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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair - a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society's habit of turning disabled people into "inspiration porn."
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"Disabled people are more disabled by our societies than our body's and our diagnosis." Wow, that's so thought provoking and powerful! I almost feel bad, because I'm inspired.
This you should be inspired by. Just don't be inspired because she goes grocery shopping or takes a shower. It's like the "CELEBRITIES ARE JUST LIKE US! Grocery Shopping! Going to the Movies!"
in my experience 100% accurate as well. i literally can't even go buy bread most of the time without someone assuming i need help getting it lol.
Actually I think society makes more good than bad to disabled people. I mean, imagine her in wild nature, what would happen to her? Well, the same thing that happens to many other animals who don't have a society as complex as our. So yes, disabilities are a bad thing but their implications have been easier to carry because of society's help
@@diegomartinez9785 Most modern city dwelling humans would not do so well in wild nature. In that respect we all benefit from a complex society.
@@scotscub76 yes, but we have to recognize our limitations and be thankful with society (which doesn't mean we shouldn't try to improve it). It's false that people are disable because of society, society actually does (and must) help them and everyone else to live better
I almost commented about 'if it was okay that she's now my inspiration', but then I realised that, yes, yes it is, because it's her humility and perspective on life and way of speaking that I find inspirational, not her disability.
Totally agree 😎
Listening to Stella give this speech is a true lesson in humility and grace.
She's inspirational because she is a good public speaker and knows how to inspire.
Exactly!!! 👏
So very sad to hear of Stella's death on Saturday at age 32 (6th Dec, 2014). I was lucky enough to meet her a couple of times & she was a lovely person. RIP Stella, you were one of a kind.
+kerryn67 Oh, that's a shame! I just now discovered this video and learned about her.
+kerryn67 May she R.I.P
Glad I read the comments first before I posted what would probably be viewed as a really tasteless joke. In my defense, if she was alive it woulda been really funny...
...Screw it, I'm doing it anyway. I mean really, she's lucky to have lived as long as she did. no one who watched Dawson's Creek comes out unscathed. She's lucky she never caught a very special episode of Blossom. The combination is 95% fatal.
etherraichu
That "joke" wasn't funny. And I'm not saying that because it was offensive or anything (it wasn't either), it's just incredibly bad. So yeah, you could probably have done the world a favor by not writing that weird comment.
Awe you had to burst that bubble?! Awe that is terrible now I really don't want to watch :(
I come from the opposite end of the spectrum. I've had what's called an "invisible illness" my whole life. A disabling autoimmune disorder that has left me with chronic fatigue and chronic pain and needing multiple surgeries and hospitalizations. But since I "look normal" to people, I was rarely given any acknowledgment or recognition for the additional challenges and difficulties I was (and am) struggling with every day. In fact, as a child, I was bullied far more aggressively when my condition was acting up than when I was in remission. the more disabled I got, typically, the more cruelly I was treated.
My point is that it depends on the person. For Stella Young, I can totally appreciate where she's coming from, and empathize with the request she's making. I've experienced the tyranny of low expectations myself. But for every person with a visible disability getting suffocated with patronizing support, there may be another person with an invisible disability getting suffocated by an absence of support altogether.
I think the real lesson is - no two disabilities are completely alike. And what makes one disabled person feel validated may actually be aggravating and frustrating for another. Conclusion: actually talk to them (us) and find out who we are before deciding what we need.
hey, I'm also on the journey of chronic fatigue and pain. may I ask what treatments you pursued, and if they were helpful at all?
@@SantaFishes101 many natural remedies, many lifestyle changes, much experimentation... it's a journey of listening to my body more than anything. Right now I'm on iron infusions and an anti-inflammatory drug called Remicade for Crohn's Disease, but I also find that good nutrition, stress reduction, meditation, chi kung (chinese healing movements and breathing), a breathing technique called Wim Hof Method (that is supposed to help stimulate the immune system and I've had some good results from - and naturopathically, the thing that helps me best with achy joints and painful muscles is turmeric/curcumin... which stains when appplied topically, but can be very effective that way, or can be ingested and is best absorbed with a healthy oil (never vegetable oils or trans fats... those are highly inflammatory for me). The most effective use of it I've discovered is actually to mix turmeric with oil and swab your sinuses through the nostrils with the mixture with a q-tip. It lowers blood pressure too. Mostly, I just find that my mood and my emotional health play a big role in it all - when I have unprocessed trauma, my resiliency plummets - the more I address my psychic health, the more I seem able to bounce back! Best of luck and good health to you - and happy to answer any questions. It's different for each person - but I sincerely hope you find your way through.
Amen! I couldn't agree with you more!
Well said!
@Alexis Finnerty totally. dealing with that BS right now! haha. but we go on, eh?
Telling a person who has a disability that they're so brave for living their everyday life is like someone telling you that you're such an inspiration for eating cereal in the morning. It's just weird.
Please re-watch the video, I think you missed the main point.
@@xBris Nope, Miss Adjusted got it right. That IS the main point.
No, it's not. Some people have to suffer through a lot more pain and depression for "living every day". Some people actually inspire others to make something of themselves, and that's not always an inherently bad thing.
@@Zancb I think you're the one missing the point. Unless you know what the person has gone through, you don't just telling a disabled person that they are brave.
I mean, if they just doing whatever other doing, it's called routine. Do you tell a random person that they are brave to get out of their home and walk outside?
And it really shows how low of an expectation they have of us. If me getting up in the morning is inspiring- what do they think is average?
The absolute worst thing I have ever been told cake immediately after “you’re so brave”. She continued with “if it was me I would have killed my self by now”.
I’m sure she thought it was a compliment to my strong and enduring nature. It wasn’t. It told me that she didn’t think my life was worth living. That I was nothing but an object of pity who probably should go off myself, because I’m not worth more than that.
Those backhanded compliments can really ruin your day.
My disabled child gets a lot of this. Sometimes people tell me "Oh you are such a great mom!" just because they see me with her in public. I tell my family that if we are out and she is happy, I'm mother of the year. If she's unhappy, I'm a monster to torment the little blind girl. I totally get what Stella is talking about - she's not some worst case scenario to compare yourself or your child against. She is a happy kid who does things differently but still does things and enjoys them.
Mom of a blind boy here. You have told everything. Hugs from Belgium
Do people basically congratulate you for not hating your child? Cause that’s a pretty low bar.
