(Picture: Olajumoke Abdullahi and Kym Oliver/Metro.co.uk)

Black women don’t have it easy. The potent mix of misogyny and racism means they are marginalised, undermined and discriminated against by large swathes of society.

They constantly have to fight to be heard, and fight to progress.

So what happens when you add disability to that mix?

Olajumoke ‘Jay’ Abdullahi and Kym Oliver call themselves the ‘Triple Cripples’. As black, disabled women, they face three levels of oppression on a daily basis, and they say stories like theirs are rarely told.


The pair have launched a YouTube channel, and are planning a podcast, dedicated to fighting discrimination and elevating the voices of disabled people of colour.

(Picture: Olajumoke Abdullahi and Kym Oliver/Metro.co.uk)

‘We were sick and tired of the lack of representation and unaddressed discrimination that Black and non-Black people of colour living with disabilities, face on a daily basis,’ Jay and Kym tell Metro.co.uk.



‘It was frustrating having all these different stories and diverse narratives being illuminated in the media, yet consistently finding that ours was non-existent. It was as if there was not even a thought towards the possibility of us being here.’

If Black people and other people of colour are hard to find in the mainstream media – finding non-white disabled narratives is like a needle in a haystack. Kym and Jay were exasperated by this persistant erasure – their YouTube channel is the first step in bringing stories about people like themselves in to the limelight.

‘Disabled people are practically non-existent in mainstream media. Now imagine how underrepresented Black and non-Black, women, femmes or non-binary people with disabilities are,’ the pair explain.

‘According to various sources, there are more disabled women than men in the UK. There is also shocking data about people with impairments from Black and Black British ethnic backgrounds having the highest number of “life areas in which participation is restricted”, which includes education and leisure.

‘The data shows that people from white ethnic backgrounds with impairments have the “lowest number of life areas restricted”, of all the ethnic groups. It shows a disparity between how people of colour experience disability, in comparison to their white counterparts.

‘Stats and figures aside, we are both living life as disabled women of colour – specifically disabled Black women. Our lived experiences are valid regardless of the stats.’

Kym and Jay are all too aware of how being marginalised and ignored in society can negatively impact your mental health. That’s why they say their YouTube channel is vital – it reminds people that they’re not facing this struggle alone.

‘We know the ways in which lack of representation affects people’s emotional well-being, as well as their societal outcomes in health, education, employment and relationships.

‘The only way to change the culture of oppression for invisible populations is by giving those populations a chance to represent themselves on major platforms.

‘We want to increasing their visibility and highlight their narratives.

(Picture: Olajumoke Abdullahi and Kym Oliver/Metro.co.uk)

‘We are two incredibly strong-minded, girl-children, from culturally rich backgrounds, we were no strangers to making the world stop or righting the crimes of history. It just made sense for us to join forces, to do our part in changing the UK landscape into a more inclusive, diverse, progressive environment, and less of a racist, sexist, ableist one.’



The word ‘cripple’ is controversial, offensive to many and politically charged. Kym and Jay’s decision to include the word in their brand name was not an accident – they want to reclaim the word and redefine the historically negative connotations.

‘The word “cripple” has been thrown at disabled people as a slur, a sure fire way to remind us that we were “flawed” and were always going to be “less than”. Society sees us as never quite “enough” – no matter what we do, say or achieve.

‘We decided to reclaim ownership of the word and redefine its meaning. If we, two drop-dead-gorgeously-buff, intelligent, hilarious, confident, strong-minded, gregarious, people of colour are so-called “cripples”, then what does it even mean?

‘Seeing us boldly saying “I’m a ‘cripple’, AND?” opens the door right up for those who have been made to feel like they should be hiding in the shadows, because of how words like that have been weaponized against them.

‘We are removing the power of the word and defining our worth for ourselves.’

But let’s be clear, neither Jay nor Kym are OK with the widespread use of the word. It’s important to recognise the boundaries.

‘We know that some may take issue with the word, and not see it the same way we do – and that is absolutely fair! Although we are attempting to highlight and illuminate the narratives of a very specific group of people, we are still not a monolith.

‘All varying opinions on the word, from people living with disabilities, are valid and must be heard.


‘We are not advocating for everyone and their uncle to add “cripples” into their lexicon. It is a word that people with disabilities can use, if they wish. Some words are just not for you. Don’t mess around and get dragged on Twitter.’

(Picture: Olajumoke Abdullahi and Kym Oliver/Metro.co.uk)

Being female, black and disabled has an effect on Kym and Jay’s lives every single day. It isn’t something that they get to switch off or disengage from. What they want people to understand, is how these three elements of their identities work inextricably together.

‘We don’t get to pick and choose which of our identities we are, on any given day. We are all of them, all of the time. They all intersect, affecting each other in constantly shifting degrees, through every situation and at every given moment.

‘Which particular identity gets focused on is dependent on the audience. If you are dealing with people who are inherently racist or anti-black, you being a woman, or disabled, has little impact on how their racism or anti-blackness dictates that they treat you.

‘We would primarily like to alert folks to the fact that we exist. That’s a good place to start. Hi, we’re here!

‘We navigate the world from a unique vantage point – we exist in the space where well known movements like feminism, anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ rights and disability rights converge. Despite this, we are often excluded from the above conversations, and not considered by policy makers. It is hard, but we continue to flourish and thrive.’


The pair have big plans. As well as working on a new podcast and continuing with the YouTube channel, the Triple Cripples have decided to set their sights globally.

‘We want to take Triple Cripple around the world. There are so many people on the planet who have stories that need to be heard and we have so many topics that we’re yet to cover, on the show.

‘We are hoping that by telling the stories of those who remain hidden from view, we will be creating a dynamic, global community of women, femmes and non-binary people of colour with disabilities.

‘By recording this living archive, and documenting the existence of these marginalised voices, we’ll be shifting cultural attitudes within their respective communities. We also want Triple Cripples to be a resource for those outside of the experience to reference.

‘We are going to continue to raise awareness, speak truth, be seen, and be very loud. We are currently scheduled to appear at a few festivals next year and we are working on a creative documentary and photographic exhibition behind the scenes.’

Kym and Jay are always looking for contributors and people with great stories to appear on their show. If that sounds like you then you can reach out to them on Twitter, @TripleCripples.

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