Just over a couple months ago this hashtag went viral and for those that follow me on Instagram, or like my Facebook page would know this. I have slightly edited this over the time, so I hope you enjoy reading it 🙂
I ask this very question more and more often as I grow out of teenage hood and into the bigger and wider world as an adult. I am proud of myself because of my disability, but I also want to hide some disappointments that are associated with disability.
I don’t consider labelling myself as disabled as I can do as much as a disabled person, but one of the biggest barriers for me with this has been the social aspect and accepting the fact that I am disabled. Yes, I am finding my community as I grow, but there is a lot more to learn about life.
I did have friends with similar types of disabilities around me when I was younger, but I never got to see Paralympians and disability advocates that are doing incredible and amazing things in the news and across social media. some of these people today, like Dylan Alcott and Carly Findlay has inspired me to become the person that I am today. Through them sharing their own journey as disability advocates I also do the same as an disabled individual.
Lately I have been using the word disabled individual because I do feel like I’m an individual within this community. I don’t have very many friends at all, so I always look up to people to see what I can improve and what I can learn from them sharing their story on social media. Through this I have embraced myself and made sure that my disability, cerebral palsy is a part of me instead of something that I want to erase from my life
Who am I?
I am Layne Dixon a blogger, disability advocate and a sports person. I believe that everyone should be treated as an equal part of society regardless of their ability to do something or not. I do this through this very website that you are reading my blog from. As I grow older and older, I hope to gain a job for disability sports Australia or the Australian Paralympic committee as their journalist, to write about athlete’s achievements towards their main or big goal.
Social media has been my guideline through this journey. With meeting people from all over the internet I found my passion and that is to write about disability and inclusion. I have also found bloggers like myself, but they do different content that relates to disability. through their work and what they put out on social media I find inspiration such as this blog right here to do.
If I talked to my ten-year-old self right now, she would most likely be inspired by the women that she is going to become. I have achieved so much in a little bit of time, and there is still a lot more things to do, as my journey has only begun.
My advice for children that have a disability is to be yourself and to love yourself. You only have this day once in your life, so make the most of it and don’t shy away because of your disability.
After this my question to you is, why do you call yourself disabled? Or, if you looked back over the past 5 years would you be proud of what you have achieved within your life?
My journey is just getting started, and I can’t wait to see where my writing, but also my athletic career takes me.
If you like this then make sure that you subscribe to my website, too keep you up to date with my blogs. You can find me on social media (Instagram/Facebook) with the username @laynecdixon.
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