I can't tell you how often I hear this, whether it's said directly to me or it's just a general comment made on Twitter. Disabled people are forever being told not to let our disabilities define us or take over our lives, ever since my health got worse I've constantly had this message thrown at me. You know what though? My disability does define me. It has an impact on every part of my life and I embrace it as much as I can, it really does define me and that's okay.
I'm bored of people, especially abled people, telling me that my disability shouldn't define me, that I'm so much more than that. And yes, I am so much more than that, I'm a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, writer, activist and more, but it's the biggest part of my life and it would be difficult for it not to be. I have regular hospital appointments and tests, I take medication several times a day and I'm constantly in pain which means that my disability defines every part of my life. I have to consider my disability in everything I do.
I'm not ashamed of the fact that my disability defines me because it's helped me to achieve so many things. I've talked about the issues myself and others face on my blog, I've written for other websites and publications about it, I've been on national TV and I've worked with various charities. That doesn't sound bad to me! I've never seen my disability defining me as a bad thing, and that's because I became disabled whilst I was part of a community that embraces their disability and are proud of it too. I think of my disability as my unique selling point now, I would be a totally different person doing completely different things if I wasn't disabled. It's a part of my identity and I'm proud of it.
So, if you're disabled and it defines you, your personality and your life: don't feel bad. Embrace it and ignore anyone who tells you that you shouldn't be defined by it, it's your life and your disability.
Make your own rules.
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