What do you think?
Rate this book
Growing Up ... in Australia
Growing Up Disabled in Australia
'My body and its place in the world seemed quite normal to me.'
‘I didn’t grow up disabled, I grew up with a problem. A problem those around me wanted to fix.’
‘We have all felt that uncanny sensation that someone is watching us.’
‘The diagnosis helped but it didn’t fix everything.’
‘Don’t fear the labels.’
One in five Australians have a disability. And disability presents itself in many ways. Yet disabled people are still underrepresented in the media and in literature.
Growing Up Disabled in Australia is the fifth book in the highly acclaimed, bestselling Growing Up series. It includes interviews with prominent Australians such as Senator Jordon Steele-John and Paralympian Isis Holt, poetry and graphic art, as well as more than 40 original pieces by writers with a disability or chronic illness.
Contributors include Dion Beasley, Astrid Edwards, Jessica Walton, Carly-Jay Metcalfe, Gayle Kennedy and El Gibbs.
‘I didn’t grow up disabled, I grew up with a problem. A problem those around me wanted to fix.’
‘We have all felt that uncanny sensation that someone is watching us.’
‘The diagnosis helped but it didn’t fix everything.’
‘Don’t fear the labels.’
One in five Australians have a disability. And disability presents itself in many ways. Yet disabled people are still underrepresented in the media and in literature.
Growing Up Disabled in Australia is the fifth book in the highly acclaimed, bestselling Growing Up series. It includes interviews with prominent Australians such as Senator Jordon Steele-John and Paralympian Isis Holt, poetry and graphic art, as well as more than 40 original pieces by writers with a disability or chronic illness.
Contributors include Dion Beasley, Astrid Edwards, Jessica Walton, Carly-Jay Metcalfe, Gayle Kennedy and El Gibbs.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2021
117 people are currently reading
2526 people want to read
About the author
Carly Findlay
9 books535 followersCarly Findlay is a blogger, writer, speaker and appearance activist. She challenges people’s thinking about what it’s like to have a visibly different appearance.
Carly was named as one of Australia’s most influential women in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2014. Carly received the 2010 and 2013 Yooralla Media Awards for Best Online Commentary for her body of disability focused writing. She also won the best personal blog category for Kidspot Voices of 2013, and the 2013 BUPA Health Activist award for Positive Life Change. She’s also been a finalist in the Best Australian Blogs competition in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
She organised Australia’s first Ichthyosis meet in 2015 – bringing together 75 people affected by the rare, severe skin condition Ichthyosis. 25 attendees had Ichthyosis. Friendships and support networks were formed.
Carly appeared on 'You Can't Ask That' and 'CyberHate' with Tara Moss on ABC TV in 2017.
Carly is writing her first book – a memoir – titled 'Say Hello: How I Became The Hero Of My Story' coming late 2018 with Harper Collins Australia. She is represented by Jacinta di Mase’s agency.
Carly was named as one of Australia’s most influential women in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2014. Carly received the 2010 and 2013 Yooralla Media Awards for Best Online Commentary for her body of disability focused writing. She also won the best personal blog category for Kidspot Voices of 2013, and the 2013 BUPA Health Activist award for Positive Life Change. She’s also been a finalist in the Best Australian Blogs competition in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
She organised Australia’s first Ichthyosis meet in 2015 – bringing together 75 people affected by the rare, severe skin condition Ichthyosis. 25 attendees had Ichthyosis. Friendships and support networks were formed.
Carly appeared on 'You Can't Ask That' and 'CyberHate' with Tara Moss on ABC TV in 2017.
Carly is writing her first book – a memoir – titled 'Say Hello: How I Became The Hero Of My Story' coming late 2018 with Harper Collins Australia. She is represented by Jacinta di Mase’s agency.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
January 16, 2021
Editor’s review
I am the editor of Growing Up Disabled in Australia. This anthology is part of Black Inc’s Growing Up ... in Australia series.
The anthology features prose, poetry and art by, and interviews with, more than 40 disabled people who have grown up in Australia. There are many experiences of disability included - a broad range of impairments, acceptance and pride - and anger - and also an intersectional approach, spanning age, gender, sexuality, race, culture and religion. Each contributor tells their own story on their own terms, which is incredibly important when highlighting stories about disability and other marginalised groups. Nothing about us without us.
While I have read all of the stories within Growing Up Disabled in Australia in various iterations - as first drafts, and then in the uncorrected proof, which I received last January, the delay in publishing due to Covid meant
I haven’t read the book as a whole finished product until this past week.I narrated the audiobook.
Obviously I knew what each writer’s chapter was about (I provided guidance on the content and structure when I selected each piece, and also checked in at various stages in the (very long) publishing process), but the @blackincbooks publishing team have worked with each of the the writers more closely than I have, to edit and refine their chapters.
So what a delight it’s been to have quietly skimmed through each chapter in preparation for the narration, and then literally focus on every word as I’ve narrated it these past two days. As I wrote in my last post, I have often been left hanging, yearning to know what happens next, but cannot move to the next sentence until I’ve perfected the one I tripped upon. Some of the writing has made me laugh, and many lines have made me cry. It’s such a delight (and also very hard, but enjoyable) work to read it this way.
The common themes I’ve seen are the way disabled people have been stuck in and betrayed by the medical system - often given false hopes and seen as a zoo exhibit; the way disability and chronic illness intersect; finding disability pride (or rejecting the term “disability’); and also the medical traumas, horrific abuse and near death experiences many disabled people have endured.
