Stella Young

I am not a snowflake. I am not a sweet, infantilising symbol of fragility and life. I am a strong, fierce, flawed adult woman. I plan to remain that way, in life and in death.

I have a condition that is included among the 200 or so classified as Dwarfism.

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

My perspective is cultural and world-based. It's always been a global perspective.

So, for example, if a child is labeled as having a learning disability, it has very concrete consequences for the kinds of services and potentially accommodations that child will get.

People get all up in arms when I describe myself as a crip because what they hear is the word 'cripple,' and they hear a word you're not allowed to say anymore.