Roshini Suparna Diwakar

Disabled people don’t owe you an explanation

I was recently asked to speak at a conference on the work that an organisation I’m associated with is doing. The theme was ‘How effective communication strategies are needed to combat air pollution’ and I talked about the inclusion of marginalised voices in these spaces. It was a big deal for me because I’m not… Continue reading Disabled people don’t owe you an explanation

Roshini Suparna Diwakar

Mirrors, Meniere’s, Me…

There’s an adage about how we learn who we truly are when faced with difficulty. Of course, there is truth in this, but we don’t really talk about the flip side; how we face a difficulty is determined by where we are in our lives at that point. This past year, I’ve often wondered about… Continue reading Mirrors, Meniere’s, Me…

Roshini Suparna Diwakar

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

It is 22:50 and I just found out that today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I like to believe that I've been an ally, and studying in a school that had students who were neurodiverse helped. But, I'm certain that I've made many mistakes along the way - been ignorant, offended someone… Continue reading International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Roshini Suparna Diwakar

Self-pity

Okay, so maybe some amount of self-pity is inevitable. I’ve tried resisting it. In the initial days of experiencing this chronic disorder, I was overwhelmed by fear and anxiety of not knowing what was going on with my body; of losing control and truly wondering if I was dying. The effort it took to get… Continue reading Self-pity

Roshini Suparna Diwakar

That drunk, woozy feeling

I don’t know where to start. I’ve wanted to write this piece for a while, but I kept waiting for ‘it’ to end; for closure, so I could tell you what happens at last. But, that’s not happening any time soon, so I guess I’ll start at the very beginning. (A very good place to… Continue reading That drunk, woozy feeling