@@potatodar I think some or indirectly such as praising them for being patient, brave, an angel, etc. I know partners of disabled people get those too, which is basically people indirectly saying that disabled people don't deserve to be loved and all like??? Why are you praising parents for being parents and partners for being partners??
As a blind person, I want to tell you that you are a great mom. Thank you for being an example of a parent that did not limit your child. We need more people like you in this world.
Unfortunately, she has passed on, but this is one of the best TED talks ever.
I bet Stella was responsible for giving people a new perspective on what it means to be disabled.
Apparently there's going to be a statue of Stella erected in Melbourne. This was announced on International Women's Day, which prompted my response of: "About !@#$ing time!" By that I mean, time women with a disability became part of the narrative.
I hate that when I tell people i am disabled they usually say "you don't look disabled" I didn't know disabled people had to look a certain way.
Yup. I have days where I can walk an extra 40 feet without showing how painful it is. One day a lady who had seen me on my worse days told me I was "faking it". I wanted to punch her in her fucking face.
I think it's another one of those misguided "compliments". I think most people who don't really know much about disabled people DO have a certain image of what a disabled person "ought to" look like, which is probably something along the lines of Stella.
I hear you there. I'm a big guy, 6'1" built like a tank and I function very well considering the fact that I'm legally blind. I have all of three feet of vision but people just look at me and see a big dude with thick glasses. Most can't even tell I'm legally blind because I've adapted. I get the "But you seem to do fine!" or "You can't be legally blind if you're getting around on your own!" comments all the time. People need to wake up, some disabilities aren't in your face obvious nor do all disabilities stop us from functioning. Our size, stature, strength, build, age, personal style and all these other things we're either born with or do to make ourselves feel better do not negate the fact we're disabled. People just seem so shocked when they see someone disabled doing the same stuff they do, sometimes better than they do. Seriously, disabled doesn't mean unable, the whole label is misleading. I am very able, I just so happen to not be able to see shit without my glasses and see only three feet with them. We can do the same things everyone else can, we just have to do them differently sometimes!
As a side note, anyone who has that "But you don't look disabled." issue from people, look up a site called butyoudontlooksick, it mostly centers around fibromyalgia (Another thing I sadly have) but has other kinds of illnesses in it's pages and the writers have a sense of humor. It goes to prove that those of us who deal with those ignorant comments really have a lot of company in the matter.
I live in constant pain and discomfort due to an invisible illness. The only thing that I fake is NOT being in pain. Most days I'm pretty good at it. I wish I'd taken up acting whilst I was able to because it's clear I have the aptitude for it. Sadly some days I just can't pull on the mask, and THOSE are the days I often get accused of faking something. Drives me mad!
Joel Wende
You are not alone. It's also annoying when you have more than one issue that isn't in people's faces obvious. The reaction of "There's no way you have both/all those issues!" seriously people, it's not like conditions check to see if anything else has already gotten you before inflicting you itself!
It also heaps expectations onto disabled people that they can't meet. I'm not running wheelchair marathons. I'm not playing soccer with two pair of prosthetics. I'm in so much pain I'm lucky if I can get a shower. But. All of these " inspirational" pictures, articles etc... make me a target for disgust. Even with myself. Why can't I rise up above the pain ? Above the dysfunction ? What's wrong with me ?
I used to feel that way. Then I realized the only person's opinion that matters to me is God's.
Nothing is wrong with you other than being honest in a world of people who expect more of you than they do of themselves. Seriously lame. Feeling discouraged or overwhelmed is normal. I live with impaired vision. Believe me. I've been there and from time to time, I still do, but it's okay because I know a lot of people who could never deal with what I deal with each day, self-disqualifying their criticism of me or the way I do things. Feel free to reply if you need a listening ear. Hope things get better for you. Don't let anyone tell you who to be.
Yes. I totally agree. I don't usually let it get me down but I am very aware of the expectations.
It's a subtle form of biggotry if you ask me.
Hello, I'm creating a content during a volunteer disability awareness campaign on the topic deleting stigma around disabilities, and I'm struck on not one of us ever thought or talk about your pov, which on its own actually also a toxic stigma.
I'd like to ask for your permission if only you're okay with it, to use your words on my content (a small feed in ig acc with less then 300 followers). I hope you're having the best version of yourself and all the best for you. Thank you!
Ps. Oh I haven't upload it yet, if I do, I'll tell you from here, and you can contact me from the post if you want me to take it down. No names will be included if you want.
I live with autism and when I worked at Repco I had a store manager who assumed I was the one putting spark plugs in the wrong drawers. I alao had the HR manager at the time tell me that alarm bells were going off in her head because I had separated from my completely useless employment agency. I agree with Stella and her social model of disability. May she rest in peace.
This talk opened my eyes. I always thought there was something wrong with those disabled people images, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it
Juan Martín
My thoughts exactly
the mainstream media always pictured the disabled either as:
a. object of pity
b. object of expectation doing something extraordinary, like winning an olympics or flight a rocket.
I'm a Christian, but some of them drive me nuts. They're forever trying to get me healed. I tell them now, why my eyes rather than my back. It causes me far more difficulty than low vision. For any Christian reading this, PLEASE, do not tell people with a visible disability they need healing. A lot of us don't think there's anything wrong with us. To most of us, it's a total, arrogant put-down, because it is.
Amazing how normals don't notice something until a disabled person points it out.
I have never heard anyone explore and talk about disability from this angle like this lady did. Man, this makes me rethink how I looked at people with disabilities for inspiration. Guilty as charged! This speech was certainly a learning experience!
THANK YOU!!! :)
Hopefully others will take up the baton for Stella and demand ableism be called out the same way racism, sexism and homophobia are.
As a blind person, I can’t thank you enough for changing your perception! Your openness is commendable!
This changed my life, I no longer feel pressure to be preachy and amazing, I can be lazy and not always participate in everything if I don't want to. I have no obligation to serve others in my life. I can be human and disabled and disability is not who and all I am.
Lizzy Swift hdxvn
I've never thought of it this way. More people should see this, it's amazing
Aaah Kovu! So cool to see you here. I agree!!
Oh my god, Kovu!!
You were dis-able in that way. We all do have disabilities in lots of areas. We just to not think it that way because, as she says, it´s convenient for us. It´s brilliant!!!
NO AMOUNT OF SMILING AT A FLIGHT OF STAIRS HAS EVER MADE IT TURN INTO A RAMP.
