a brief introduction

The average person doesn't consider how much the world caters to able bodied people because they've never had to navigate the world with a disability and it's not something that is often talked about. As a society, we're uncomfortable talking about disability. Maybe this is because we fear offending people because we don't know what language is appropriate; maybe we're uncomfortable with what is different than us; maybe discussing disability forces us to confront our internal ableism; maybe it forces us to realize how fallible our bodies are and reckon with the fact we could become disabled at any time.

The reality is, not talking about disability and how ableism pervades our society is what keeps us from moving towards a more accessible and equitable world.

These conversations are hard to have, but they're incredibly necessary for people who are disabled and chronically ill and for those who aren't. Empathy and change can only come from hearing the stories of the people who are different from us.

I am inviting you into this conversation, no matter your identity and no matter how much you know. I'm inviting you to engage with me and with content about disability in order to learn more about what it's like to live with a disability or with chronic illness, or to find comfort in knowing your experience is universal.

This conversation is so important to me as someone who is both chronically ill and disabled (listed in that order because that is the order in which they happened to me). I can no longer avoid this discussion because I am the topic. I'd love to have this discussion with you, whether you're disabled or able bodied, neurodivergent or neurotypical. We all need to have these conversations, no matter how hard.

And sometimes they'll be fun, and sometimes they'll be serious, and sometimes they'll be inspiring, and sometimes they'll be so disheartening you want to stop having the conversation. Sometimes I do, too. But I promise to keep showing up. I hope you'll promise that, too.