The First Negative Comment I Got While Sharing About My Disability

Last week, during the Q&A of my Rick Hansen Foundation presentation to a K-8 school, a student asked me if I've ever gotten any negative reactions to me sharing about my disability, and I told them two stories - one of them pictured here.

Back in May 2023, I did a TV segment where I talked about my disability for the first time in the media - CityNews Toronto interviewed me about the walking fundraiser I was doing for the Invisible Disabilities® Association, during Mobility Awareness Month.

I explained how balancing the chores from living alone and my job can be difficult with 33% physical strength, and need more planning of my energy than they do for the average person.

When the interview made it to the CityNews YouTube, it got the comment "So laziness is a disability?" 😤

I took the shock that I saw on some of the students' faces as a good thing - they were recognizing how unkind that would be to say to someone, after hearing me tell them about what it's like to live with an invisible physical disability.

And maybe that'll stay with them, if they hear someone else make an unkind judgement towards someone with a disability too. Maybe they won't just accept it being said, and will think more about the experience of the person it's being said about.

Because that's really what I hope for when people hear my stories or read my posts. That they have an insight into the life of someone with a disability, that makes them think about the joys, the challenges, and the ways they can be supportive.

One of those ways is to join me in supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Canada Walk and Roll on Sun May 24 - I'm fundraising and walking my first 5k, kicking off National AccessAbility Week!

I'd love to have you join my team or support - you can donate to my participant page, or click "join team" on my page to register for the Yay Team! 🎉✨