RIP Stella Young!!! 😭
oy, hello. I'm also Emma Rose. ... but yeah...rip stella. :( I found her speech after looking into if other people experienced this insanity.
As a disabled person I totally agree with her and want to add. Its also fucked up to see those as a disabled person because some of us (like myself) can't do things in the posters and able bodied people compare us to them. A disabled person is more readily compared to a paralympic athlete than any able bodied man to an Olympic Athlete. And that fucking sucks cause it makes us feel worthless for not being able to do certain things, or that people we know thinks we're liars or faking it.
yep! this is what has been frustrating me for so long
its sick yes! i NEVER found inspirational quotes to be anything other than condecending to ALL the viewers of the posters. ugh, jeez people are different, not everybody wants to spend their life chansing a ball with 23 other sweaty people (fotball/soccer) 😒
@@girlsurfingtheinternet8195 yeah, not only each person has their own desires, and interests; but also, each person has thrir own limit and probably knows it betrer than others
I never thought about that aspect of the comparison before. That’s a great point.
This exactly!
the core of this is is that able bodied and minded people see those with disabilities as lower and barely worthy of life, but they would never say this or face that fact.
they only matter to average people as tools to inspire or make themselves look good, otherwise their lives don't matter.
yea that's pretty much it right there man. we're either there to "inspire" or be the object of their daily "good deed" cuz they're just oh so "helpful" when i'm donig something mundane lol.
The barely worthy of life thing is too real! I once had a woman say to me (thinking she was complimenting me, I’m sure), that “you’re so brave! If I was you, I’d probably have killed myself by now!”
Uhhh…. That’s not a compliment. Did she think my life was so worthless, that I had nothing of value to live for, that the difficulties I face would make my life not worth living at all? How low are her expectations of me that merely continuing to survive is an extraordinary feat?
I can believe that, although I don't think the majority feel that way. And I think it's possible that those who do feel that way might do so on a subconscious level.
i'm watching this for school, but this hits so close to home. i have dwarfism and visual impairment, so hearing people say "you're so strong" is super common. But i don't want to be, i'm only strong because i HAVE to be. i don't want peoples' memories of me to be "oh (me) was so strong" "(me) had a hard life" i want to be remembered for kindness, for compassion, not for the conditions i have.
I acquired my disability from a car accident, and if I could count how many people have told me that when things are bad they think of me, and they don't feel so bad... sometimes not in those exact words but something like it... super rude! People don't even think of what they're saying, they don't think about how it sounds.
Good god that's awful. That's like back-handedly saying "I'm glad I'm not you" people just really aren't educated on how to communicate at all are they?
I hope you've been doing well since this comment and that hopefully you've gotten a lot less of people saying things like that if not ideally not saying it at all.
@@vixxcelacea2778 They really shouldn't say things like "I'm glad I'm not you" because disability can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. Something to keep in mind.
To clear up something happening in the comments: "Disability is not a bad thing." She's not being literal. The lie "disability is a bad thing" perpetuates the idea that all disabled people need to be pitied and congratulated for tiny accomplishments because their lives are terrible. Their lives are ASSUMED to be terrible because they have a BAD thing they have to deal with. What she means by "disability is not a bad thing" is that people living with disabilities are not miserable about the fact they have them (most anyway). From a disabled person's perspective, it is NOT a bad thing. It just is. It is a thing, neither negative nor positive. I'm in a wheelchair, and I don't believe my disability is a bad thing. It's just something that happens to be included. My hair color happens to be brown. I'm not upset I'm a brunette. Being a brunette "is not a bad thing." That's what she means.
Honestly, one of the things that always seemed absurd to me is that many non-disabled people apparently have this weird idea that if you become disabled you'll just spend the rest of your life being sad and moping around. I mean, I can see how being upset would be the initial reaction for a lot of people, but at some point I imagine most if maybe not all people would get over it or just become tired of the "woe's me", assuming that wouldn't be the case seems awfully shortsighted and ignorant of how human are.
yeah she's addressing the stigma around disability. and then when people try to get away from stigmatizing, they try to elevate disabled persons to inspirations... rather than simply normalizing the realities of disability.
May I go so far as to say that the inspired people are the miserable ones. It's like seeing us is a momentary escape for them. When people tell me I'm worse off than them, I tell them why I'm not.
A lot of you were watching this just waiting to rebut anything that she said. When she says "disability is not a Bad Thing", she means that nothing about it is inherently or intrinsically bad. Bad is a relative judgement. It's true that our world is not designed to immediately accommodate those with certain physical limitations. Nobody wakes up saying, "Gee, I wish I didn't have legs". But for someone like her, who has never known life in another form, it would be insane to live day to day thinking, "I'm so different." These conditions are called "disabilities" for a reason. But it isn't an impossible or noble adjustment for someone who has never known life a different way. For that reason, it is perfectly understandable that she feels that sort talk is patronizing. It's also important to note that not all disabilities are created equal. There's a big difference between someone born this way or someone who becomes disabled.
RamajX I guess I had always assumed that living with a disability was a form of adversity, but I guess I was wrong.
+Jack Hooper It is what it is. It is called living life.
RamajX Disability is a bad thing, she is spewing toxic propaganda.
Seeing Clearly Media Maybe you feel that way, but not everyone does. I keep seeing people make comments about how pathetic life would be from a wheelchair. I can't walk and I couldn't care less. If you list all of the things in your life that are wonderful and being able to walk makes the top ten then I feel sorry for you.
Actually... I kind of like walking honestly. It's how I deal with a lot of my day to day frustrations and how I feel most comfortable when actually thinking through a problem. So for me, even ignoring the convenience side of things, there'd be a lot I simply wouldn't cope with if I couldn't walk (not mentioning the enjoyment of simply going to new places on foot). So yes, walking legitimately makes the top ten for me simply because it's such an integral mechanism in getting through every day life. My life would legitimately decrease in quality drastically were I unable to walk.
I had this lady walk up to me at the Greyhound station saying, "I admire your courage." I asked her if there was a bomb threat or something. I'm going down in history as the woman who sat in a Greyhound station! WOW! I wish someone would inspire me once in awhile. I think people want to say something but the're not sure what to say so they rely on clichés. I'm gifted and would be just as gifted if I had 20/20 vision. Thanks so much for posting this. This lady gives the best explanation of this subject I've heard in a long time.
Well, someone had to say it.
