No, you're not psychic.
A stranger walks up to you. They look like they are about to ask you a question but you already know what they are going to ask.
No, you're not psychic. You live with a disability. As someone with a lifelong disability, I am always ready to answer questions from curious passersby. I know I am going to be asked questions because they happen every day. I am after all that alternative type of human existence that fascinates non-disabled people. Answering questions come with the territory of having a disability.
There has to be a better way
That doesn't mean that it is always ok to ask questions and it doesn't mean that a person with a disability has to answer. Communication and education enhance understanding of any minority group but no matter how many questions I answer when I leave my house, there are always more questions tomorrow. There had to have been a better way than educating people one by one; a more efficient way. Right there is the gem of the idea that changed my life. I created a podcast. I started my own business.
There is no such thing as a 'wrong' question
The I Can't Stand Podcast is a weekly podcast, that answers my listeners' questions about the realities of living with a disability. I've had so many great questions. Here are some of the highlights: What is it like to date with a disability? What is Ablism? What do I do when someone says the R-word? How do I become a better ally to the disability community? I am one person with one disability. I believe it is important to illustrate the many different experiences of living with a disability. So on alternate weeks, I interview someone else with a disability. To better understand what it is like for them to live with a disability. Better still, listening to other people's stories, means I learn along with the audience.
My little way of making a difference
The podcast is my way of taking some of the burdens of people with disabilities. So they don't have to be always answering questions and educating. This is my little way of increasing understanding and acceptance of the disabled community. This is my little way of making a difference. You can find The I Can't Stand Podcast on your favorite podcasting platform, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
