Written by Elle Steele – PDA Director (VIC)
I was a little unsure of what to write for this piece, I haven’t been working in the disability industry consistently for a long time. I’ve had the odd job and written some Disability Action Plans in my day, and of course, I have a physical disability so there’s that.
But yesterday, as I’m still grappling with the topic to write about, something really interesting happened on my personal Facebook page. For some context, I work as a business coach for mainly people identifying as women (it’s just turned out that way) in the spiritual and wellness industry. Yesterday (June 21) was a New Moon, which is the first moon of a new moon cycle and in the space that I mainly live my life in. This is when you set your intentions and goals for the month.
So, I posted this on my Facebook profile; ‘Maybe one of your new moon intentions could be to diversify your feed, the people you work with, your podcast guests, your friends’ list to include people with disabilities too?’
The post spent the day being shared and liked by various friends and people that work in my industry until about 6pm when I received this comment, “I never saw you with a disability. Never thought of you as different. You were just Elle. And Elle was you. It feels weird for you to use that word about yourself. Also, I miss working with you, however briefly it was❤️ “
Now, this is a genuine comment, this person is lovely and doesn’t see anything wrong with what has been written here and, in the past, I would have glossed over it and got on with my day. But, as I’ve grown more into myself and learnt to embrace all parts of me, I now realise how this way of looking at disability can be a problem and why we as a cohort continue in many ways to live a life of invisibility.
Is it that people think that by ignoring the disability or the thing that makes them uncomfortable that they won’t have to acknowledge it? I for one want you to see it, get to know it and research disability, because I’m not your teacher, but you can be my ally.
Our difference is what makes us unique and beautiful. It also gives us our power, teaching from a place of personal awareness and self-acceptance.