It also brings rise to the "happy cripple" trope. No, I do not exist to inspire you, or make you smile. If I want to be grumpy, I damn well should be allowed to be! It's dehumanising.
Thanks Stella, for the work you've done. Vale Stella Young.
What she means by a society where disability is the norm, she means a society where people who are disabled are not thought of as less of a person, as automatically less capable, as being worthless, etc.
There was nothing wrong with Stella's tongue. Sharp enough to cut certain people with. I remember seeing her on "Insight" and thinking: "Good on her for saying something."
If someone looks at their specific set of circumstances and does not regard themselves with pity - embracing what they do have instead of lamenting what they don't - then YOU looking on them with pity is an insult because it disregards the person they are. It makes it all about your guilt, your messiah complex, your relief that it's not happening to you. Your feelings. When it should be about THEIR feelings.
I don't see howo someone who doesn't know me could find me inspiring. If I am anything positive to someone else, I'd rather motivate them than inspire them.
@@shelleymagnussen1959 I agree. All I do every day is go about my business (out for a walk to go and buy the paper), and on a random day some bright spark decides to tell me how amazing I am for how far I walk most days. Why? It's nothing an able-bodied, so-called normal person doesn't do. I have what's called an invisible disability (autism), but I understand what Stella was getting at here.
If it's OK with you, Stella (or your ghost if spirits continue after death)... you *are* my inspiration. It's not your "triumph through disability" that inspires me, but your poise as a speaker.
I've lived 20 years with MS and it sucks, but it's just a disease. One rises to the challenge and moves on, because adaptation is what humans are good at.
Talking directly to a crowd about *anything* is hard! :-)
I'm so glad that she came out to speak to hundreds of people-now thousands about this matter. I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, known as Brittle Bone Disease. I'm fourteen years old now, and I can't count the number of times someone came up to me and told me that I am an inspiration or brave. I'm not brave because I've survived this long. I'm not an inspiration because I exist. I am just me. To me, being brave means being aware of the consequences of a decision and going for it anyway for the benefit of other people. I've never saved anyone's life, nor am I a hero. I have my own problems to deal with. Sure, I go out of my way to help others, but it has no relevance to my disability. I am here to offer advice or empathy to someone who needs it, but I will not help you carry your groceries to your car.
I did not choose my life. It just happened. This is my "normal". I don't know what it's like to be independent. I don't know what it's like to not have people ask, "what happened to you" like it's what defines who you are as a person. I don't care how you are able to get through everyday life without being afraid that you're going to bother someone because you need help opening your bottle of toothpaste.
Do you call your friend who broke their leg at a ski resort an inspiration? Why not? They will now remember this traumatic experience for the rest of their lives, right? They need a cast and will surely need to use a wheelchair for a while. They won't be able to be independent. They'll feel like a burden. They will get stared at. People will come up and ask them what happened every five seconds. But they're not an inspiration. They didn't choose to break their leg either.
The thing is people can see your disability or struggle. You're right, that doesn't make you special. Everyone has something. Whether it be physical, mental illness, poverty, etc.
Hey, I have OI as well, type 1. And it's true, though I am not a wheelchair user, OI faces me with different problems. I have early hearing loss, and ongoing hand and arm injuries because i play an instrument the makes my ligaments pull. Ankle problems, blah blah blah. But because I have some issues, doesnt mean I want pity or sympathy, sometimes i just need some extra help of work (or a little problem solving to make a brace for my hand!) Thank you for sharing your story, and its nice to find people who have the same condition i have, since its quite rare. Hope you're doing well, at whatever you're doing! :)
blub Disability is a bad thing, she is spewing toxic propaganda.
Seeing Clearly Media you have typed the exact same comment on a dozen posts.
Here's the thing for everyone arguing her point:
How would you feel if you were applauded for putting on your shoes?
Yeah, recognition is nice, but all you did was put on your shoes. You learned to do that when you were 2, or 6, so why at 26 are people going "Oh, yay, look at you, smart little girl putting on her shoes!!" It would feel patronizing, like they thought that was a HUGE feat for you, that you wouldn't to any better with your life than put in your shoes.
For many disabled (I think), they have never known any different, they were born in and grew up in their bodies, and worked within its abilities, same as you and me. To belittle their capabilities, unless they truly are doing something extraordinary, must be very disheartening.
I never know what to say to a disabled/differently ables person, but talks like these help me gain some perspective. Unless you are in her situation, how can an able bodied person argue that she DOESN'T feel patronized and objectified, I'm pretty sure she knows her own emotions better than you do!
For one, don't call us differently abled, it's patronizing. Everyone is differently abled, for one. It's a twee term to avoid saying disabled as if disabled were a bad word to avoid, like we need to be protected from our reality. Other than that, talk to us like you'd talk to anyone else.
I deal with my own medical disability and can say with first hand experience you are 100% right. Another friend of mine who has the same condition as me talked with me in depth about this and we don't want pity or to be congratulated for bullshit. People with disabilities aren't here to be a crutch for others when they think about how bad life could be. We aren't here to cry about my life or my struggles, it isn't for you decide that it is a sad life. I live this life. This is my life and I live it with pride, despite it's extra challenges. I don't deserve a medal. I only deserve to be understood, nothing more to begin with than that
I believe the exact same point - in order for me to be inspirational, the task has to be inspirational.
Well said! As someone who is blind, I get that a lot. People say I inspire them just by doing my best to live and enjoy life and honestly, it gets annoying. In some ways I kind of see where they are coming from (many of these people are close friends of mine) but what I always tell them is some variation of, “I’m not inspirational, I’m just someone who does his best to live his life to the fullest; there’s nothing inspirational about that.“
No offense/disrespect taken, ma’am.
I think there are braille keyboards, but I don’t use them. I know the layout of your traditional desktop computer keyboard by heart and because of that, plus a screen reading software are use called jaws (job access with speech,) which will read it just about any text that is displayed as long as I prompt it to, I can type and use the computer quite well. Also on my iPhone, which is what I’m using to reply to you here, I have an accessibility feature called “voiceover.“ I like to think of it as jaws for iPhones and other Apple products. Through a combination of that and using Siri, i’m able to do a lot of the same things.
Honestly, though, it’s quite hard to explain exactly how these various screen readers and other types of accessibility programs/software/features work. You would have to actually see them in action.
