Disability

Disability pride, in the tradition of the movement that produced the social model and the Disability Discrimination Act, is the refusal of shame. It is the claim that there is nothing wrong with being disabled, and that the difficulties disabled people face are not personal failings but the predictable result of a world that was not designed to include them.

Extreme heat has a way of stripping life back to essentials. Writing from the middle of a heatwave in France, I reflect on what happens when the body removes the option to push through. From rest and performance to sensory overload, capacity, and the inner critic, this is a personal and professional reflection on what being in the red zone can teach us about our limits.

Perhaps the most important lesson I've learned is that independence isn't about doing everything without assistance. It's about having autonomy to make choices about your life. My mobility aids don't represent dependence; they represent freedom. They allow me to move through the world on my terms and live fully. When I use my walking stick, my crutches, or my wheelchair, I'm not giving up or admitting defeat. I'm being strategic about managing my pain, being kind to my futur