In this powerful and emotional episode, Kate shares her lived experience voting as a late-diagnosed AuDHD woman. She opens up about sensory processing challenges, reading comprehension barriers, auditory processing differences, and the internal labor that invisible disabilities require during something as simple and sacred as voting. Kate walks us through her first time accessing a legally-protected voting accommodation — a qualified ballot reader — and the emotional roller coaster of being met with judgment, misunderstanding, allyship, and dignity all in one visit to the polls. This episode is a reclamation. A reminder that our brains and bodies deserve to exist in democracy. A call-in to build systems that support disabled voters, not just slogans about “empowerment.” And a vision for how voting access, technology, and proactive accommodations could transform civic life for neurodivergent, disabled, caregiving, overwhelmed, and time-poor voters. Access is not special treatment. Access is a civil right. Your brain belongs here.
Keywords: invisible disabilities, neurodivergent voting, ADHD women, autistic women, AuDHD, sensory processing, auditory processing disorder, ballot accommodations, ADA voting rights, Help America Vote Act, disability justice, civic access, democracy accessibility, self advocacy, neurodiversity rights, women with disabilities, voting with disabilities, internalized ableism, inclusive democracy, trauma informed civic systems, embodied advocacy
Takeaways:
✔️ Invisible disabilities are real, valid, and deserving of dignity in civic spaces
✔️ Access to support when voting is a legal right, not “special treatment”
✔️ Self-advocacy is emotional labor, especially in public systems designed for neurotypical brains
✔️ Inclusion without accessibility is performance, not justice
✔️ We need voting systems that support sensory needs, executive function realities, and diverse brains
✔️ Empowerment means designing systems where participation is actually possible
🔥 Join Walk + Tawk Wednesdays
👉 https://www.xxxkatebailey.com/WalkandTawk
If you’re ready to reclaim your energy and brilliance, book your Private Coaching Session with Kate:
👉 xxxkatebailey.com/private-coaching-sessions
🔗 Connect with Kate
✅ Follow on Facebook and Instagram @playbigqueen
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
🤍 Learn more → xxxkatebailey.com
©2025 Kate Bailey LLC | All rights reserved