Episode 2 - What is Disability Anyway?

What does it mean to say you're disabled? It seems like a badge, rather than something that needs to move out of the way so that we can get on with life.

Labels are common in life. Governments like to use them lots. Data scientists and whole industries are employed to come up with them. Escaping them is difficult.

Sometimes we worry that people overthink labels. They concentrate on the word, rather than the people represented by the category in the first place. Even the term disability has become a label these days. We're not entirely comfortable with it. After all, how can one single word summarise so many different individuals, needs, conditions and situations?

You may already have an idea of what all this means when you look at the photos on websites - especially from support providers. What do the pictures show? If you are not like the person in the photo, then does it mean you do not conform to their understanding? With some providers, you never can tell.

This episode digs into these ideas and explores some of the history and concepts around labelling and the preconceptions that people have. All within 3 minutes (almost!), but definitely in everyday language.