I wonder what she thinks of those people who comment on videos of people with a deformed face--for example the video of the girl with no face (look it up)--and they say that that is "the most beautiful person" they've ever seen... People just say bullshit like that to make themselves look good. If they saw the same deformed person they are calling "beautiful" on the Internet in public, they'd just walk away from that person uncomfortably, without making eye contact. God, I hate insincerity.
I hate that, too. I always ask people who make those sort of remarks if they'd date someone who looked like that. If not, they'd liars & just being patronising. Actually, what we need is for people to stop thinking that whether or not someone is considered beautiful is interesting or important.
+Felicity Wright +LariBroo
The thing is, people have different views of "beauty", while I do see your point.. calling people liars is out of line here.
And by saying that an unusual ("deformed"?) person is beautiful doesn't make them a liar.
For example, some people can have the most appealing features and still be as ugly as can be, if they are ugly from the inside.
Sometimes a genuine smile is all it takes to make someone shine. And to be honest, if I didn't have a "normal" face, I don't know if I'd have the guts to post a video online or give a talk even. It takes courage, and that too is beautiful.
Have you any idea how offensive it is to disabled people when able-bodied people say that they don't think they'd want to appear in public if they were obviously disabled? Apparently not!
Preach
+SupscriptionAddict Your comment made me think of the Roald Dahl quote:
“If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
A brief life with a looong everlasting impact. Stella was a total rockstar in that way. The world is better because she was in it. May God bless her family.
Agree that the inspirational tag has to go. I’m in a chair full time and got told by a stranger that I was “marvellous”...I was drinking a cup of tea. They might mean well but it’s not helpful.
but wait...what kinda coffee was it? haha!
Kewl Beans It was tea.
@@HighTen_Melanie damn. I never thought of it this way. but hey, they have a good intention! but I can see what u mean.
I think some people say things to put themselves, not us, at ease.
@@shelleymagnussen1959 I think they do as well. It's like we make them uncomfortable by existing and they feel like they're obligated to compliment us or else they'll feel bad about themselves. It makes them feel like good people for "helping us" when really they just make the entire situation awkward. It's kind of like a charity situation for them
I hate it when people act as if a positive attitude will magically make me better, she is so right, I can be as positive as my blood test results, it is not going to make me walk or get rid of my illness! (I am not saying positivity isn't important but it is overrated as a solution/cure for disabled people)
Also it is annoying when people congratulate me for being brave when I am out shopping, no I am brave when my ribs pop out when I am brushing my teeth, or when I do my physio exercises at home and manage not to faint. If we are to be told we are brave or strong, I want it to be for the right reasons, rolling around shopping is not the most difficult aspect of my life.
Sounds like how I felt when someone was so amazed by me walking without tripping over stuff or lagging behind. I only have three feet of vision in my one working eye so I use a white cane since I can't see my feet. Like I told her, there's a reason the white cane was invented! To stop people with limited or no vision from tripping over or slamming into stuff. There's no reason to be amazed that I can walk when it's my eyes that are screwed up, not my legs! Now, the fact I can still find my phone without having to get someone to call it is impressive. (Sorry, bad joke, I know!)
Yeah it's weird the assumptions and expectations some people have. I just hope that when we correct them they pause before jumping to conclusions in the future
Sammy Ariel
Same. More understanding of illnesses, conditions, etc would go a long way to aiding understanding. But really, the only way that information will be out there for people is if we get more vocal. I, personally, blog about the topic a lot to try to get some of that info out there, but I do understand not everyone has the want/energy/time to do that stuff.
+Sammy Ariel Yep it's the new peer pressure to not be realistic and just put a fake smile on your face.
When life hands me cliches I always say, "Thanks for the platitude, but I forgot to bring my can opener."
I have what would be considered an “invisible disability” (autism) and I think other people can tell. People always cheer when I manage to achieve anything in gym class. Pisses me off. I’m doing exactly what everyone else is doing.
Don’t treat people differently because of their disabilities. It’s happened to me so many times and it’s humiliating. Just stop. We’re all human beings like you.
I know that feeling well. I'm autistic too and have had to put up with that crap since forever.
Also autistic here. (Mine is not obvious, I "look" and "sound" high functioning, mostly because my social sphere wasn't affected by it, but sensory imprints are an issue, among other things) I think those types of things should only be praised when one acutely understands that doing normal things is a struggle.
My partner and I have ADHD and I have autism (among typical co-morbids like depression and anxiety disorders) due to the severity, neither of us can currently work. Our daily home life, like keeping up with housework is a struggle. We constantly congratulate each other for seemingly to others innocuous things because we know how damn hard those things are specifically for us (and in our cases, we struggle with individual things that the other does not, so we're especially attentive to trying to remember that x or y was hard for them and say something when they can do it.). Remembering things, getting things done that need to be done all of those are a immense struggle for both of us.
I think one needs to understand the bar set for every specific person before they tell them "good job" in my life, I get told good job for doing things people would find common place because for me, they genuinely are a struggle and both my partner and people I work with regarding my issues are fully aware of this.
Honestly, when someone says "I have x or y" simply ask if something is hard for them or not and if they'd like to be acknowledged for it. Lots of people don't want pity. Some people need to be told good job because they have such low self-worth and hold themselves up to neurotypical/able-bodied standards that they don't congratulate themselves when they do something that for them is an accomplishment.
@@vixxcelacea2778 I agree. I wrote this comment a year ago and may have been a bit bitter about things back then. I cringe reading it now because it sounds really harsh even though people were probably just trying to be nice.
For me, having such low self-confidence made me feel like people were making things up to make me feel good. So whenever I got complimented I would wonder if people just looked down upon me, thinking I _needed_ compliments because I was so bad at things.
Still doesn’t make me feel good getting complimented for super simple things like actually hitting something over the net in badminton… makes me feel like I’m a massive burden to my team with how bad I am at it. That’s my own issue though, I guess.
Came to watch this as it was linked to a story of her passing away on the weekend...Way too young. Much loved in Australia
Prominent disability activist, writer and comedian Stella Young has died aged 32.
Ms Young was the former editor of the ABC's disability news and opinion website, Ramp Up.
Her family said she passed away unexpectedly on Saturday evening.
"With great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Stella Young, our much-loved and irreplaceable daughter and sister," the family said in a statement.
"Stella passed away on Saturday evening, unexpectedly, but in no pain.
"A private funeral will take place soon, followed by a public event in Melbourne, with more details to come.