I want readers to take great care reading this book, and to show the writers great respect for their candour.
Another constant is the theme of eucalyptus - not surprising for an Australian native tree to be mentioned by multiple writers in a book about growing up disabled in Australia.
This is a beautiful book which will help readers better understand disability, and especially help disabled people connect with each other. I am incredibly proud of each contributor - I can’t wait until you meet them. This is their book, and I’m thrilled to have had a hand in publishing them.
Note - I’m totally counting this in my reading list of 2021!
I am the editor of Growing Up Disabled in Australia. This anthology is part of Black Inc’s Growing Up ... in Australia series.
The anthology features prose, poetry and art by, and interviews with, more than 40 disabled people who have grown up in Australia. There are many experiences of disability included - a broad range of impairments, acceptance and pride - and anger - and also an intersectional approach, spanning age, gender, sexuality, race, culture and religion. Each contributor tells their own story on their own terms, which is incredibly important when highlighting stories about disability and other marginalised groups. Nothing about us without us.
While I have read all of the stories within Growing Up Disabled in Australia in various iterations - as first drafts, and then in the uncorrected proof, which I received last January, the delay in publishing due to Covid meant
I haven’t read the book as a whole finished product until this past week.I narrated the audiobook.
Obviously I knew what each writer’s chapter was about (I provided guidance on the content and structure when I selected each piece, and also checked in at various stages in the (very long) publishing process), but the @blackincbooks publishing team have worked with each of the the writers more closely than I have, to edit and refine their chapters.
So what a delight it’s been to have quietly skimmed through each chapter in preparation for the narration, and then literally focus on every word as I’ve narrated it these past two days. As I wrote in my last post, I have often been left hanging, yearning to know what happens next, but cannot move to the next sentence until I’ve perfected the one I tripped upon. Some of the writing has made me laugh, and many lines have made me cry. It’s such a delight (and also very hard, but enjoyable) work to read it this way.
The common themes I’ve seen are the way disabled people have been stuck in and betrayed by the medical system - often given false hopes and seen as a zoo exhibit; the way disability and chronic illness intersect; finding disability pride (or rejecting the term “disability’); and also the medical traumas, horrific abuse and near death experiences many disabled people have endured.
I want readers to take great care reading this book, and to show the writers great respect for their candour.
Another constant is the theme of eucalyptus - not surprising for an Australian native tree to be mentioned by multiple writers in a book about growing up disabled in Australia.
This is a beautiful book which will help readers better understand disability, and especially help disabled people connect with each other. I am incredibly proud of each contributor - I can’t wait until you meet them. This is their book, and I’m thrilled to have had a hand in publishing them.
Note - I’m totally counting this in my reading list of 2021!
February 5, 2021
I love this book. Wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be an annual anthology? More disabled stories by disabled people please. I need to buy a physical copy (the audible version is wonderful) but I need the physical copy to make notes. Thank you to all the contributors.
September 1, 2021
Like our paralympians I am reading (and listening to) GROWING UP DISABLED IN AUSTRALIA at the moment. I love the kaleidoscopic view this series offers. There are so many strong essays in the collection and the range and diversity of experience of disability is illuminating.
February 2, 2021
Growing Up Disabled in Australia (Black Inc 2021) is the latest in the anthology series depicting diverse experiences of Australian life, this publication edited by Carly Findlay. Featuring some famous names and some less famous but equally compelling storytellers, this book is a frank and informative ‘own voices’ memoir compilation of what it means to be labelled as disabled, how that affects people differently, the challenges disability provokes but also the strength and self-confidence people with disabilities often demonstrate in their lives.
I learnt so much from this book, which explores the notion that disabled people often don’t grow up thinking themselves so – that disability is a social construct – ‘the social model sees disability as the result of the interaction between people living with impairments and an environment filled with physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers … [that] therefore carries the implication that [those environments] must change to enable people living with impairments to participate in society on an equal basis with others.’ I understood better that disabilities are not always visible; that ignorance and discrimination often cause internalised ableism even in people with disabilities; that many people now embrace the label ‘disabled’ as a powerful way to define themselves and to advocate for others; that disability is an intersectional issue (the contributors are disabled but also perhaps chronically ill, mentally ill, neurodiverse, Indigenous, gay, non-binary, older Australians as well as younger people, from the cities and from rural areas, and of all genders, cultures and sexualities).
Some of the included pieces are quite different in form and structure; some are funny, some sad, some frustrated or angry and some poignant. All are written with the complex emotions suffered by young people who grew up knowing they were different, and not always knowing how to deal with that, especially if their society or community around them made it more difficult because of exclusion, ableism, intolerance, impatience, ignorance or a lack of compassion. Some detail years of physical and emotional pain. Some depict circumstances so dire that the only response is admiration and respect. Nobody wants pity. Nobody wants special treatment or greater advantage. All each of the writers asks for is equality – a world in which they are able to navigate despite their disability, and not because of it.
Contributors include disability advocate (and fashion icon!) Carly Findlay, parliamentarian Jordon Steele-John, Jessica Walton, Andy Jackson, Paralympian Isis Holt, Anna Whateley, Astrid Edwards and Carly-Jay Metcalfe.
Some of the disabilities that the contributors to this anthology live with range from skin conditions to mental illness, from Marfan Syndrome to blindness to deafness, congenital muscle disease to autism to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, cerebral palsy to nervous system disorders, cystic fibrosis to auto-immune disorders, intellectual disability to fibromyalgia, polio to albinism, chronic fatigue to rare genetic disorders to multiple sclerosis.
