ListenABLE

"Do I regret being me? No Do I wish and want things to be different in society? Yes!" - D.K Dylan Alcott thought growing up in the 90's with disability was tough he can't even IMAGINE what the 60's was like! Debra Keenahan was the only child of her family born with achondroplasia, the most common cause of dwarfism, and in this episode we talk about her decision to become a mother and the challenge...

"Through practicing pride, I have learnt that there is nothing wrong with being disabled, and I don't have to accept discrimination. I will take up space in the community, confidently." - Elizabeth Wright This week we talk about the time it can take people with disability to learn to not only live but love. Read the full article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-28/paralympian-elizabeth-wr...

Imagine sending a tweet from your phone and watching the whole world react! It read: "Hey @lizzo - My disability Cerebral Palsy is literally classified as Spastic Diplegia (where spasticity refers to unending painful tightness in my legs) your new song makes me pretty angry + sad. ‘Spaz’ doesn’t mean freaked out or crazy. It’s an ableist slur. It’s 2022. Do better." What happens next changed the m...

After 365 days of representing the disability community as our Australian of the Year; Dylan Alcott reflects on his time in the prestigious seat and the impact of having the platform to elevate others voices. Countless flights, time away from friends and family and sport he reveals what's next for him and it will surprise you! Watch this episode fully captioned on our YouTube channel:             ...

Brittany Long has a medical condition that baffles doctors, psychologists and even herself! Still undiagnosed 4 years on from a virus that left her mute and unable to feed herself, she walked onto our podcast stage to tell her story to the bewilderment of the crowd as she then sat in her wheelchair. She now travels the country taking photographs of her favourite artists but will never forget the t...

We received an email from an amazing young woman Kyra Culloton who felt that young adults with disability weren't being represented enough on the podcast. So we invited her to host her own episode! Kyra talks to Enzo who has Progeria; an extremely rare, progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly and Beau who was born with Morquio A syndrome. We hope you enjoy this episode and...

Lenny Redrose would like to be known as "The Smiling Cripple," but it does not mean that he wants you to refer to other people with disability in the same way. An ex-addict turned Army soldier seeking sobriety in October 2016 Lenny walked into surgery for back surgery and came out the other side with spinal cord damage from the chest down.  This story is one of redemption, and when it comes to his...

This year, the UN's 2022 theme is 'Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world'. This theme  focuses on how we can all strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability . We hope we are a podcast that puts' people with disabilities voices forward and...

After actor Christina Applegate tweeted she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis the news headline read "sad health battle" and "crushing update" we thought it was time to talk inclusive disability language. Using the lived experience of journalists with disability we referred to the article titled: "How to talk about disability sensitively and avoid ableist tropes"  Follow us on Instagram a...

Zoom has a 'Speaker' setting which records the person 'talking' during your conversation. Drisana Levitzke-Gray was speaking using Auslan however the end file never showed her demonstrating her use of language and instead focused on her interpreter. That was our mistake. 2 years later we get to right that wrong and showcase our former Young Australian Of The Year award winner sharing her lived exp...

I got a little scared when I saw the title of the message "I love your podcast BUT..." Changes have been made since reading the contents of the message. Can you hear the difference?   Watch this episode on YouTube with captions here Follow us on Instagram and Facebook  Check out our first limited edition merch release: From Your Pocket See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Tuesday night, millions of people watched as comedian and TV host Tim Ferguson ran up and down the stairs among the crowd of "Don't Forget Your Toothbrush," with no one ever suspecting that he was hiding a disability. Tim was told he had a condition before the show began, but he chose not to disclose it for fear of hurting his chances of landing the hosting gig. "If you look at old tapes, yo...

Seen the headline 'NDIS 2.0' ?? Well it was worth sitting down with Dylan Alcott to get his perspective on what this new initiative is and the difference between what exists for Government support for people with disability now. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @ListenABLE_Podcast Check out our first limited edition merch release: www. FromYourPocket.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Bianca Bassett is a rarity - one of twelve in the world in fact! Diagnosed with an extremely rare blood disease Bianca had regular transfusions all the way into adulthood where an infection that caused the loss of her leg also created a mysterious side effect. This story is about parenting through grief, the power of community and the perseverance in finding employment. Find Bianca's book, social...

