lives...
Should the police be allowed at Pride events? I’m starting to think not
At Sheffield Pride in July, a small group of evangelical Christian protesters set about disrupting the event. Reading obnoxiously from the Bible, the Potter’s House Church cherry-picked...
Fear and devastation in deadly Spanish attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils
There is something particularly frightening about the people who turn a car or a lorry into a weapon. These are everyday objects that we see and do not generally fear and yet, in moments, they...