I initially hid my disability. I found out at the age of 17 that I had ocular albinism - people forget that 80% of disability is invisible.
Although I am visually impaired, I could get away with pretending I could see. I hid my disability right through university and into my first job, when I was working for Accenture, because I thought I wouldn’t have the same chances as everybody else.
It was 22 years ago that I came out of the disability closet and I now find the idea of anybody hiding their true selves agonising.
Maya Angelou is one of my favourite authors and poets and an incredible activist, and she says there’s no greater agony than an untold story inside you.
For me, Disability Pride has an energy that is driven by younger people and recognises the pride around our differences. Disability should not be something to be ashamed of but we need to break down the stigma that still exists. I don’t want anybody to ever have to change who they are.
The Valuable 500 has talked a lot with businesses that want to avoid the word disability and call it diffability or different ability. This ignores the fact that disability is part of our identity and something we should be proud of. Whatever word is used, it’s the intentionality behind that word, but we can’t avoid that this is part of us.
It is a really interesting space to be in but I am proud of my disability today and I’m proud to shout about that as part of my identity. It does not define me, but it is part of my identity.