Dylan Alcott talks disability employment in front of our countries biggest leaders, business, unions and politicians with the intention of creating change not just speaking the words BUT has there been any change in the few weeks since Canberra? Got the skills to help with Video Editing? Email angus@fromyourpocket.com.au Watch this episode on YouTube with captions here Follow us on Instagram and F...

"It took me 28 years to want to do that, it's impressive!" - Dylan Alcott Just over a year after his skiing accident, Jimmy Jan is not only at ease speaking on our podcast about disability stories, but he has also amassed his own social media audience of more than 700,000 people who are interested in his new life as a paraplegic. In this podcast we discuss the one story he's yet to share online, t...

Dylan Alcott shares updates about his life, career, and passions on Instagram to more than 250,000 followers. BUT How does reading comments from strangers criticising his choices with and without a disability have an impact on his mental health? What responses and messages does he receive that we don't see? Read the full article here: 'Young people living with disability share experiences and crea...

"I think there's a disconnect with humanity in the stories of sexuality or disability"  Why did Alex The Astronaut make music their full-time job if strobe lights and loud music can be autistic triggers? After turning to cognitive therapy, sleep psychologists and a misdiagnosis of anxiety, Alex describes the moment when a diagnosis they received later in life provided all the answers they had been...

ListenABLE host and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott is honoured to represent Australia at Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. As one of 10 individuals selected to attend the funeral, Dylan speaks exclusively on our podcast about the impact of this event on his family and reflecting on his role in such a historical moment. Dylan speaks to: Flying with the Australian Royal air force and ho...

Ever thought someone was "lazy" for getting pre washed, cut and wrapped vegetables at the supermarket? Ever scoffed when hearing someone take the option of a plastic straw at a cafe? Hopefully this bonus episode can help level up your disability knowledge as it did Angus' when realising the accessibility tools plastics can have for some people with disability. Proudly Sponsored by Royal Rehab Life...

Dating in your 20’s is hard enough - thanks to COVID everyone’s lost it when it comes to flirting. Part of this awkward pool is 23-year-old Maya, a strong independent, successful model navigating the world of ableism along with weeding out those that can’t get past her wheelchair. Dylan and Angus deep dive into Maya’s life about the literal stairs she’s had to climb in order to see the world as an...

This 'Bonusode' or Bonus Episode has hosts Dylan Alcott and Angus O'Loughlin reading out a 1 star online review of a Sydney Cafe that had the businesses owner coming to his disabled employees defence.   Proudly Sponsored by Royal Rehab Lifeworks Visit the Nuriyah Cafe by clicking here: Google Maps  Read full SBS article here: 'Everyone should have a chance to work'  Please let us know on Instagram...

How does our next guest get 10 MILLION views every year with one video? Josh Sundquist has been telling his one legged story his whole life - from comedy shows to internet clips Josh finally this year released his very own TV show 'Best Foot Forward' (Now on Apple TV+). Josh talks about identity in the media industry, the influence of disabled actors and the importance of conveying messages throug...

This "Bonus-ode" or Bonus Episode covers an article written around the statistics involving children with disability attending 'Mainstream' or 'Specialised' schools. Dylan is an adamant believer in one over the other but where do you stand and what's your opinion? Check out Royal Rehab Lifeworks Read the full article: Why do students with disability go to ‘special schools’ when research tells us t...

Tim McCallum and his classmates celebrated his acceptance into Western Australia's esteemed "Academy of Performing Arts" (WAAPA) by jumping into the ocean at Scarborough Beach head first. The next thing Tim remembers is that the hands in front of him were motionless and not reaching out to save him, they were his own. A world class singer Tim has since taken to the stage on TV's 'The Voice' being...