We are a society that treats people with disabilities with condescension and pity, not dignity and respect.

For me, and for many other people with disabilities, our status as disabled people is one of which we are fiercely proud.

We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled people in our daily lives.

For lots of us, disabled people are not our teachers or our doctors or our manicurists. We're not real people. We are there to inspire.