Given the growing need to build inclusive communities for women, I believe it's crucial to amplify the voices of working women with disabilities. These women often face unique challenges in the professional world, yet they bring remarkable resilience and diverse perspectives to the table.

As we strive for greater inclusivity and diversity, it's essential that we recognize and highlight their experiences and contributions.

As we push for greater inclusivity and diversity, it is essential that we shine a light on the experiences and challenges faced by these women.

Closing the Gap...For Good?

I was particularly inspired by a blog posted by Close the Gap, a policy advocacy agency working for women. It shows their findings from research on disabled women and work in Scotland and plans to help advocate disabled women in the labour market.

What stood out for me was their focus points to conduct research and the need to recognise disabled women in the workforce better. Some key factors included:

. Whether or not employers of disabled women make reasonable adjustments for their working life and how this is key to a positive or negative workplace experience.

. Visibility of disabled women in the workplace leading to additional work in educating other employees around their needs and the disability itself. And finally...

. The idea of disabled women having their work performance questioned formally or informally.

You can read the full blog here.

I think it is safe to say that women with disabilities in the modern workplace are thought about less often, however it is things like this blog that ultimately serve as a vital resource for advocacy and lessons around women in the disabled community- if we can highlight the challenges faced, we can also present the solutions to grow.

My Own Experience

As a woman with a disability working in arguably one of the most fast-paced industries, hospitality, the depth that Close the Gap goes into to better understand us certainly put a smile on my face. I have spent the past year in a newly managerial role whilst trying to navigate my disability at the same time.

For context, I have Charcot Marie Tooth disease, a neuropathy disease which affects my muscles. It is extremely fatiguing, and some days hit harder than others, more so the busy weekends or the weeks where I am picking up overtime.

Despite what could be seen as a setback, my experience as a disabled woman is truly that of a positive one.  I take great pride in being able to drive a team into success, as well as the respect that is shown back to me. Although physically challenging, I love working within a role where I can get creative with my team and be myself.

The days are never the same and that is the beauty of the job. I quite enjoy being active and, on my feet, and the rest of the management team are very understanding of my physical strengths and weaknesses.

But, most importantly, I feel proud to be in a management role position, where I can help and Influence others. I do believe that my experience as a disabled woman is what I make of it, where I strive to push boundaries and uphold values.

My journey is just one example of what’s possible when understanding and opportunity come together. I hope we can continue to build workplaces where that becomes the norm.

Women Who Inspire Me

There are certainly some other exceptional women with disabilities who have soared their way through the working world, and very successfully.

Jessica Cox is the first woman in the world to obtain a pilot’s license without arms, despite her rare birth defect. She is also a motivational speaker, encouraging other women to follow their dreams no matter what difficulties they face.

Marlee Matlin is a deaf American actress and author. She has also served as an activist for other disabled actors in Hollywood and other industries.  She is known for standing up for disability rights as well as portraying deaf characters authentically on screen.

Katie Piper is a writer and television presenter who survived an acid attack and severe chemical burns to her face. She has spoken openly about her experiences, promoting discussions around mental health, self-acceptance, and resilience.  She also set up the Katie Piper foundation to help other burn survivors. Mainly through her work in media, she has been able to become a powerful voice for other disabled women, inspiring courage and determination.

I chose these three women because whether their situations were congenital, these powerful ladies turned their so-called weaknesses into strength by helping to uplift others with the same shared experiences, as well as not giving up being at the top of their game- So admirable!

So, What Can We Do?

Whilst women can understand the current obstacles they face, it is important that disabled women too, are not left out of policymaking and employment rights in the workplace. According to UN Women, disabled women are two to three times more likely than any other woman to experience violence in institutional settings; against able bodied men, they are two to three times less likely to even be employed in the first place- numbers that I would like to see change.

Beyond just recognising these challenges, here are some practical ways employers and teams can step up:

. Providing training to all employees on disability awareness and sensitivity, creating a supportive and understanding community where one single group of women doesn’t have to stick out.

. Encouraging communication between all employees where disabled women can feel safe and happy to talk about their needs.

. Promoting accessibility, more so digitally in modern workplaces so that online tools and resources can be used by everyone

. Just celebrating everyone's differences; women are powerful beings regardless of disabilities.

By embracing intersectional factors, being a woman, or being one with a disability, we can create a workplace where every voice is heard, valued and empowered to thrive.

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