Is Disability a Part of Me or All of Me? A Conversation With Anna Schmid

Send us Fan MailGuest: Anna SchmidLength: 49:33Episode Summary:In this personal and reflective episode, we explore the question: Would we be the same people we are today if we did not have our disabilities?Rather than trying to answer that question all at once, we break the conversation down by different periods of our lives and reflect on how disability affected each stage. We look at childhood, elementary school, high school, university, work, and romance, asking whether those experiences shaped who we became and whether a non-disabled version of ourselves would feel like the same person.The episode begins with our earliest memories of disability and how we understood ourselves as children. We discuss family, elementary school, early friendships, and the first moments when we became aware that our experiences were different from those of our peers.From there, we move into high school and talk about how disability affected classes, social life, confidence, and interactions with classmates, including experiences with bullying. We reflect on how those years shaped our self-image, resilience, and sense of belonging.We then discuss university life, both inside and outside the classroom. We talk about accommodations, independence, friendships, navigating campus life, and the ways disability influenced our academic and social experiences. Throughout the episode, we also go on smaller tangents about occupation, career paths, and romantic life, considering how disability has affected the choices we made and the relationships we formed.The episode then moves into a more serious discussion about romance, dating, and relationships. We reflect on how disability can shape vulnerability, confidence, expectations, and the way we see ourselves as romantic partners.Following that conversation, we finish the episode by discussing whether or not our current careers would be the same if we did not have our disabilities. We consider how disability has influenced our career paths, choices, opportunities, and sense of purpose, and whether the work we do today is connected to the experiences we have had because of disability.Ultimately, this conversation does not offer one simple answer. Instead, it explores how disability has influenced who we are across different stages of life, from childhood and school to university, romance, and career. Maybe we would have been similar in some ways without our disabilities. Maybe we would have been completely different in others. The episode invites listeners to think about identity, memory, relationships, work, and the life experiences that shape who we become.Key Topics Covered:• Whether we would be the same people today if we did not have our disabilities• How disability shaped different periods of life, including childhood, elementary school, high school, university, work, and romance• Early memories of disability and beginning to understand difference during childhood• Experiences in elementary school, including friendships, school life, and early self-awareness• High school experiences, including classes, bullying, confidence, social life, and belonging• How disability affected university life both in class and outside of class• Navigating accommodations, independence, friendships, and campus experiences• Tangents on occupation, career paths, and how disability influenced work-related decisions• Reflections on dating, relationships, vulnerability, and romantic life• The complexity of imagining who we might have been without disabilityWhat You’ll Learn:1) Disability can shape identity differently at each stage of life.2)Childhood and elementary school experiences can influence early self-image and awareness of difference.3)High school can bring unique challenges related to bullying, confidence, classes, and social belonging.4)University can create new opportunities and challenges around independence, academics, friendships, and accommodations.5)Disability can influence career paths, goals, and the way we think about occupation.6)Romantic relationships can be deeply affected by disability, including confidence, vulnerability, and how we see ourselves as partners.7)Asking whether we would be the same without our disabilities is complicated because disability can shape our memories, choices, relationships, and personality.8)There may not be one clear answer, but reflecting on different life periods can help us better understand how we became who we are.Resources & Links:• Website: https://annaschmidspeaker.com• Substack: @lovelylotus247• Instagram: @lovelylotus247• LinkedIn: @annaschmid- Connect with us on social media to share your thoughts about this episode.     Instagram: @21stcenturydisabilityFacebook: Twenty-First Century DisabilityBluesky: @21centdisability.bsky.socialTikTok: @21stcenturydisabilityLinkedIn: Hollis Peirce- Use the hashtag #21stCenturyDisability to join the discussion online.Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on upcoming episodes and events by clicking here: https://www.21stcenturydisability.com/contact!