One in five Australians has a disability. For some, this is not a problem, except for those who want to ‘fix’ them. For many it means they are always watched or studied. For some, labels are distressing and disempowering, whereas others wear labels proudly and loudly. People with disabilities are – surprise, surprise – just as diverse as the rest of the population. This anthology is an opportunity for their voices to be heard and for them to be represented in current and mainstream literature.
I learnt so much from this book, which explores the notion that disabled people often don’t grow up thinking themselves so – that disability is a social construct – ‘the social model sees disability as the result of the interaction between people living with impairments and an environment filled with physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers … [that] therefore carries the implication that [those environments] must change to enable people living with impairments to participate in society on an equal basis with others.’ I understood better that disabilities are not always visible; that ignorance and discrimination often cause internalised ableism even in people with disabilities; that many people now embrace the label ‘disabled’ as a powerful way to define themselves and to advocate for others; that disability is an intersectional issue (the contributors are disabled but also perhaps chronically ill, mentally ill, neurodiverse, Indigenous, gay, non-binary, older Australians as well as younger people, from the cities and from rural areas, and of all genders, cultures and sexualities).
Some of the included pieces are quite different in form and structure; some are funny, some sad, some frustrated or angry and some poignant. All are written with the complex emotions suffered by young people who grew up knowing they were different, and not always knowing how to deal with that, especially if their society or community around them made it more difficult because of exclusion, ableism, intolerance, impatience, ignorance or a lack of compassion. Some detail years of physical and emotional pain. Some depict circumstances so dire that the only response is admiration and respect. Nobody wants pity. Nobody wants special treatment or greater advantage. All each of the writers asks for is equality – a world in which they are able to navigate despite their disability, and not because of it.
Contributors include disability advocate (and fashion icon!) Carly Findlay, parliamentarian Jordon Steele-John, Jessica Walton, Andy Jackson, Paralympian Isis Holt, Anna Whateley, Astrid Edwards and Carly-Jay Metcalfe.
Some of the disabilities that the contributors to this anthology live with range from skin conditions to mental illness, from Marfan Syndrome to blindness to deafness, congenital muscle disease to autism to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, cerebral palsy to nervous system disorders, cystic fibrosis to auto-immune disorders, intellectual disability to fibromyalgia, polio to albinism, chronic fatigue to rare genetic disorders to multiple sclerosis.
One in five Australians has a disability. For some, this is not a problem, except for those who want to ‘fix’ them. For many it means they are always watched or studied. For some, labels are distressing and disempowering, whereas others wear labels proudly and loudly. People with disabilities are – surprise, surprise – just as diverse as the rest of the population. This anthology is an opportunity for their voices to be heard and for them to be represented in current and mainstream literature.
April 23, 2021
An excellent collection of essays by Australian writers who live with disabilities of various types. Great insight into the universal desire to be independent, succeed, make friends & fit in, & how people view those with disability as being outside those norms & expectations. (Eg bullying, poor teaching, Parliament House not ‘needing’ to be wheelchair accessible). Promotes the social (not medical) model of disability - that the barriers disabled people face are because our buildings, attitudes & other structures don’t include them.
Thought-provoking and important, but also entertaining, well-written and funny at times.
Thought-provoking and important, but also entertaining, well-written and funny at times.
April 18, 2021
It's taken me a few weeks to sit down to write this review. Partly because I wanted to make sure I wrote something sensitive and useful. And partly because I usually try to draw an overarching theme but was finding that really hard for Growing Up Disabled in Australia.
Then it dawned on me - a key takeaway from this anthology of Own Voices stories, poems and essays is that there's no single, consistent experience of a disabled childhood. There are many, many different forms of disability and they affect every person differently.
Instead I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to share with you new things I learned, things I found interesting and things I found totally relatable.
The Social Model of Disability
For a long time, society has viewed disability as an exception, abnormal, something that needs to be fixed.
The social model of disability, however, says that it is not the illness or condition that is disabling, but society's lack of accommodation.
As Carly Findlay explains in her introduction, the social model of disability:
Robin M. Eames illustrates it clearly and simply in her chapter, 'Et Lux (also, light)':
It's a subtle but very important difference. It took me a while to get my head around it, but after reading through the whole book, I think I get it now. There are many other aspects of human diversity we decide to accommodate, and some we don't.
Try this non-disabled scenario as a way to ease yourself into the concept: shopping with babies would be extremely difficult if you needed to turn around and go home whenever they needed a feed or a nappy change.
Because being a parent of a baby is an 'expected aspect of human diversity' - albeit temporary - and parents of babies need to go shopping, as a society we've demanded, and come to expect, that large shopping centres will have dedicated parent rooms where babies can be fed and changed.
The 'problem' was never that people had babies. The problem was that there were no facilities to feed and change babies at shopping centres.
This might seem like a no brainer if you're used to thinking of being a parent as something that's within the range of 'normal' and not 'something that needs to be fixed'. We wouldn't think of saying, 'Well people shouldn't have babies if they want to be able to shop for groceries as well,' or 'They should just wait until the baby has grown up if they want to go grocery shopping.'
Disability is a part of humanity as well. It's an 'expected aspect of human diversity', and should be treated by society as such.
If you're still finding it hard to get your head around this, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Growing Up Disabled in Australia and working your way through it.
