Plovm Weekly: Testing Our Own Accessibility & Global News

Written By Maria Angeles Jimenez Sigstad

We're testing our accessibility platform on our own website first—and we need your help. Plus: masking costs, workplace neuroscience, and this week's global headlines.

Plovm Weekly: Testing Our Own Accessibility & Global News | November 15, 2025

Hello Plovm Community,

This week we're asking for your help as we test our new accessibility platform. Plus, insights on masking, workplace neuroscience, and the latest global developments.

A Note on Universal Design

Universal design isn't about making separate versions for different people. It's about creating systems flexible enough to work for everyone from the start. When we build tools that adapt to how each person thinks and interacts, we're not adding accessibility as an afterthought. We're designing inclusion into the foundation. That's what we're testing. That's what we need your help perfecting.

🔧 ALPHA TESTING: Help Us Build Better Accessibility Tools
Plovm News
Photo of Maria Sigstad standing behind a table at a Welcome to Oslo event for internationals. She is wearing a yellow cardigan over a patterned shirt and smiling at the camera. Behind her is a large Plovm banner with the Plovm logo (stylized face with P and O as eyes, L as nose, V as smile, M as eyebrows in dark red) on a lime green background with colorful abstract shapes at the top. The banner includes text about Plovm being problem-solving creators. On the white table in front of her are Plovm branded materials and two glasses of water. A text overlay at the bottom shows 'Maria Sigstad' with a verification checkmark, her title 'Plovm CEO and Neurodivergent Advocate (AuOCD)', and the quote 'Our website has accessibility problems and we're using our own tool to prove it works'
We're Testing Our Accessibility Platform and We Need You
Plovm | November 15, 2025
As autistic founders, we built Plovm because we couldn't find tools that worked for us. Now we're building an accessibility testing platform based on universal design principles, not quick fixes.

We're testing it on our own website first because we know we have issues. But we need to test on sites beyond ours.

What you get: Unlimited free testing during alpha, full premium features (normally £10K+/year), direct access to our team, influence on development, and early adopter pricing. Non-profits receive extended free access beyond alpha.

What we need: Access to a website, 45 minutes to test, 10 minutes for honest feedback. No expertise required.

Limited spots available.

Questions? Email us at support@plovm.com

Neurodiversity & Workplace
Black and white professional headshot of Clive Hyland, an older man with white hair and beard, wearing glasses and a black crew neck sweater with white trim, smiling warmly at the camera against a white wooden panel background
Lessons for Employers on the Neuroscience of Neurodiversity
People Management | November 14, 2025
Neurodiversity is a legal, cultural, and strategic issue businesses cannot ignore, argues Clive Hyland. Sensory overload in workplaces reflects how technology places unprecedented demands on processing systems. Employers face a dilemma: long NHS waiting lists mean many employees present claims without formal diagnosis, creating uncertainty around reasonable adjustments. Hyland advocates for proactive strategies including manager education, rethinking talent deployment beyond rigid job descriptions, and shared responsibility where employees disclose earlier in safe, stigma-free environments.
Read Full Article
A young woman with dark hair pulled back sits in profile in a busy café or restaurant. She wears a green gradient sweater and holds a drink glass, looking contemplative. The background is softly blurred with warm lighting and other patrons visible, creating an intimate, reflective atmosphere
The Hidden Costs of Masking for Women with ADHD and Autism
Aeon | November 14, 2025
Clinical psychologist Gilly Kahn explores how masking creates deep harm despite feeling unavoidable. Through personal experience and client stories, she reveals how women with ADHD and autism mask differently: those with ADHD know social responses but struggle with impulse control in the moment, while autistic individuals may study and imitate cues. Both face depression, anxiety, and burnout from suppressing natural instincts. Kahn advocates for building spaces within the neurodivergent community where masks aren't necessary, while acknowledging that full unmasking remains risky in a world that favors conformity.
Read Full Article
World News
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the left and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the right shake hands in front of Japanese and Chinese flags. Takaichi wears a blue suit jacket and Xi wears a dark suit with a burgundy tie
China Urges Citizens Not to Visit Japan Over Taiwan Row
BBC News | November 15, 2025
China warned citizens to avoid traveling to Japan following escalating tensions over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. The dispute began when Takaichi suggested Japan could respond with self-defence forces if China attacked Taiwan. A Chinese diplomat's social media comment about cutting off "the dirty head that sticks itself in" drew Japanese protests. China's foreign ministry posted warnings to "stop playing with fire," while Japan maintained its position hopes for peaceful Taiwan resolution through dialogue. The embassy statement Friday night urged citizens to avoid Japan travel "in the near future."
Read Full Article
Split image showing Donald Trump on the left speaking aboard what appears to be Air Force One, wearing a dark suit with yellow tie, and on the right, the exterior of BBC Broadcasting House building in London with people walking outside and the BBC logo visible
Trump Says He Will Take Legal Action Against BBC Over Panorama Edit
BBC News | November 15, 2025
President Trump announced plans to sue the BBC for between $1bn and $5bn over how Panorama edited his January 6, 2021 speech. The BBC apologized after the edit created "the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action," but refused financial compensation. The BBC argued it has no case because the episode wasn't distributed in the US, Trump was re-elected shortly after, the clip wasn't designed to mislead, it appeared in context of a balanced programme, and political speech is heavily protected under US defamation law. The controversy led to resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.
Read Full Article
Zohran Mamdani stands at a podium with 'ZOHRAN FOR NEW YORK CITY' and a city skyline silhouette logo. He wears a grey suit and gestures while speaking. Behind him are multiple flags including New York City, state, and international flags. Purple and blue stage lighting illuminates the scene
Inequality Is a Problem on the Scale of Climate Change, Say Eminent Economists
POLITICO | November 14, 2025
Over 500 economists including Janet Yellen, Thomas Piketty, and Nobel laureate Daren Acemoglu called for creating an International Panel on Inequality modeled after the IPCC. Between 2000 and 2024, the richest 1 percent accumulated 41 percent of all new wealth versus 1 percent for the bottom half globally. Countries with high inequality were seven times more likely to experience democratic decline. Joseph Stiglitz, who led the G20 research committee, praised New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's Democratic Socialist campaign focused on housing, food, transport, and healthcare as addressing what "make for the necessities of a decent life."
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Tech News
Close-up of a woman wearing Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses with transparent frames, looking upward. The glasses feature a small display projection visible near the lens. She has long dark hair and is photographed from a low angle against a light background
Counting Renaissance Butts in Rome with the Meta Ray-Ban Display
The Verge | November 14, 2025
Victoria Song tested Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses as a tourism tool in Rome's Vatican Museum and discovered they feel less creepy when used for specific tasks rather than 24/7 general-purpose devices. The lightweight glasses offered a hands-free way to navigate the notoriously long route to the Sistine Chapel while accessing information about Renaissance art. The experience highlighted how enterprise wearables might succeed by focusing on specialized use cases like tourism, retail assistance, or workplace tasks, rather than attempting to replace smartphones as all-purpose devices worn constantly.
Read Full Article

