I am not normal.
But really, who is? And what does that word mean anyway? Is anyone normal? Who doesn’t have challenges in their lives?
That is the point of this newsletter. It will be about and by people with disabilities both visible and, like me, not so much. But it won’t necessarily focus on people’s disabilities; rather it will focus on people as, well, people. People whose lives and beliefs go beyond their challenges and who want to challenge the common narrative of disability.
Personally, I don’t like the term disability although many with one embrace the label. Me? I abhor being “othered” and having people consider my challenges the reason why I am not succeeding. It’s a false narrative that society has fed us for millennia and it’s time it stops.
Sure, embracing the term draws attention to the challenges people with disabilities wrangle with. Those struggles are often not due to a disability per se but, more frequently, because of the hurdles our human culture puts in the paths of those who use wheelchairs, for example, or those who can’t write on deadline in a loud, bustling newsroom (ahem, yes, that’d be me).
I am starting this newsletter to enlighten the world, not only of my own struggles and discoveries about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but to highlight those of others who identify as having a disability. I want this to be a platform for writers and photographers who also have stories to tell. If you are one of them, I want to hear from you so drop me a line.
Someday, I hope this newsletter is considered quaint and totally unnecessary. But for now, it is needed. Please join me on this journey by subscribing. And let me know what you think. I am always open to civil discourse and suggestions. I believe that’s how we can all evolve and make this a kinder world for everybody.