21/09/2025
âNever forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.â J. R. R. Martin.
In a world that often tries to define people with disabilities by limitations rather than possibilities, this quote offers both a challenge and an invitation. It reminds us that self-acceptance is not passive resignation but a deliberate act of empowerment. It is an act of empowerment because what self-acceptance does is that it allows you engage on your own terms, without unnecessary pressure.
I recall speaking during a panel session a few months back where I was asked how I have used humour as a tool in my journey, and the role it plays in how I relate to the world? This question I found very significant because as the moderator of the panel rightly pointed out, disability is often viewed through a lens of pity or sadness, and many people tend to get uncomfortable when discussing it or engaging with persons with disabilities. Yet, I navigate my disability with such a refreshing sense of humour.
The truth is that, for many persons with disabilities, society has already written a script, one that is clouded by stereotypes, ableist assumptions, and lowered expectations. To ânever forget what you areâ in this context means refusing to internalize those limiting narratives. Instead, it means embracing disability as part of oneâs identity, not something to conceal or apologize for. I had to come to a point in my life when I realised that being visually impaired is part of who I have become and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Living in denial was doing me more harm and denying the obvious will not change the fact that I cannot see. The quote by J. R. R. Martin upon which I have based this piece is a very powerful quote, one that I believe everybody can relate with regardless of whether you are a person with disability or not, even though Tyrion, the fictitious character through whom the author made the statement, is a person with disability. Nevertheless, my focus in this entire piece, is on the power and importance of self-acceptance.
When disability is seen through the lens of strength, resilience, and lived expertise, it transforms. The very characteristics society might frame as a âweaknessâ can become the foundation for innovation, empathy, advocacy, and leadership. This is not about denying challenges, but about refusing to allow them to define worth.
Self-acceptance becomes an armour not a barrier that isolates, but a shield that deflects stigma. It is the inner resilience that allows individuals to walk into spaces where accessibility is lacking and still demand equity. It is the courage to speak up against exclusionary practices, knowing that authenticity itself is a form of resistance. So, when Iâm asked how I can find humour in my disability, the answer is in the fact that I have accepted my reality and that self-acceptance has become my shield, the reason I can navigate my disability with a sense of humour.
But inclusion requires more than personal armour; it demands a collective shift. Organizations, communities, and institutions must recognize that true inclusion is not about asking people with disabilities to âovercomeâ but about addressing the barriers that force them to fight in the first place. When spaces are designed inclusively, individuals no longer have to carry the full weight of defending their identity.
Disability is not a weakness to be hidden. It is an identity, an experience, and a perspective that enriches society. As Martinâs words suggest, when embraced and wielded as strength, it cannot be weaponized against us. Self-acceptance, then, is not only personal liberation, it is the foundation of a more inclusive world.
-Acceptance
