Disabled By Society

When I share I’m Disabled, I’m not just doing it on a whim. Why I am sharing depends on the situation. I might be sharing because I need to ask for an adjustment, need some help, or I’m sharing because I feel comfortable opening up with you. Sharing isn’t me making an excuse. It’s not me asking for reassurance. You don’t need to tell me I don’t look it, seem it, sound it (insert ableist response here). It also doesn't mean you need to suddenly start speaking to me like I’m a child or ignore me and start speaking to the person I am with. Sharing I’m Disabled shouldn’t be a big deal, but yet it feels like it. I don’t know what someone’s response is going to be, I don’t know how they will react, or if once again, I will be met with ableism. So please, when I share, best believe it’s not just because I decided it’d be a fun thing to do. Best believe it’s sometimes against my better judgment, and best believe your response shapes my sharing in the future. Image Description: A Disabled By Society quote graphic. A dark background with colourful blocks running along the top and bottom of the page. The quote reads, “Sharing I’m Disabled shouldn’t be a big deal, but yet it feels like it. I don’t know what someone’s response is going to be, I don’t know how they will react, or if once again, I will be met with ableism.”

“I wish I wasn’t Disabled”. I said during a keynote speech this week. Saying the words, I felt emotional. When I first started speaking, I thought feeling emotional while speaking was a big no-no. Two years later, I’ve learnt to embrace it. Now when I am delivering a talk, I speak from the heart. I no longer shy away from being vulnerable or from being real. Feeling emotional when sharing trauma comes with the territory. Now, I’m not saying I have full-on crying episodes in front of an audience. But for me, getting the lump at the back of my throat or feeling emotional means I’ve done my job. I’ve been authentically me. I’ve brought my passion, I’ve brought my whole self, I’ve spoken from the heart, and I’ve been real. I’ve shown the human behind the Disability. And personally, I believe it’s made me a much better speaker and storyteller. Image Description: Jamie taking a selfie in his office. He is a white male with dark hair pushed up to one side, blue eyes and a dark beard. He is serving speaker eleganza as he tries to take the photo. #FridayFeeling #DisabledBySociety #Speaker #DisabilityInclusion

It’s World Mental Health Day. Remember: Mental health can be extremely disabling for many people. Internalised ableism needs to be part of the mental health conversation. Mental health resources need to be accessible. Mental health, like Disability, does not discriminate. #ThursdayThoughts #WorldMentalHealthDay #UnlearningAbleism #DisabilityInclusion

I’m good. I’m okay. I’m fine. I often heard the words leave my mouth, but despite knowing they weren’t true, it always felt easier to say than admit my reality. I wasn’t good. I wasn’t okay, and I for sure wasn’t fine. But did the people asking actually care, or were they just asking to be polite? I sometimes think on this. If I had told someone sooner, would it have prevented me from spiralling? Would it have prevented the antidepressants? The internalised ableism? The internalised homophobia? Would it have made a difference? I won’t ever know. But what I do know is how empty those questions can sometimes feel. How disingenuous it sometimes feels, or how they question gets lost in conversation. Like a former manager who would ask right at the end of a call, “How are you doing?” As though two minutes was enough time to address the gripping depression or the contributions my unsupportive manager was having on my mental health. Asking these questions almost feels like an automatic reaction, but do we stop to make time for the response? Do we actually ask because we want to know, or because we feel it’s a nice thing to ask? I’m not trying to discourage anyone from asking, but rather I’m encouraging people to ask sincerely and allow time for someone to answer. Ask, but not in passing or through automation. Ask because you genuinely want to know and are willing to listen. Yes, you might not have the answers. But sometimes listening can help someone articulate something they haven’t said aloud before and that could make a difference. Image Description: A Disabled By Society quote graphic. A dark background with colourful blocks running along the top and bottom of the page. The quote reads, “Ask if someone is okay, but don’t ask just in passing or as an automatic conversation filler. Ask because you genuinely want to know and are willing to listen.” #WorldMentalHealthDay #DisabilityInclusion #DiversityAndInclusion #ItsOkToNotBeOk

There are only three days left to grab your ticket for my content accessibility workshop! “Disabled By Your Content” Date: Friday, 11th October Time: 2pm - 4.30 pm (BST) Duration: 2 hours 20 mins + 10 min break Location: Virtual Tickets are available via Eventbrite (link in the comments). This accessibility workshop is aimed at anyone wanting to create accessible content. You will learn: How to create content that is accessible to as many people as possible. How to create/design accessible images, graphics, and videos. How to create inclusive branding and marketing. How to use colours accessibly. Just how inaccessible content disables people, and so much more… I promise lots of shared lived experience, passion, and a whole load of fun learning! Together, let’s accelerate inclusive and accessible change! Image Description: A Disabled By Society poster promoting Jamie’s upcoming course, “Disabled By Your Content”. A dark background with coloured rectangles running parallel together horizontally along the top and bottom of the page. Text reads, “Disabled By Your Content. Online Accessibility Workshop. 11 October 2024. 2pm - 4:30pm. Learn how to create inclusive, accessible content.” An image of Jamie, a white male with dark hair pushed up to one side, blue eyes and a dark beard, is cropped into a circle. Jamie is serving serious about accelerating inclusive, accessible change vibes. Text below the image reads, “Delivered by Jamie Shields”. #TuesdayThoughts #Content #DisabilityInclusion #DiversityAndInclusion