Disability Pride Explained
Fiona Murphy, in her chapter, 'Wired for Sound' writes:
This sentiment came through again and again in the stories of Growing Up Disabled in Australia. That the hardest part of living with disability can be being told that you're broken and must be fixed, even if the fixes are painful or ineffective.
Getting - and owning - a diagnosis of disability can be empowering. Finding other people with similar disabilities who 'get it'; being able to join a community.
Anna Whateley, in her chapter, 'Noisy Silence', writes:
On a personal level, getting my own diagnosis of anxiety and depression more than 7 years ago was an absolute watershed moment. Everything made so much more sense, I didn't feel quite so mad or incompetent anymore. And I could learn how to manage my chronic illness better so that I can live a full life, rather than spending all my energies fighting against it and trying to be 'normal'.
Which leads me to the next point...
Chronic illness is disability too
When most people visualise 'disability' I suspect they either think of physical disability - wheelchairs, vision or hearing impairment - or the intellectually disabled.
Chronic illness is categorised as 'disability' as well. Most people get sick and then get better. A few days of rest, panadol and fluids, and they're up and about on their feet again.
Some people don't get better. They have an illness that sticks around for months, years, or forever. That's disability too.
In Australia it's estimated that 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime (source: Beyond Blue). If that's not 'an expected aspect of human diversity' I don't know what is.
For plenty of people it's a condition that they learn to live with, rather than one which can be cured. Lauren Poole, in her chapter, 'Amateur Linguistics', writes:
Tip for reading Growing Up Disabled in Australia
And finally, a tip. I do hope you'll read this excellent book if you're serious about understanding the lived experience of disability. But don't try to read it all in one sitting. You may end up rocking in the corner, it's so very powerful. I became so overwhelmed I had to take a week's break and read something else for a while, just to give my brain time to process.
Emma Di Bernardo explains it perfectly in the opening of her chapter, 'Umbrellas in the Rain':
Go and buy this book. Read it. But not all in one sitting.
Then it dawned on me - a key takeaway from this anthology of Own Voices stories, poems and essays is that there's no single, consistent experience of a disabled childhood. There are many, many different forms of disability and they affect every person differently.
Instead I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to share with you new things I learned, things I found interesting and things I found totally relatable.
The Social Model of Disability
For a long time, society has viewed disability as an exception, abnormal, something that needs to be fixed.
The social model of disability, however, says that it is not the illness or condition that is disabling, but society's lack of accommodation.
As Carly Findlay explains in her introduction, the social model of disability:
...challenges these obstacles by arguing that society should accommodate impairment as an expected aspect of human diversity.
Robin M. Eames illustrates it clearly and simply in her chapter, 'Et Lux (also, light)':
Under the medical model I am considered disabled because I require a wheelchair for mobility; under the social model I am disabled because so few spaces are wheelchair accessible.
It's a subtle but very important difference. It took me a while to get my head around it, but after reading through the whole book, I think I get it now. There are many other aspects of human diversity we decide to accommodate, and some we don't.
Try this non-disabled scenario as a way to ease yourself into the concept: shopping with babies would be extremely difficult if you needed to turn around and go home whenever they needed a feed or a nappy change.
Because being a parent of a baby is an 'expected aspect of human diversity' - albeit temporary - and parents of babies need to go shopping, as a society we've demanded, and come to expect, that large shopping centres will have dedicated parent rooms where babies can be fed and changed.
The 'problem' was never that people had babies. The problem was that there were no facilities to feed and change babies at shopping centres.
This might seem like a no brainer if you're used to thinking of being a parent as something that's within the range of 'normal' and not 'something that needs to be fixed'. We wouldn't think of saying, 'Well people shouldn't have babies if they want to be able to shop for groceries as well,' or 'They should just wait until the baby has grown up if they want to go grocery shopping.'
Disability is a part of humanity as well. It's an 'expected aspect of human diversity', and should be treated by society as such.
If you're still finding it hard to get your head around this, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Growing Up Disabled in Australia and working your way through it.
Disability Pride Explained
Fiona Murphy, in her chapter, 'Wired for Sound' writes:
...after two decades of hiding my deafness, I've developed a strong sense of Deaf Pride. This wasn't a swift process, nor an inevitable one. It was only when I encountered Deaf culture in my late twenties that I learnt I could celebrate my deafness, rather than feel like my body is broken.
This sentiment came through again and again in the stories of Growing Up Disabled in Australia. That the hardest part of living with disability can be being told that you're broken and must be fixed, even if the fixes are painful or ineffective.
Getting - and owning - a diagnosis of disability can be empowering. Finding other people with similar disabilities who 'get it'; being able to join a community.
Anna Whateley, in her chapter, 'Noisy Silence', writes:
The labels give me acceptance and community. I'm learning to use the word 'disability' positively - validating and full of strength.
On a personal level, getting my own diagnosis of anxiety and depression more than 7 years ago was an absolute watershed moment. Everything made so much more sense, I didn't feel quite so mad or incompetent anymore. And I could learn how to manage my chronic illness better so that I can live a full life, rather than spending all my energies fighting against it and trying to be 'normal'.
Which leads me to the next point...
Chronic illness is disability too
When most people visualise 'disability' I suspect they either think of physical disability - wheelchairs, vision or hearing impairment - or the intellectually disabled.
Chronic illness is categorised as 'disability' as well. Most people get sick and then get better. A few days of rest, panadol and fluids, and they're up and about on their feet again.
Some people don't get better. They have an illness that sticks around for months, years, or forever. That's disability too.