World's Cartoonists on This Week's Events

POLITICO | Nov 15, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Political cartoon showing Donald Trump depicted with exaggerated blonde hair standing at a slot machine styled as a jackpot game. The slot machine displays 'BBC' in large yellow letters on three reels, with a crown symbol above and 'JACKPOT' text at top. The payout window shows '1 BILLION' in yellow. Trump is pulling the lever while coins marked 'CLING! CLING! CLING!' spill from the machine's tray. Trump wears a light blue suit with red tie. The cartoon is drawn in a sketchy style with beige background. Artist signature 'LISTES PoliticalCartoons.com' appears in bottom left
First published on politicalcartoons.com, Croatia, Nov. 13, 2025 | By Nikola Listes
 Political cartoon showing two neighbors talking over a white picket fence in autumn. On the left, a person in an orange plaid shirt and blue pants holds a rake. On the right, a person in a yellow plaid cap and red sweater also holds a rake. Large piles of fallen autumn leaves surround both sides of the fence. Orange and green trees are visible in the background. The left neighbor says in a speech bubble 'NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS FINALLY OVER, WHEN WILL THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL?' The right neighbor responds '2028.' Artist signature '@WEYANT bostonglobe' appears at top. Art style is colorful hand-drawn illustration
First published in The Boston Globe, Nov. 14, 2025 | By Christopher Weyant
 Political cartoon showing Donald Trump riding on top of a large green missile or bomb in flight, with white exhaust clouds trailing behind. Trump has exaggerated blonde hair blowing in the wind and wears a tan/beige suit with red scarf. He clutches a large scroll or document labeled 'PEACE' against his chest with both hands. The missile is a simple cylindrical shape with a pointed nose cone, rendered in shades of green and grey. Background is solid light purple/blue. Artist signature 'arcadio CAGLECARTOONS.COM' appears in bottom right corner. Art style is editorial cartoon caricature
First published on Caglecartoons.com, Costa Rica, Nov. 13, 2025 | By Arcadio Esquivel
 Political cartoon showing Donald Trump depicted with exaggerated yellow-blonde hair swept upward, being blown backwards and buried in an avalanche of flying papers of various pastel colors (white, pink, blue, yellow, green). Papers scatter dramatically in all directions. Trump wears a dark blue suit with red tie and appears overwhelmed, arms flailing. On the left side stands a large brown wooden barrel or container labeled 'THE EPSTEIN FILES' in a red rectangular label. The style is editorial cartoon caricature with dynamic motion lines. Artist signature visible at bottom left. Background is light blue sky
First published on Caglecartoons.com, Nov. 12, 2025 | By Rick McKee
"The world doesn't need more tools that work for some people. It needs systems designed to work for everyone. That's not just good design. That's how we build a future where no one is left behind."

Thank you for being part of the Plovm community.

Questions or feedback? Email us at support@plovm.com

© 2025 Plovm. Making universal design the norm.

Maria Angeles Jimenez Sigstad
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