Dr Vera Kubenz she/they's Avatar

Dr Vera Kubenz she/they

@verakub.bsky.social

Researcher - Encounters with strangers in accessible parking spaces. Disability / queer / media studies. Views own. #BWithTheT

433 Followers  |  319 Following  |  65 Posts  |  Joined: 15.11.2024
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Posts by Dr Vera Kubenz she/they (@verakub.bsky.social)

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WEBINAR: Epistemic Injustice, Oppression & Ignorance: An Introduction for Social Researchers - Sign-up Page Expand your conceptual toolkit with our accessible introduction to the concepts every social researcher should know.

Have you ever considered how social researchers may contribute (knowingly, intentionally or otherwise!) to epistemic injustice and oppression through research practices?

Dr Zara Bain has, and will be hosting a free webinar to bring this discussion to life.

Join us on Tues 24 Feb @ 7pm GMT.

18.02.2026 17:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

I am well aware this is not a new issue and I make this clear in my research. I've had a Blue Badge since 2012 and my own encounters were important to why I wanted to explore how we navigate these encounters and the impact of this

03.02.2026 11:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A sign on a wooden post that reads "Blue Badge holders only" with a wheelchair symbol and a parking symbol

A sign on a wooden post that reads "Blue Badge holders only" with a wheelchair symbol and a parking symbol

My full PhD thesis on disabled people's encounters with strangers in accessible #BlueBadge parking spaces is now publicly available: etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/17...

TLDR?
Here's the summary report instead: drive.google.com/file/d/1wmfK...

#DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies

01.02.2026 22:17 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
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Disability groups are standing united for trans rights. That hasn't always been the case. Forty years ago, disability advocates abandoned the LGBTQ+ community in exchange for legal protections. Decades later, they are fighting a Trump administration rule to roll-back more safeguards for tr...

US post about considering trans people as disabled for legal purposes 19thnews.org/2026/01/disa... and how the current US fascist administration is trying to reverse that and how it's not the end of the fight.

Often what trans people need is flexibility and 'reasonable accommodations'.

01.02.2026 14:18 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A sign on a wooden post that reads "Blue Badge holders only" with a wheelchair symbol and a parking symbol

A sign on a wooden post that reads "Blue Badge holders only" with a wheelchair symbol and a parking symbol

My full PhD thesis on disabled people's encounters with strangers in accessible #BlueBadge parking spaces is now publicly available: etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/17...

TLDR?
Here's the summary report instead: drive.google.com/file/d/1wmfK...

#DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies

01.02.2026 22:17 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

Lot of people (men) waste their time and mine telling me the government and media haven't deliberately turned the public against disabled people. Lemme save you the trouble lads, I literally wrote the book on it. And I report on it nearly every day.

12.01.2026 17:41 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Abudagga said: β€œWhen I read that they link bringing my family to the UK with UK security, and suggest the children are better off in Gaza, I simply could not believe in British values and norms any more. I expected the British government cared about family life, about human rights.” I am ashamed.

09.01.2026 07:32 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

Thank you! I do have around 180 typos to correct that I found in my last read through 🀣

09.01.2026 08:52 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It was a pleasure to read your thesis and be your examiner. It was such a well written thesis and brilliantly defended during the viva. Huge well done! This is such an important piece of research, can’t wait to read more of your work!

08.01.2026 19:24 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

🀣

08.01.2026 17:13 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you! Excited to tell everyone very smugly that "It's Dr, actually" if they ask my title!

08.01.2026 17:06 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Cover of PhD thesis
University of Birmingham logo
The Politics of Parking: Disabled People Experiences of Everyday Oppression through Encounters with Strangers in Accessible Parking Spaces
By Vera Kubenz

Cover of PhD thesis University of Birmingham logo The Politics of Parking: Disabled People Experiences of Everyday Oppression through Encounters with Strangers in Accessible Parking Spaces By Vera Kubenz

Vera, a white woman with short brown hair standing in front of a door pointing at her t-shirt. The blue t-shirt has bold white text saying "I'm only on it for the parking" above a wheelchair stick figure throwing its arms up in delight

Vera, a white woman with short brown hair standing in front of a door pointing at her t-shirt. The blue t-shirt has bold white text saying "I'm only on it for the parking" above a wheelchair stick figure throwing its arms up in delight

I'm excited to announce I have just passed my PhD viva with no corrections!
So pleased that 4 1/2 years' work has paid off and thank you to my lovely examiners @kirstyliddiard1.bsky.social
and @leahfburch.bsky.social and Chair Jennifer Allsop for a great discussion.