In Australia it's estimated that 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime (source: Beyond Blue). If that's not 'an expected aspect of human diversity' I don't know what is.
For plenty of people it's a condition that they learn to live with, rather than one which can be cured. Lauren Poole, in her chapter, 'Amateur Linguistics', writes:
Mental ill-health doesn't live in a hospital or a doctor's office; for many, it is present always. It took me a long time to learn to treat my depression as a companion - rather than a visitor to be immediately escorted away. The constant suggestion that one should 'get better' - 'get better' control of anxiety, 'get better' and stronger physically, 'get better' from incurable conditions - infuriates me. This is my life, for better or worse, or even just for really boring days.
Tip for reading Growing Up Disabled in Australia
And finally, a tip. I do hope you'll read this excellent book if you're serious about understanding the lived experience of disability. But don't try to read it all in one sitting. You may end up rocking in the corner, it's so very powerful. I became so overwhelmed I had to take a week's break and read something else for a while, just to give my brain time to process.
Emma Di Bernardo explains it perfectly in the opening of her chapter, 'Umbrellas in the Rain':
I'd never read a whole anthology of stories about other people's disability and illness without drinking a strong cup of tea first.
Maybe for you it's a large glass of wine, or a stiff beer.
It's not because these collections are too sad, and it's certainly not because they're too boring. It's because some tiny part of my chest tightens, by breathing pauses, and mentally I need to hold up a small umbrella. A nice little umbrella of emotional resistance that lets me sit through the rain of relatable stories about perennial grief, about finding beauty in ugliness, about never taking the little things for granted. So that not a drop of emotion touches me.
Go and buy this book. Read it. But not all in one sitting.
February 9, 2021
I wish everyone would read this. So we would stop thinking stupid things about ourselves, or stop saying really insensitive things to others. But mostly it just reminds us not to think of disability or being disabled as a bad thing to be. I loved this read. I loved the intersectionaility of the contributors. I loved that some people sounded happy, some sounded fed up, some sounded content, some sounded humorous. Highly recommend. Really really really really loved it. Now a Netflix series would be great. 10 eps, 10 contributors stories.
March 24, 2020
Grabbed me from the first story. It was simply the best anthology I have read!
Read
February 2, 2021My essay entitled 'Luck and Anger' is featured.
February 4, 2022
Just like 'Growing Up Aboriginal In Australia,' I loved this anthology of the many varied pieces about what being disabled means for people and how it shaped their lives, especially in Australia. A beautiful collection and a must-read!
May 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this collection. The pieces are moving, funny but most importantly they opened my eyes to what it means to be disabled in this country. In my mind, a common thread was woven around the complexities and frustrations of accessing the ‘system’ be it for diagnosis or support or simply for inclusion. It’s pretty clear we need to do better. Thank you Black Inc (and Carly Findlay) for ensuring these voices are amplified.
March 18, 2021
This book is full of amazing stories and poetry told by people who have a disability, a population of people who have their voice in the spotlight all too rarely.
The audiobook read by the awesome Carly Findlay is fantastic, though the physical copy would be an asset to any bookshelf. It worked out that I could read about a short story and a half on the drive to work, which was a blessing and also made me rethink putting mascara on in the morning. Many of these stories recount the abuse, bullying, discrimination, and ableism that many of these writers experienced through childhood. One that struck me in particular was a woman that realised her mother was taking advantage of her by pressuring her to have surgery so she could claim the rebate money.
Some favourite stories include ‘Bird is the Word’, a story of sisters, ‘Dressing to Survive’, and a story about horse riding that made me laugh so hard while driving it was probably dangerous.
This book gave me so many words about the medical model of disability VS the social model; how doctors learn about the so-called and mythical “ideal” body in medical school, and anything deviating needs to be fixed. Whereas the social model states that it is the environment that needs to change around the person, not the other way around. I’ve seen this so much in schools, them realising that they need to actually adjust both the physical space and the work that’s given for people with different abilities i.e. everyone.
Ableism is everywhere still, and it’s so important to hear the voices of disabled people to fight it.
The audiobook read by the awesome Carly Findlay is fantastic, though the physical copy would be an asset to any bookshelf. It worked out that I could read about a short story and a half on the drive to work, which was a blessing and also made me rethink putting mascara on in the morning. Many of these stories recount the abuse, bullying, discrimination, and ableism that many of these writers experienced through childhood. One that struck me in particular was a woman that realised her mother was taking advantage of her by pressuring her to have surgery so she could claim the rebate money.
Some favourite stories include ‘Bird is the Word’, a story of sisters, ‘Dressing to Survive’, and a story about horse riding that made me laugh so hard while driving it was probably dangerous.
This book gave me so many words about the medical model of disability VS the social model; how doctors learn about the so-called and mythical “ideal” body in medical school, and anything deviating needs to be fixed. Whereas the social model states that it is the environment that needs to change around the person, not the other way around. I’ve seen this so much in schools, them realising that they need to actually adjust both the physical space and the work that’s given for people with different abilities i.e. everyone.
Ableism is everywhere still, and it’s so important to hear the voices of disabled people to fight it.
December 23, 2021
Trigger warnings: ableism, mentions of suicide and self harm, homophobia, intergenerational trauma, medical trauma, death of a parent, hospitalisation, grief, infertility, rape and sexual assault (in the past), mental health.