She definitely just confirmed a lot of my perspectives and feelings toward the social model of disability. Makes me think about how the society we are all a part of actually breeds more sympathetic than empathetic perspectives. Challenging everyone to research the difference and identify examples of both in our own lives.
Thank you for this speech! Finally someone hitting the nail on the head. My brother has been paralysed from the head down ever since he was 4. Of course I hate for him to be in a wheelchair not able to move or speak. But he is a normal person like anyone else and people tend to stare at us when we joke around (yes, there is communication without words you stuid idiots) and no, thank you, I do not wish him dead cause "he'd be better off". I'd give my life so he could live the life he did before this horrible accident, of course I would. But he is not exceptional and nothing to pity.
I'm in a quandary, I find this in itself inspiring.
You can find a person with disabilities inspiring, as long as it's because they've done something inspirational and not because they're a disabled person.
Would it inspire you if an abled person did it? Yes? Then it passes the test.
I think that a new understanding or awareness inspiring you is just fine, as long as itis the concept, not the individual.
I miss Stella, she was a great teacher, but she never taught me personally. She taught everyone who watched this video and everyone who knows the word inspirationporn exists. That's a lot of people like a real teacher she has improved the world with spreading knowledge humanity can't live without.
This video is exactly how i've been feeling the past couple of years so thank you for voicing it Stella! I have a muscle wasting disability and have been wheelchair bound for almost 10 years now (I'm 22). The amount of people i've had say to me at the bus stop or waiting at the doctors that i am an inspiration, how i go out and am independent ... i just respond with 'thank you', but this is my life, there is nothing special about it apart from the fact i'm in a wheelchair, sometimes need a PA and can't write myself. I don't aim to inspire people and as Stella said, i notice what other disabled do and what adaptions they have and try to something similar to add small improvements. Thank you
sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but stella passed away in december 2014. nevertheless, i think she'd be glad you liked her talk.
I love that response!
@@alika2077 years on and i still live with the exact same thoughts! Thank you 😀
@@TashyTilly you’re very welcome! Thank you as well!
What made Stella Young inspirational was her toughness. A toughness born out of necessity. You learn to speak up for yourself because it becomes clear that no one else will.
One of my favorite TED talks ever, RIP Stella Young
Still miss her. I barely knew her but she was a great and inspiring leader. Sassy, fierce, smart, principled, funny, gifted, loved.
I miss you Stella. I miss reading your next insight, your next opinion piece. You truly were a shining star, a proud Australian Woman.
Bless your memory. Let us live from your wisdom always. xx
As a person born with a disability myself.... I actually do agree. Having a disability is not a bad thing. I have never gone through a time where I wished I was not disabled (except maybe when i'm at the bottom of a flight of stairs and there is no lift lol). There is nothing in my life that I want to do, that I cannot do, or cannot figure out a way to do. Life is what you make of it. I too cannot stand being called an inspiration. I also get called an inspiration, just for going out and doing my groceries. Before I had my scooter, I had to carry four large bags of groceries in my mouth, to the cab rank. I don't call that me being an inspiration. I call that doing what I have to do to get the job done lol. Sadly I wasn't born an octopus, and I don't have 8 arms/legs to multi task. So if I must use my mouth in place of my hands at times, so be it! LOL.
My partner has an autoimmune disorder that limits her movement. Because she is young (mid 20s) for someone with this condition there is definitely this perception that she should constantly be striving to "overcome" the things she struggles with and try to function "normally". Which is exhausting. And woe betide her for not putting on a pleasant front and act like everything's bearable, or using a wheelchair/scooter or doing something that harms her health like drinking or eating junk food. The constant judgement is overwhelming to witness let alone experience. This apploes to the neurodivergent too. How many autistic people feel pressured to mask?
Honestly the greatest challenge she faces are people's expectations of how she *should* act. Rather than anything she can or cant do.
RIP Stella, your contribution and legacy lives on till this day, and forever
As a disabled person from birth, "missing a right arm." I do not know any different, I was born this way. This is my body and I like it. When a person comes to me while I am doing mundane tasks, like going to the gym or running a 10K or grocery shopping, I hear..."Wow you are such an inspiration" and "Wow, if you can do it, I can do it!" Its offensive. I have not done anything special but get out of bed and live my life, using my body to it best capacity. It is similar to the imagined example of a 3 armed alien coming to earth and saying, "Wow, how do you get by with only 2 arms? You are such an inspiration!" Would you as a 2 armed person feel offended? So, I'm sorry, I also do not want to be anyone's inspiration. Perhaps it is different for a person who becomes disabled and has to relearn things...I cannot speak to that situation.
I never saw her as an inspiration, or anyone else for that matter. I don't really let myself be inspired by people. I let myself be inspired by actions.
Finally a comment i can respect. It is not words that drive me but the actions themselves.
Yea…actions of people.
I saw Stella Young as a fighter, who used her tongue as a weapon against those who were ignorant about disability. Wonder who will take up the banner now?
I loved this talk! There have been so many cases in which people have tried to be kind to another but have actually caused more harm than good. Instead of going with the status quo of what is considered to be an appropriate and kind response to people who are different or possibly not different and just struggling with something in their lives people should THINK of how their words and actions could affect another. Sometimes as Stella is pointing out you don't even need to say a thing as pointing how amazing it is that they can do something EVERYONE else can is just saying that you have very low expectations of people who are different.
Rest in power
I used to go to uni with this girl and always thought she was special. Power to you Stella!
Wow what an inspiration!
***** Thank you for your response to my Sarcasm
*****
how does this post happen?
Haha! I mean, it was inspiring, and the inspiring thing was that the talk made you rethink while being funny, not that she was able to give a talk. I appreciate your comment, dude :)
I knew when going to the comments this would be the top comment... yet I still laughed.
***** she thinks she is not but she is...because if she wasnt they wouldnt let her speak,they wouldnt gather to listen to her and the only thing she could do with her life was to be in her house and feel bad with her self but because of this INSPIRATION she can live.
What a brave woman to come out against all the condescension disabled people get! Truly inspiring.
She saw something was wrong and called it out.
The irony is that she did become an inspiration for me when she made this speech... not because she was in a wheelchair, but because she is an eloquent, funny, and engaging speaker with a powerful message. Her activism makes her inspiring, not her method of mobility. I am autistic and I am this close to losing it over "cheerleader asks boy with autism out to prom" stories and its nice that these stories have a name now that accurately shows how stigmatizing they are.
