Why the label of 'disabled' often fails to capture reality
In short: We often view disability through a lens of limitation, but for those living it, the reality is far more nuanced. Susan Robinson uses humor to dismantle our hidden biases, showing how she actively subverts the expectations we place on her visual impairment.
Susan Robinson was born with a genetic visual impairment that has no known cure or correction. While she is legally blind, she prefers the term 'partially sighted.' Despite her expertise in health policy and her leadership roles with global firms and the United Nations, she expresses a personal dislike for the 'disabled' label, which she feels often carries baggage that doesn't align with her lived experience. In her 2017 TED Talk, 'How I Fail at Being Disabled,' Robinson explores the gap between public perception and personal identity. She highlights how society frequently projects specific expectations onto people with visual impairments, creating a narrative of constant struggle. By 'flipping' these expectations, she challenges the audience to see her not as a person defined by what she cannot see, but as a leader who has adapted her life and career to navigate a world built for the sighted. Robinson's perspective is informed by over 25 years of multi-sector leadership. Her work as a consultant and speaker focuses on shifting thinking and elevating potential. By sharing her personal journey—from her diagnosis to her work in health policy and administration—she encourages a move away from pity and toward an understanding of adaptation. Her goal is to disrupt the standard narrative of disability, replacing it with a more accurate portrait of human capability and resilience.
theme perspective mood reflective difficulty , topics [ disability-awareness
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How I fail at being disabled | Susan Robinson
- Also: Susan Robinson TedTalk: How I Fail at Being Disabled :: Disability Type Resources
- Also: Dare to Disrupt Episode 11 - Rejecting the Label of Disabled with Susan Robinson - Invent Penn State
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