I adore the Growing Up in Australia series, and this addition was no exception. I loved that these always include a mixture of established and emerging voices, and in this case, I really appreciated that neurodiverse voices were included too. I also love that this series always includes voices from across a variety of generations - growing up Deaf today is a very different experience to growing up Deaf in the 1960s, for example. And the chapters discussing growing up with polio were a fantastic and very important inclusion.
This often wasn't an easy read. Not only are there all the triggers listed above, but the number of chapters that include teachers or adults who aren't supportive, who don't listen, who refuse to understand, who see disabled children as a futureless burden was horrifying. I don't doubt any of it for a second, but it's still horrifying.
I adore the Growing Up in Australia series, and this addition was no exception. I loved that these always include a mixture of established and emerging voices, and in this case, I really appreciated that neurodiverse voices were included too. I also love that this series always includes voices from across a variety of generations - growing up Deaf today is a very different experience to growing up Deaf in the 1960s, for example. And the chapters discussing growing up with polio were a fantastic and very important inclusion.
This often wasn't an easy read. Not only are there all the triggers listed above, but the number of chapters that include teachers or adults who aren't supportive, who don't listen, who refuse to understand, who see disabled children as a futureless burden was horrifying. I don't doubt any of it for a second, but it's still horrifying.
March 14, 2021
A wonderful anthology that's full of insights into the world of disability. I firmly believe everyone should read this book but I'd especially implore anyone working in healthcare, education or politics to pick it up. The best way to help disabled people is to listen to us and you can start by reading this book.
My favourite pieces from the anthology were:
Selected Epistles by Olivia Muscat
Noisy Silence by Anna Whateley
Don’t Have a Bird by Sandi Parsons
A Polio Story by Fran Henke
The Bedridden Astronaut by Melanie Rees
My favourite pieces from the anthology were:
Selected Epistles by Olivia Muscat
Noisy Silence by Anna Whateley
Don’t Have a Bird by Sandi Parsons
A Polio Story by Fran Henke
The Bedridden Astronaut by Melanie Rees
May 1, 2022
A great, intersectional anthology. The pieces chosen for this book are all so thoughtful, vulnerable, and educating, and they read really well as a whole. I’m glad to have read this and think it will help me on my career path and just generally to be a more inclusive and considerate person.
February 5, 2021
A good read. Thought provoking
This was a wonderful read. Something for all different reading styles here. Thought provoking. Would recommend to my friends. 5 stars.
This was a wonderful read. Something for all different reading styles here. Thought provoking. Would recommend to my friends. 5 stars.
July 2, 2021
A book I would highly recommend for teachers to read. There are several stories where the teacher’s words have been remembered for years by the author of the stories. Words are so powerful.
May 17, 2021
Wow. This is as beautiful as it is gut wrenching, joyous, painful, inspiring, unique and powerful. A collection of stories written by over 40 Australians about growing up disabled in Australia. Spanning decades of Australian history these stories are a must read. Experiencing life through the eyes, ears and touch of these incredible Australians is something everyone must do.
Carly Findlay has put together an amazing collection. Each own voice’s story is captivating. Every person’s experience is unique, every reaction different and so so important to understand. No one’s disability is the same. Every story reminds us of this fact and really highlights that you cannot have policies to treat disabled people the same… No one condition is the same as another, no one’s experience is the same as another person’s and no one responds to treatment in exactly the same way. The best first step is to Listen. Believe what disabled people tell you. Only they know what they are feeling, experiencing and living through. No one answer fits all cases. This collection at times is a hard and emotional read. I highly recommend it.
Carly Findlay has put together an amazing collection. Each own voice’s story is captivating. Every person’s experience is unique, every reaction different and so so important to understand. No one’s disability is the same. Every story reminds us of this fact and really highlights that you cannot have policies to treat disabled people the same… No one condition is the same as another, no one’s experience is the same as another person’s and no one responds to treatment in exactly the same way. The best first step is to Listen. Believe what disabled people tell you. Only they know what they are feeling, experiencing and living through. No one answer fits all cases. This collection at times is a hard and emotional read. I highly recommend it.
May 11, 2021
4.5 Stars | Carly Findlay has collated a stunningly diverse and insightful anthology, told from the perspectives of those living with disability. She took an intersectional approach when selecting the works included in the book and you can clearly see this as you move from one piece to another. Every writer comes from a diverse range of genders, cultures, sexualities and generations, and live with a wide variation of disabilities. The pieces are also written in various formats - from traditional essays to poetry, to interview excerpts, and even to a graphic memoir. They’re all moving, honest and incredibly eye-opening. One of the biggest takeaways for me is the emphasis between the medical definition of disability vs the social model and how this affects the lives of every disabled person. I appreciated having this in the back of my mind while reading and made me really consider the casual ableism we’re so used to seeing and in the way that society is set up.
Here are a couple of my favourite quotes:
- “Growing up, i didn’t realise that my body was such a minefield, as to me I felt perfect. This has remained the most bizarre thing to me - the contrast between how Right i feel within myself and apparently how Wrong i am to everyone looking at me.”
- “My disabilities may limit the length of my life but not its value or its fullness. Do not interpret this as inspirational. If anything, it should be a call to action against injustice.”
Here are a couple of my favourite quotes:
- “Growing up, i didn’t realise that my body was such a minefield, as to me I felt perfect. This has remained the most bizarre thing to me - the contrast between how Right i feel within myself and apparently how Wrong i am to everyone looking at me.”
- “My disabilities may limit the length of my life but not its value or its fullness. Do not interpret this as inspirational. If anything, it should be a call to action against injustice.”
