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The Power of a Platform
Hi everyone, happy Tuesday! My column on antidepressants got me thinking about vulnerability and sharing about our lives in the public sphere. Having a visible disability means that most of us don’t really have a choice—we can’t hide it, so there’s no real point in pretending.
I usually try and see it as an opportunity to increase general awareness about disability. I’m even more intentional about sharing my mental health struggles because it’s such an important topic. But sometimes it’s difficult to speak openly and honestly about life with disability because people see it as an invitation to comment or give advice. It feels a little bit like opening a can of worms.
This topic is something that’s come up a lot over the two years I’ve been writing this column. Do I put myself out there? Do I risk it? In the end, my answer is always yes. I have a platform and I want to use it to the best of my ability.
Is this something you can relate to? Do you ever feel like you’re in the spotlight because of your disability?
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2 Replies
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Great column Brianna! Much like you my exposure to disability, SMA in particular, was limited to camp when I was younger. College was my first real encounter with various disabilities in a more natural environment. It wasn’t until I got involved with social media that I discovered the SMA community.
I agree that since disability isn’t a choice we might as well try to make the best of it. Even though there are commonalities among those of us with SMA, each experience is unique. I feel that the more of us who share our experiences the easier it might be for the next generation. Hey, it might even make my future easier with what I learn. Plus as you mentioned putting ourselves out there can help normalize disability instead of just brushing it under a rug.
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Thanks DeAnn! It’s interesting – some of us have had a lot of contact with the community, and others not at all. Weird (but cool) how our experiences differ!
Totally agree with you about making things easier for future generations. The more life hacks we come up with, the easier things will be going forward. Great way to look at it!
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