Disability simulation fails to capture the nuance and complexity of living in a disabled body. And it certainly fails to give a deep understanding of systemic discrimination and abuse faced by disabled people.
From time to time, people pat me on the head. It happens on public transport, in the supermarket, in bars. It's a common enough occurrence that it very rarely takes me completely by surprise.
Yooralla is a people pleaser with a very powerful PR machine.
In many ways, I'm incredibly lucky to have been born with my impairment and that it's visible. It means my path has been predictable.
My parents didn't know what to do with me, so they just pretended I was normal, and that worked out quite well for me.
I've lost count of the number of times that I've been approached by strangers wanting to tell me that they think I'm brave or inspirational, and this was long before my work had any kind of public profile.
In my own home, where I've been able to create an environment that works for me, I'm hardly disabled at all. I still have an impairment, and there are obviously some very restrictive things about that, but the impact of disability is less.
For me, in some ways, my whole life is a bit performative and always has been - because I'm stared at and looked at everywhere I go.
The purpose of our justice system is to reflect the values of our society and to punish those who violate our standards.
I'm a full-time wheelchair user. And yet, given the right circumstances, I am able to work.
Personally, I like a generous side of wheelchair access with my cities.
Let me make this clear: my impairment is such that without a wheelchair, I can't do very much for myself. I can't get out of bed. I can't get myself to the toilet. I certainly can't get myself to work.
My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn't accessible.