March 14, 2021
"It takes a lot to persist in a world in which you are told you don't belong, and disabled people have some of the most steely, steadfast instincts for survival that I've ever encountered. We must, if we are going to live in a world that doesn't want us. Do not interpret this as inspirational. If anything it should be a call to action against injustice" - Robin M. Eames.
This is a remarkable book - a collection of #OwnVoices in Australia, documenting the experience of disability, the identity of disability, and discussing so many truths, confronting and empowering, and as an ally, so many invaluable insights.
The range of disability experiences, and the intersectionality, collected here in the 46 contributions is impressive. The range of form to the pieces speaks to the individuality of experience - from essay, interview, poem, to graphic story.
The threads of commonality are the glaring mirror to society that needs to confront and address our ableism.
Every health professional should read this. Hell, every Australian needs to read this. This collection makes change - a social justice, and representation force.
This is a remarkable book - a collection of #OwnVoices in Australia, documenting the experience of disability, the identity of disability, and discussing so many truths, confronting and empowering, and as an ally, so many invaluable insights.
The range of disability experiences, and the intersectionality, collected here in the 46 contributions is impressive. The range of form to the pieces speaks to the individuality of experience - from essay, interview, poem, to graphic story.
The threads of commonality are the glaring mirror to society that needs to confront and address our ableism.
Every health professional should read this. Hell, every Australian needs to read this. This collection makes change - a social justice, and representation force.
February 24, 2021
Omg, this book had me almost in tears at points, and at other points I wanted to high five people. What a wonderful, affirming, brilliant community of writers, and what an amazing anthology. This is a book I have longed to read for so long, and I hope there will be many more like it. A massive five stars from me. Just wonderful!
May 3, 2021
Fantastic anthology - I loved how intentionally expansive and inclusive this collection was, with diversity in disabilities, identity and backgrounds. Some stories were stronger than others, but every one was moving and powerful. Should be compulsory reading, and made me reflect on my own understanding of and attitudes towards disability.
September 23, 2021
This anthology of essays edited by @carlyfindlay has been collated into the most diverse and wonderful read. The standout of this book for me was how intersectional it was - the writers are from a range of genders, sexualities, ages, ethnicities and disabilities, yet they all have one thing in common: growing up in Australia. This thread used to tie everything together was incredibly effective and I will absolutely be seeking to pick up the rest of the series in the future.
The pieces in the book are also in very diverse formats. From a traditional essay, to letters, to poetry, to interviews, there is something for all different reading styles in here. I think one of the benefits of capturing such a broad range of contributors is that this anthology now provides an Australian social history of disability. Documenting the trajectory of ableism and discrimination, the role of institutions and attitudes of medical and education professionals. I learned a lot about the social model of disability and this is definitely something that will shape my future thinking and understanding of disability.
My favourite part about the book is that it chooses to showcase the lives of ordinary Australian people who are struggling with everyday life hurdles on top of the discrimination they may face due to their disability. For me, this made the anthology of Own Voices sharing their experiences of disability, unbelievably powerful to read and I can’t recommend it enough.
————————————————————————
When To Read: I listened to 2 to 3 stories on audio each morning of week 5-7 of lockdown to start my day and it was wonderful. Highly recommend.
The pieces in the book are also in very diverse formats. From a traditional essay, to letters, to poetry, to interviews, there is something for all different reading styles in here. I think one of the benefits of capturing such a broad range of contributors is that this anthology now provides an Australian social history of disability. Documenting the trajectory of ableism and discrimination, the role of institutions and attitudes of medical and education professionals. I learned a lot about the social model of disability and this is definitely something that will shape my future thinking and understanding of disability.
My favourite part about the book is that it chooses to showcase the lives of ordinary Australian people who are struggling with everyday life hurdles on top of the discrimination they may face due to their disability. For me, this made the anthology of Own Voices sharing their experiences of disability, unbelievably powerful to read and I can’t recommend it enough.
————————————————————————
When To Read: I listened to 2 to 3 stories on audio each morning of week 5-7 of lockdown to start my day and it was wonderful. Highly recommend.
March 11, 2021
As the mother of a child with a disability, I found this book challenging, enlightening, thought-provoking, saddening and hopeful. The social model of disability gave me an entirely new and satisfying framework to view the difficulties we faced in helping our daughter survive and thrive, a quarter of a century ago.
I'm very appreciative of the courage, vulnerability and honesty provided by the authors in the collection of stories between the covers. Though many/most experienced degrees of discrimination, many also shared the support and love of family, friends, carers and clinicians. All their lives are still in motion.
My daughter would have been thirty-one this year, but died when she was 4. I'd like to think that if she'd been born today, our battles for acceptance and help from the medical profession may have been less combative and tempered with a better understanding and acceptance of disability as only one part of her, as well as a multidisciplinary team approach and an individual support plan for her specific needs. Though I fear we still have a long way to go.
This book is compelling reading for anyone seeking a better understanding of the twenty percent of people in Australian who live with a disability. It's essential reading for anyone working in the health and disability sector.
A great read.
I'm very appreciative of the courage, vulnerability and honesty provided by the authors in the collection of stories between the covers. Though many/most experienced degrees of discrimination, many also shared the support and love of family, friends, carers and clinicians. All their lives are still in motion.
My daughter would have been thirty-one this year, but died when she was 4. I'd like to think that if she'd been born today, our battles for acceptance and help from the medical profession may have been less combative and tempered with a better understanding and acceptance of disability as only one part of her, as well as a multidisciplinary team approach and an individual support plan for her specific needs. Though I fear we still have a long way to go.