This is one of the only youtube channels that actually has reasonable comments.
Eeeeeeh, once I saw a TED talk by a trans person and the comments were extremely hateful so...
I always thought most people are patronizing to those with physical disabilities. I've always treated people like that like a regular dude.
Good. Keep it up! :D
I have Autism, ADHD and PTSD and I'm living with it. not vary many people can get over it but I have and I am watching this.
You just talked for 10 minutes on one of the biggest world stages, spoke your mind, got in some laughs, and made it look easy. Disabled or not, that's pretty darn inspiring to me.
That was an amazing talk and now I'm devastated to learn of her death.
Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't know this while I was watching this. I'm very saddened. I just read up on her life and she did this Ted Talk about 5 months before she died unexpectedly. It's so devistating.
To people giving her crap for saying "disability is not a bad thing". I believe she meant "bad" as in "inferior/special".
And I totally agree with her, though I'm not disabled myself. It is true that physically or mentally disabled people are used as a mean to make abled people not only feel better about themselves, but it is a tool used to diminish able people's sufferings as well. I think in the end, this way of seeing disabled people hurts all of us.
You are right. I have been with my physical disability all my life. I see it is normal for me. I would like our society to see like that too.
I am happy to learn something from someone with disability. it makes me happy.
RIP Stella. Australia lost a great disability advocate over the weekend.
So sad that she is no longer with us and shared so much of her spirit and joy of life despite having a disability and a great advocate
I definitely understand what she is saying, and she makes a very good point. However i think the reason people congratulate disabled people for doing regular things, is that depending on the person and the disability, for some people who are disabled getting out of bed and dressing themselves and living daily life can be extremely painful and challenging, and nearly impossible. It may take a disabled person WAY more effort, to do the same thing as an able bodied person. That's where people find it "inspiring" is to know that some disabled people struggle just to do the most basic things, and that they could easily just "give up" but when they continue to try and live a normal life despite all the extra challenges some people would view that as very inspiring. So honestly i can see this from both sides, but like i said all disabilities and people are different and not all disabled people struggle to such an extent.
This. I struggle to do housework, like at all, especially the kitchen/dishes. For someone in a wheelchair, this might be a cakewalk given their specific manifestation of their given disability. For me, who is technically able-bodied, it would be expected of me to do so, because it's my brain that's disabled in this area and not my body. They'd likely praise the person who would seem to look like they'd struggle, but don't and condemn the person who seems like they wouldn't struggle, but do.
The issue is the assumption one way or the other.
“ We desire to be free from barriers & boundaries of human attitude.”
She's lucky she's not a friend of mine. I would always be asking if I can charge my phone off her chair. I saw her out at dance club a few weeks back. Should of asked her. Anyway, I like this speech. I'm not heartless, but I've always felt a bit intimidated by the praise we give to disabled people for just being disabled. A great new perspective.
God bless you Stella, I hope you found the world you want to live in. ❤
She's right, this wasn't inspirational. It was insightful.
in the same way it is insightful seeing a person with a disability do something never or rarely done or achieved before by someone with similar disability
Love this!! Have been saying this for years! So glad others are as well. Wish more people would understand this. This is getting linked!
Unless you have a disability or have a family member with a disability, it's impossible for an outsider to understand until it happens to them. I see that as the only way they will learn. Harsh, but true.
Hahaha great talk. When teachers at my school showed us "inspirational videos" about people with disability with great talent it always rubbed me the wrong way. What were they really trying to say? People with disability are just people, giving them "special treatment" makes our differences come between us, instead of enriching our relationship and giving us new perceptions.
Yes, we are just people. All anyone needs to do is say "Hello" and "Good morning" and leave it at that.
RIP Stella thank you for making us think.
So many people who aren't disabled in the comments saying that being disabled is a bad thing? How in the world would you know? I'm legally blind and my life is great. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for my disability. Its not an easy life, but everyone in life has challenges. I think you guys should let us decide if our lives are bad or not, just sayin...
No one in their right mind will choose being disabled. Stop lying.
@@misssoso5859 You are missing the point.
LOVE THIS! I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way. Legally blind barista here, I get up & go to work everyday just like everybody else, I don’t need to be congratulated for making coffee 😆
At the risk of being in a similar mindset to what this TED talk is addressing, I fully admit I know very little about legally blind, vs blind, vs vision impaired and I can't help but wonder how it works for people in regards to a job where sight is definitely apart of the job itself.
I definitely live in a bubble in regards to plenty of other disabilities I have no experience with, but being under the disabled diagnosis, I am trying to be aware that I don't know and instead get educated on them, at least a little bit.
Though I do hope that it's not patronizing to be fascinated at the specific medical or physical aids people use in order to have the tools to address and function with their disability. I'm always interested in aids of different kinds and find it so cool that we find ways to help people of all kinds of disabilities get around them or even work with them to their advantage. I think it's a great sign that we've evolved to a point where we do this instead of just showering pity.
I'm autistic and I just had an argument trying to tell someone to see autistic people as people and they continued to say they're an inspiration for getting through every day
I have a different form of dwarfism, and while I agree with her, I am glad to inspire others. She inspired me, I feel great about being an inspiration, but I don't want that to just be who I am, I want to inspire, but I don't want that to just be all I am
Great talk
Hi Charlie!
love your videos charlie
I remember seeing Stella on "Insight" and thinking: "Well, there's nothing wrong with your tongue!" Sharp enough to cut someone.