08.01.2026 17:00 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 1
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How the banning of 37 international aid organizations in Gaza is being felt by Palestinians The majority of Gaza’s population now relies on foreign aid to secure food, water, and every other basic necessity. The Israeli government’s banning of 37 organizations that provide this vital aid wil...

How the banning of 37 international aid organizations in Gaza is being felt by Palestinians mondoweiss.net/2026/01/how-...

07.01.2026 19:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜You’re a scrounger’: Motability backlash sparks abuse of blue badge holders Shocking scale of hostility faced by disabled drivers in public car parks revealed

The findings of my PhD my research are covered in @theipaper.com today, highlighting the level of hostility faced by #BlueBadge holders and how this may get worse due to the rhetoric around the Motability cuts ‡️

inews.co.uk/news/motabil...

22.12.2025 15:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Disabled drivers who use blue badges are facing β€œterrifying” levels of threats, verbal abuse and violent attacks trib.al/7aT9pLO

22.12.2025 16:50 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Article can also be accessed here: archive.ph/uEarp

22.12.2025 16:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜You’re a scrounger’: Motability backlash sparks abuse of blue badge holders Shocking scale of hostility faced by disabled drivers in public car parks revealed

The findings of my PhD my research are covered in @theipaper.com today, highlighting the level of hostility faced by #BlueBadge holders and how this may get worse due to the rhetoric around the Motability cuts ‡️

inews.co.uk/news/motabil...

22.12.2025 15:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Delighted that I’m going to be doing a guest lecture at a U.K. philosophy department in the spring about being a philosopher specialising in social justice who also runs a social enterprise

If you or your department would also be interested in having me along to talk to your students, let’s chat

16.12.2025 10:36 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

The recording of my dissemination event from my research on disabled people's encounters with strangers in Blue Badge bays is nowavailable on politicsofparking.com, alongside a summary report of the research findings
#DisabilityStudies #BlueBadge #DisabilitySky

16.12.2025 21:53 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The recording of my dissemination event from my research on disabled people's encounters with strangers in Blue Badge bays is nowavailable on politicsofparking.com, alongside a summary report of the research findings
#DisabilityStudies #BlueBadge #DisabilitySky

16.12.2025 21:53 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

I'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people

Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
#DisabilitySky

26.11.2025 22:12 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Great to see my research coveree by @johnpring.bsky.social!

For anyone interested in finding out more, I'll be talking about my research at an online event on 12 Dec, 12-1pm, alongside guests @christiane.link and Anjna Patel MBE from Disabled Motoring UK:
events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...

04.12.2025 18:13 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

Thank you for covering my research John!
For anyone interested in finding out more, I'll be talking about my research at an online event on 12 Dec, 12-1pm:
events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...

04.12.2025 18:13 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Years of scapegoating rhetoric has led to β€˜envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds Years of scapegoating rhetoric and politicians casting disabled people as β€œscroungers” have reinforced prejudices about the blue badge parking scheme and led to β€œenvy and resentment” instead of equ…

Years of scapegoating rhetoric has led to β€˜envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds
#BlueBadge #Motability #DisabilityHateCrime
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/years-of-sca...

04.12.2025 17:36 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

Great to see my research coveree by @johnpring.bsky.social!

For anyone interested in finding out more, I'll be talking about my research at an online event on 12 Dec, 12-1pm, alongside guests @christiane.link and Anjna Patel MBE from Disabled Motoring UK:
events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...

04.12.2025 18:13 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Close up of the wheelchair symbol in an accessible parking bay. The symbols is in white paint on a blue background with cracks all over

Close up of the wheelchair symbol in an accessible parking bay. The symbols is in white paint on a blue background with cracks all over

Reminder: I will launch the results from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces in an online workshop on Fri 12 Dec, 12-1pm, on Teams with captions
Register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
#DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies

02.12.2025 21:26 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Close up of the wheelchair symbol in an accessible parking bay. The symbols is in white paint on a blue background with cracks all over

Close up of the wheelchair symbol in an accessible parking bay. The symbols is in white paint on a blue background with cracks all over

Reminder: I will launch the results from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces in an online workshop on Fri 12 Dec, 12-1pm, on Teams with captions
Register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
#DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies

02.12.2025 21:26 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

I'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people

Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
#DisabilitySky

26.11.2025 22:12 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Incredibly sad to hear of the death of @sfdirewolf.bsky.social. I was always amazed by her generosity in our (small) interactions, and I've got a lot from her writing. Rest in power, what a force.

15.11.2025 13:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The philosopher D. R. Parton said:
Tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'
Out on the street, the traffic starts jumpin'
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5.

1/2

06.08.2025 13:58 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0