Today's blog title is inspired by the end song from series 1 of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events', and you can listen to it here.
So, it's been a while. I apologise for the extended hiatus, university got very hectic with procedures and two supervisors leaving the team, but here I am once again to share what has happened in the last few weeks. Although for this blog, I want to talk about something disability-related. Maybe I will do a PhD blog in the coming days, but let's crack on in the meantime.
If you're new here and haven't read any of my other blogs, go read them! I live with a severe visual impairment, I was registered blind when I was about 3 years old, and as a result, I have had a Blue Disabled Badge for many years. My old one was going to run out in September, so I applied and submitted all my evidence proving I have a disability, and then that's when things went wrong. Since coming out as transgender in 2020, I have legally changed my name on all important documents, all expect my registration certificate of blindness, which still has my dead name on it. Whenever I have had to prove my disability in the past, it has been straightforward as I can submit a deed poll showing my new name along with my certificate of blindness and usually, businesses and organisations are fine with it. But my local council wasn't having any of it and demanded a new certificate with my current name.
Thus began about three weeks' worth of phone calls and waiting on people from my old council and hospital in the midlands and other organisations to find out what exactly I needed to submit to get my Blue Badge. To say I was passed from pillar to post is a massive understatement. Either no one knew what I needed, they needed to do some digging into my old records, or they just told me to contact a place I was already in touch with was so draining and frustrating. Because it wasn't as simple as getting a new certificate of my blindness with my preferred name on it, there would have been a massive load of paperwork involved that I was told could take months and could even get lost along the way. But finally, the documentation was sent to my local council, and my Blue Badge arrived in the post this week with my current name on it.
I wish that things like this could be straightforward because I was exhausted after making so many phone calls and worrying that I might not be able to get a new Blue Badge. It is easy to think that disabled people get everything given to them on a plate when this is far from the truth. We have to constantly fight for access rights, aids and equipment to even live our lives. Not to mention that I was repeatedly misgendered and dead-named even after disclosing my name and pronouns. Although I can deal with it because I have to daily, it doesn't mean it is any easier to take.
In the end, this is a great example of the challenges that disabled people face when trying to live their life in an inaccessible world. And it sucks, but we carry on because we have to. Because I am capable of doing this on my own, but for someone else with a visual impairment, ringing people, finding documents and sending emails may be so much harder. However, it is time that non-disabled people understand that doing tasks like this can be incredibly difficult, especially when you have to keep phoning different places. Being disabled is tough when the world is against you; losing faith in what you're doing can be easy. I did when trying to get the documentation for my Blue Badge, but it worked out in the end, even when I thought it never would. So, be patient, use your support network and be kind to yourselves. None of this is easy, and it never will be, but that doesn't mean you can give up.
I will leave you with a quote.
Focus on what lights a fire inside of you and use that passion to fill a white space. Don't be afraid of the challenges, the missteps, and the setbacks along the way. What matters is that you keep going. -Kendra Scott.
Until the next time.
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