There are only three days left to grab your ticket for my content accessibility workshop! “Disabled By Your Content” Date: Friday, 11th October Time: 2pm - 4.30 pm (BST) Duration: 2 hours 20 mins + 10 min break Location: Virtual Tickets are available via Eventbrite (link in the comments). This accessibility workshop is aimed at anyone wanting to create accessible content. You will learn: How to create content that is accessible to as many people as possible. How to create/design accessible images, graphics, and videos. How to create inclusive branding and marketing. How to use colours accessibly. Just how inaccessible content disables people, and so much more… I promise lots of shared lived experience, passion, and a whole load of fun learning! Together, let’s accelerate inclusive and accessible change! Image Description: A Disabled By Society poster promoting Jamie’s upcoming course, “Disabled By Your Content”. A dark background with coloured rectangles running parallel together horizontally along the top and bottom of the page. Text reads, “Disabled By Your Content. Online Accessibility Workshop. 11 October 2024. 2pm - 4:30pm. Learn how to create inclusive, accessible content.” An image of Jamie, a white male with dark hair pushed up to one side, blue eyes and a dark beard, is cropped into a circle. Jamie is serving serious about accelerating inclusive, accessible change vibes. Text below the image reads, “Delivered by Jamie Shields”. #TuesdayThoughts #Content #DisabilityInclusion #DiversityAndInclusion

“All I see on my feed every day is someone saying they’ve just been diagnosed.” “There is an ADHD epidemic.” “There seems to be a spike in ADHD.” “People want to over-diagnose.” “There’s a sudden rush to diagnose as quickly as possible, like it’s some kind of magic bullet.” “There almost seems to be a compulsion or need to immediately diagnose as quickly as possible.” “I’m just questioning that underlying narrative.” “I’ve never seen so many people come out as diagnosed as they have in the last decade.” “There is a correlation between smartphone and tablet use and diagnosis.” Dear people who post clickbait content like the above, and share widely inaccurate information about ADHD, I see you. I see your privilege as you weigh in on something you have zero lived experience of and zero medical experience in. I see you with your out-of-date research, making uneducated comments to people with lived experience, as they try to explain that what you’re saying is wrong and offensive. I see your privilege as you shoot these people down, play the victim, and accuse them of gaslighting you. I see your ableism, and it’s not a good look. It’s rude, it’s offensive, it’s giving privilege, and it’s literally you clickbaiting. Image Description: A Disabled By Society quote graphic. A dark background with colourful blocks running along the top and bottom of the page. The quote reads, “Sharing false information about something you have zero lived experience of or professional experience of, and playing the victim when called out for it, is some kind of super privilege.” #SundayThoughts #DiversityAndInclusion #Ableism #DisabilityInclusion

When your inclusion isn’t accessible it is: Inequitable Unjust Marginalises Incomplete Discriminatory Superficial Limiting Oppressive Exclusion Alienating Ironic Sadly Typical Image Description: A Disabled By Society graphic. The title reads, “When your inclusion isn’t accessible it is”: Below are 12 statements with clipart which read, 1. Unjust – a scale with one person on each side, it is weighed down more at one side. 2. Inequitable - two people standing on different levels of blocks. 3. Marginalises – a thumb pressing down on a person’s head. 4. Incomplete – a jigsaw with a missing piece. 5. Discriminatory – a handheld outright with a wheelchair symbol inside, a line is scoring it out. 6.  Superficial – a person wearing a mask. 7. Limiting – two hands come together to form an x. 8. Oppressive – a person with a handheld over their month. 9. Exclusion – a person pushing another away. 10. Alienating – an alien’s head, or what we think aliens look like.  11. Ironic – an upside-down smiley face. 12. Sadly Typical – outlines of people pointing in a circle centred. #FridayFeeling #DisabledBySociety #DiversityAndInclsuion #DisabilityInclusion

Hello LinkedIn community! I'm lucky enough to be travelling to San Francisco (USA), Sydney (Australia), Los Angeles (USA) and Washington DC (USA) from the end of October up until Christmas. I'm really keen to meet with two groups of people: - Talent Acquisition professionals from large companies based in those cities, and - Organizations who help to support people with disabilities into work in those cities (using the US/Aus lingo already!) Can you help? Do you have any interesting contacts in this space? Thanks in advance!

There is just two months until the International Day for Disabled People, and Season 4 of #PurpleSockDay 🧦💜 Purple Sock Day is a simple act of mass participation, whereby the business community can celebrate #IDPD, whilst creating #Social Impact. All you need to do is purchase our sustainable bamboo socks, made by BAM ; wear the socks on 3rd December, take pictures, post on social channels & tag us at #PurpleSockDay. This not only helps raise awareness, solidarity and allyship for the disabled community, but we also donate profits to support budding disabled entrepreneurs. Our principal beneficiary and partner is BASE (British Association for Supported Employment) . To find out more or get involved, DM us or e-mail [email protected] Sustainable Style with Social Impact – What’s not to love! #IDPD24 #Disability #DisabledEntrepreneurs #Employment #SocialEntrepreneur #Community