I have four diagnosisses. Autism, PTSD (trauma), Crohn's Disease and asthma. Now, I've wanted to be an actrice for a long time. I went to theatre school for two years, and took drama classes for 4 years and graduated in it. I almost got into a very prestigious film academy, but right at the last audition rounds my Crohn's got worse (I didn't know yet I had Crohn's back then). Because of all of this background, I had been on stage numerous times before and it became easy for me to stand on stage in front of a crowd. I was also active in the local politics for three years, where I got comfortable telling my thoughts on things to whole crowds. All of this before the age of 18, so you could say I grew up with that. Now, I'm not trying to brag. It's just a fact. On the other hand, in a one-on-one situation I'm a social mess where I keep angering people and not getting why even after years of therapy, and I couldn't even run 200 metres without provoking an asthma attack. If I were to eat lettuce, or any other high plant fibre piece of food, that's a one-way trip to the hospital as my bowels are too messed up to digest it. If someone doesn't take me seriously and keeps pushing that, I get massively trauma triggered, causing me to yell all kinds of nasty things, which I massively regret afterwards. I have no control over that (though therapy is helping A LOT). In the meanwhile I changed career and I'm now an autism experience expert. Meaning I'm an autism expert, who also has autism. Whenever I give speeches on autism, inevitably a lot of non-autistic people tell me how brave I am, and 'I wouldn't even be able to do that, let alone with autism!' Erm... I never read anywhere in the DSM (book full of psychological diagnosisses) that people with autism are always impaired when speaking to groups, where all social interaction is dictated by the speaker, and I've taught myself how to do this in the exact same way non-autistic people do. I mean, I'm proud of myself, but how am I extra special doing this with autism? On the other hand, I have to think a lot about what I eat. Ever tried to feel full and get enough vitamins without being able to eat stuff with a lot of plant fibre? Yea, it's hard, especially if you're trying to lose weight, and your chronic illness also takes away the energy to exercise it off. So I use an app to calculate my daily intake, my doctor keeps track of my vitamins and minerals and any shortages that I can't get from food I take supplements for. This works. I lost 25 kilos in 1,5 years, and I got about the same amount to go. Since it's constant hard work, I'm very proud of this. But instead of applause, I get looked down at for eating white bread, even after explaining that whole wheat bread damages by bowels. I get looked down on for takes the lettuce out of my white bread at conferences, even after explaining myself, because 'if you got bad health, then you especially should eat this!' and I get looked down upon for chosing the few of the plant fibres my bowels will take: soft fruits, because 'there's hidden sugar!' Even after telling that I already lost 25 kilos. "But you need to do that heathily!" "I discuss this with my doctor." "Your doctor is wrong." Sorry? I get told that's why I got no stamina, because of my eating habits. Sure, inflamed bowels and asthma can't have anything to do with that, can it? Losing 25 kilos, and still working on my fitness by walking a lot instead of running is a major achievement for me, that I'm tremendously proud of! But I get fatshamed, while being praised for doing something with my autism that my autism, for me specifically at least, has no effect on whatsoever. I worked for my skills, and I'm working to find ways to work with my physical disabilities. THAT is what I'm proud of. Stop putting me in a box where you decide for me what must impact which part of my life, and what shouldn't. I live it.
"No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp."
Damn
I totally get what she is referring to as "not a bad thing" , for her; this is all she knows- so it is not a bad thing; it is normal for her. Others may find it a "bad thing" if they weren't ever disabled. It is nice to hear someone just accepting themselves for what they are.
Wow, she just made me rethink everything I thought I new about inspiration. I love it when I get my privilege checked. I am more informed than I was 10 minutes ago!
This video changed my life for the better. Thank you Stella.
she's so... uninspiring?? is that the right word? i don't even know... i just think she's fckn awesome
Was awesome. She passed away
@catherine Are you serious ? when did it happen ?
Maman Abdullah Ueek some time ago. I found it on her Facebook page.
Maman Abdullah Ueek In 2014 :(
Grace Kenyon she was awesome because she was in wheelchair and speaking some motivational speech? 🙄
simplesmente... é o que o mundo precisa entender e ouvir!
Excellent talk! I appreciate the change in perspective. I was assigned to watch this for a class, and I'm thankful for it. The idea that disabled people are objectified for the sake of making non-disabled people feel better is one that I had not thought of before, and I'm glad I now know it. Now that I know it, I can work on not going it any more.
Does anyone know where I can get a transcript of this talk?
She said we all use our bodies to their capacities and i learned to love the body im in it helps me get done what i need . Very powerful word god bless her soul
She was so right. Another downside of exceptionalising disabled people is that it makes so much easier for people/places/institutions not to make adjustments. When disabled people are seen as inspirational, it makes us further away from normal - I think this is why myself (and LOTS of others) get such a hard time asking for adaptations (say in schools, universities, workplaces, even pubs!) - people can then use the excuse that we "aren't the majority" and are an "exceptional circumstance" making requesting changing a building or format or whatever "unreasonable".
*sigh* rant over
Absolutely loved every bit of hearing from you Stella . May your soul rest in peace.❤
This is why I hate when people use the term ‘fight’ in regards to people vs their disability/illness. It gives the impression we should be living in constant struggle when all we’re doing is living. I’m not fighting, I’m surviving. I’m doing what anyone would do in this situation and it’s not the end of the world. Sometimes I have to spend days in bed unable to get up and I feel like a ‘bad’ disabled person because I’m not ‘fighting’. It just piles on unnecessary expectations that only make things worse. Sometimes I just want to crash and eat ice cream out of the tub and that should be fine. I’m not ‘giving up’ I just need to rest
This really changed my attitude towards disabled people and this topic as a whole. Thanks Stella
I'm kind of shaking my head to all of the main comments on here, guys. You're not understanding what she's saying at all. As someone who is also in a wheelchair and has muscular dystrophy, I understand completely what she means when she says disability is not a terrible thing. It's not something to be looked down upon. We're all born in these ways for certain reasons and we just have to make the best of them. We're no less human or in more pain and suffering than you are. Yes, it can be hard sometimes, but we're just living our lives like you are. We don't make it terrible because if we did, we'd just sit there and feel sorry for ourselves all the time. We get through it because we have to. It's not something terrible, it just is what it is.
本当にその通りだと思いました。素晴らしい先生です
I think if you're going to find someone to be inspirational that you should find them as such not because of any physical or mental ailments but because what they did would be regardless of a disability.
Rest In Peace, Stella. You are missed. X
Stella Young is so hilarious I love it
This is truly one of my all time favourite videos. As an Instructor for the disability field this video is part of one of my classes and generates such great discussion among the frontline workers. I wish I would have had a chance to meet Stella.
That's a really cool wheelchair.
I'd kinda like to hear what she has to say about "The Fault in Our Stars."
She's brilliant. I have never thought about disability in that way before. This is what I love so much about TED Talks, that you can watch them and learn things that make you really sit back and re-evaluate your beliefs and values.
RIP Stella. Xx
RIP Stella. Gone far to early. Your spirit will live on.
She's right about society's attitude towards disabled people. We bang on about treating everyone the same and yet we are making exceptions or exemptions for people with disabilities. Humans are humans, why change your attitude towards a person based on the shell they're in?
RIP Stella. Thank you for inspiring many people.