This book is compelling reading for anyone seeking a better understanding of the twenty percent of people in Australian who live with a disability. It's essential reading for anyone working in the health and disability sector.
A great read.
May 6, 2021
One of the best things about reading is seeing the world through other people's eyes
February 8, 2021
I genuinely really did like reading this anthology- which is not something I am saying just because I have an essay featured. Of course looking for some easy gratification I flipped straight open to my essay and read it as a stand alone and I was just plagued by self-criticism. But when I read the essay packed in between all other essays and comics there was something nicer about the form and I kind of made peace with everything. This book is arranged incredibly well- there is a flow and there is something really satisfying about this text read as a whole meanwhile some anthologies every little essay feels like a stark stop and start. We see many themes pop up again and we see circularity in literary techniques or content even though all essays are by different contributors. I appreciate that this text is available in Audiobook and different varieties of font sizes- I appreciate that access to the text was not an afterthought and that all of this has been coordinated well.
February 11, 2021
I absolutely love this book. It was fantastic to see the contributors discussing whether they identified as disabled, and it really resonated with me. Thank you, authors, for sharing your stories.
April 18, 2021
Growing Up Disabled in Australia is the most recent in the Growing Up in Australia series, and like the others, it's illuminating.
Readers may recall that I reported on an author event about this book in which I mentioned that the book is based on 'the social model of disability.' However, I misrepresented what that is: it means more than including physical, mental and social disability.
One of the most striking examples of this was seen on our televisions when Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John took his place in Federal Parliament. Parliament House in Canberra was opened with great fanfare in 1988, seven years after the International Year of the Disabled in 1981. Senator Steele-John uses a wheelchair.
As Steele-John says, there's an unwarranted assumption that disability is an aberration, which leads to changes being deferred (or more often, not even thought about) until they have to be implemented.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2021/04/19/g...
My disabilities may limit the length of my life but not its value or its fullness. All lives are marked by grief and joy in equal measure. Nobody loves without suffering and nobody knows gladness without pain. My life is not unique for that, and no more tragic than anyone else’s (at worst a tragicomedy). There are forms of happiness availability to me that I would have never known about if I wasn’t disabled. And I am happier now than ever before. I am living deeply, and fiercely, and without reservation. (Et Lux (also, light), by Robin M. Eames, p.112)
Readers may recall that I reported on an author event about this book in which I mentioned that the book is based on 'the social model of disability.' However, I misrepresented what that is: it means more than including physical, mental and social disability.
'The social model sees "disability" in the result of the interaction between people living with impairments and an environment filled with physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers. It therefore carries the implication that the physical, attitudinal, communication and social environments must change to enable people living with impairments to participate in society on an equal basis with others.' (People with Disability Australia, cited on p xi.)
One of the most striking examples of this was seen on our televisions when Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John took his place in Federal Parliament. Parliament House in Canberra was opened with great fanfare in 1988, seven years after the International Year of the Disabled in 1981. Senator Steele-John uses a wheelchair.
This is a building that was built in 1988 and at the time they were patting themselves on the back for the number of accessible toilets they put in the public areas. But not a single piece of the working areas of Parliament House was built to be accessible, even by 1988 standards. When a man who used a wheelchair, Graham Edwards, was elected to the House of Representatives, they changed an office for him but nobody thought to change anything on the senate side of the building. Because again the thinking was, 'Oh, that's an anomaly, it will never happen again.' ('You Are Enough' p.80)
As Steele-John says, there's an unwarranted assumption that disability is an aberration, which leads to changes being deferred (or more often, not even thought about) until they have to be implemented.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2021/04/19/g...
February 7, 2021
I swallowed this book whole. As a person who also grew up with a disability in Australia I was interested to read this. I could relate to the submissions about blindness as that is my particular disability. More interesting to me were the experiences of people who did not share my disability. Until the advent of social media, I didn't have a lot of contact with people who had other disabilities, so my knowledge of their experiences was pretty limited. Having read this book I've come to realise that some of those experiences, both positive and negative, were universal. Others are specific to one disability.
For instance, I could relate to the Riding for the Disabled story since I used to do that as a kid too. Nothing quite so dramatic happened but it was a nice, nostalgic trip down Memory Lane.
What I liked best about this book was the different tones of stories. Some were furiously angry, others gut-wrenchingly sad, some were funny, some were poignant. I like that different persspectives about disability were explored and I think this would be a great book to give to non-disabled people to educate them gently about the social model of disability and to show that people with disabilities, just like the rest of humanity, are not a homogenous group of people with the same experiences and reactions.
For instance, I could relate to the Riding for the Disabled story since I used to do that as a kid too. Nothing quite so dramatic happened but it was a nice, nostalgic trip down Memory Lane.
What I liked best about this book was the different tones of stories. Some were furiously angry, others gut-wrenchingly sad, some were funny, some were poignant. I like that different persspectives about disability were explored and I think this would be a great book to give to non-disabled people to educate them gently about the social model of disability and to show that people with disabilities, just like the rest of humanity, are not a homogenous group of people with the same experiences and reactions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2022
I listened to the audiobook (through my library) and noticed when referring back to my hard copy that the audiobook did not include the stories 'Amateur Linguistics' by Lauren Poole or 'Drawing My Way' by Sarah Firth. Luckily I could read them on my own and I'm glad I did because they were amongst my favourites of this anthology.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews