The Vanishing Act: Why Inclusion Language Is Quietly Disappearing

Ashley Sims

Welcome to Disability@Work, formerly Morning DisabiliTEA. But that's a story for another day. This show is going to be a place where we talk candidly about disability inclusion, what's happening in the disability community, what's happening inside workplaces, and honestly, what's really going on behind the scenes across the disability community. My hope is that Disability@Work becomes a safe space for all of us: disabled folks, allies, leaders, learners, to explore, question, grow, and challenge what we think we know. Because disability inclusion isn't a box to check, it's a journey and journeys are better taken together. I'm your host, Ashley Sims, and a little bit about me before we dive in. I'm the Director of Marketing and Communications here at Disability Solutions. I'm also a pretty introverted, neurodivergent human just trying to figure things out, just like everybody else. I was diagnosed with dyslexia back in first grade, and as of just a few weeks ago at the age of 36, I have the official diagnosis of both Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. If you know me personally, I doubt that that surprises you. But I share this for a reason. Neurodivergence, disability, identity. These things aren't always easy to talk about. And for a long time, I didn't talk about them. I have been masking pretty much my whole life. I hid big parts of myself that I didn't have the language for. And then I came to Disability Solutions about three years ago. And in that time, I've learned so much about the disability community, about confronting my own internalized ableism, about unlearning assumptions I didn't know I had, about advocating not just outwardly, but inwardly too. And I'll be honest with you. I'm still learning. I'm still growing. I'm still figuring things out in real time. So if you're listening and you feel you're still learning too, perfect. That's exactly who the show is for. So, we’re going to talk, ask questions, make mistakes. name the uncomfortable things. celebrate the wins, call out the gaps and learn together as we go. I'm really glad you're here. So let's get started. Today we're talking about something that's been happening quietly, but with big consequences: DEI language disappearing from government agencies and corporate spaces. And what that means specifically for disability inclusion. The New York Times recently reported that federal agencies under the Trump administration have removed words like equity, inclusion, racism and even disability from public-facing websites. This isn't an official ban, but it's a quiet, systemic removal of language tied to diversity and accessibility efforts. And here's why that matters. When disability-related language disappears, disability work usually disappears with it. When agencies or companies stop using terms like disability, inclusion, accessibility or accommodations, it becomes easier for the work behind those words to be deprioritized. Programs lose visibility, budgets get moved or shrunk, accountability fades because no one owns it anymore. And we're not speaking in hypotheticals. Here at Disability Solutions, we've seen this firsthand. Over the past year, more companies we've talked with have started reducing or eliminating their diversity hiring budgets, especially the portions tied to disability. It's often described as restructuring or resource optimization, but the impact is the same. Fewer initiatives, fewer opportunities, and disabled jobseekers pushed further to the margins. But an important reminder: the ADA is still the law. Section 503 is still the law. No language change on a website erases legal obligations. And not naming disability doesn't remove the responsibility to include, accommodate and ensure equal opportunities. HR Brew recently shared that over half of the Fortune 100, about 63 companies, have changed or removed DEI language since the 2024 election. Most didn't say a word about it. They simply edited websites quietly in the background. Many of these companies were once seen as DEI leaders. Now that language and the programs that went along with it have evaporated. Experts say the shift is driven by legal pressure and reputation risk more than ideology. But regardless of the reason, the impact is clear. When companies stop talking about DEI publicly, accountability weakens internally. And disability often gets hit first, because disability is often folded under a broader DEI umbrella. So, let's talk about the deeper issue. Empathy. Executives often forget something simple, but essential. Your employees are human beings. They have medical conditions, disabilities, neurodiversity, families they care about, stressors they carry, and full lives beyond their job titles. Your workforce is not a machine, it's people, humans. People are not disposable or interchangeable. People deserve to be treated as whole humans. And when that happens, when employees feel understood, respected and valued, everything improves. Engagement rises, retention skyrockets, innovation strengthens, and loyalty becomes real. For disabled workers, this is even more true, because so many have been misunderstood, underestimated or overlooked. When leadership shows empathy not pity, but respect, curiosity and flexibility, disabled workers thrive. And leaders, your business thrives too. So let's talk about what leaders can do right now to keep disability front and center, especially in a climate where DEI messaging is shrinking. So, one, keep disability visible explicitly. Don't hide it under a diversity or talent or culture umbrella. Say the word. Mean it, measure it. And remember, the ADA and Section 503 are still the law. Compliance didn't disappear just because some websites changed their language. Two, build workplaces where people feel understood. Let people be human. Let them communicate needs without fear. Workers are human first. Three, ask harder internal questions. Why did our language change? What message does that send? Who is affected? What's the real impact on trust and culture? Does this shift actually support our goals or undermine them? What's the effect to our actual business bottom line? And four, invest in your people. Truly. Slogans don't retain talent. Understanding does. Accommodations do. Respect does. Psychological safety does. Create that space for your employees. Five, organizations like Disability are here to help. This is where leaders learn what they don't know, where companies build stronger systems grounded in disabled expertise, where compliance becomes confidence. When disability language disappears, disability inclusion loses visibility, priority and momentum. And when workplaces start treating people like replaceable parts, empathy gets replaced with efficiency. And that's a dangerous trade off, because people who feel seen stay. People who feel valued grow. And people who feel safe innovate. So let's keep disability front and center. Let's build workplaces where language, culture and humanity align. Thanks for listening to the first episode of Disability@Work. Be sure to like, share and subscribe and keep leading with empathy. Thanks.