Brooke welcomes guest Warren Stapley to discuss a wide range of topics, including disability, LGBTQ+ issues, and the importance of inclusive language. Warren shares his personal experiences as a person with a hearing impairment and his journey navigating the corporate world as a disabled individual.

They delve into the challenges faced by disabled children in school settings and the impact of internalised ableism. Warren also opens up about his decision to transition from a corporate career to working in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), where he now uses his unique perspective and intersectional lens to facilitate conversations and challenge societal norms. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• It's important to use accurate and respectful language when referring to disability. 
• There is an ongoing need for disability awareness and inclusion in educational settings.
• Warren reflects on his own journey of accepting and embracing his disability, and encourages others to challenge and overcome internalised ableism.
• Warren's experiences as a disabled person in the corporate world informed his decision to pursue DEI work, where he can leverage his differences and advocate for marginalised communities.
• There is a need to address racism and other forms of oppression within the DEI field, and a comprehensive approach to DEI that includes race, gender, disability, and other intersecting identities.

BEST MOMENTS

"I'm not a fan of this sort of narrative around differently abled, and I'm not a fan of calling my disability a superpower." 

"Less abled absolutely will not do. It's sending the message that you're not disabled, you're simply less than." 

"I think if someone outside of who was involved in it had consulted, you might have got a different answer and a different response."

"I was able to leverage certain privileges that I had, chiefly my whiteness and my maleness."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disabled-and-proud/id1621152878

Disabled and Proud is the show that brings listeners a different perspective on disability. Each week this podcast highlights an awesome disabled guest speaking about their own disability; why they are proud to be disabled and why they are proud to be themselves. 

The conversations in this show will look at what challenges these amazing people face socially, mentally, physically and life in general. This show is raw, open, honest, funny, welcoming and educational. 

Disabled & Proud does exactly what it says on the tin! And whilst we are creating this space for disabled people to be unashamedly themselves, without the need to conform to society, this is also not about toxic positivity. This show will be shining a big, bright light on disability without it being “Paralympic or pity”. 

As you will hear disability is WHOLE, COMPLETE & PERFECT and whilst the topic of disability can be quite heavy - and we definitely don't shy away from the bad days - this podcast is also about having fun too! Our aim is to play a part in reclaiming the word disability - turning it from inadequacy to perfection!

INSTAGRAM! https://www.instagram.com/disabledandproudpodcast/?hl=en: https://www.instagram.com/disabledandproudpodcast/?hl=en