17 things Stella Young wanted you to know

Stella Young, who has died at the age of 32, was a passionate, provocative and funny activist for disabled people. Here are 17 things she wanted people to know.

I started calling myself a disabled woman, and a crip. A good 13 years after 17-year-old me started saying crip, it still horrifies people. I do it because it's a word that makes me feel strong and powerful.

"I started calling myself a disabled woman, and a crip.

"A good 13 years after 17-year-old me started saying crip, it still horrifies people. I do it because it's a word that makes me feel strong and powerful.

"It's a word other activists have used before me, and I use it to honour them."

Half of all people with disabilities [in Australia] live near or below the poverty line. Less than 40 per cent of us participate in the workforce ... In fact, Australia ranks last among the OECD countries when measured on quality of life for people with disabilities.

"Half of all people with disabilities live near or below the poverty line. Less than 40 per cent of us participate in the workforce, compared to almost 80 per cent of people who don't have disabilities.

"Many people who need assistance with things such as showering can only access that kind of support twice a week.

"In fact, Australia ranks last among the OECD countries when measured on quality of life for people with disabilities."

I dance as a political statement, because disabled bodies are inherently political, but I mostly dance for all the same reasons anyone else does: because it heals my spirit and fills me with joy.

"I dance as a political statement, because disabled bodies are inherently political, but I mostly dance for all the same reasons anyone else does.

"Because it heals my spirit and fills me with joy; each foray onto the dance floor brings the possibility of that delicious frisson that comes from locking eyes with someone and knowing, in that moment, that you're dancing just for each other; because it makes me sweat and move and connect with people and feel like I've landed in my skin when I finally stop.

"And I dance because, in the end, dancing is a way for my body to have a conversation about these things, the pulsating waves of a hundred people sharing thoughts and dreams and ideas about what it means to be alive."

These images - there are lots of them out there - they are what we call inspiration porn. And I use the term porn deliberately because they objectify one group of people for the benefit of another group of people.

"These images - there are lots of them out there - they are what we call inspiration porn.

"And I use the term porn deliberately because they objectify one group of people for the benefit of another group of people. In this case, we're objectifying disabled people for the benefit of non-disabled people.

"The purpose of these images is to inspire you, to motivate you, so that we can look at them and think, well, no matter how bad my life is it could be worse - I could be that person. But what if you are that person?"

That quote, 'the only disability in life is a bad attitude', the reason that's bullshit is ... No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille.

"I really think that this lie that we've been sold about disability is the greatest injustice. It makes life hard for us.

"That quote, the only disability in life is a bad attitude - the reason that's bullshit is because it's just not true...

"No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. Smiling at a television screen isn't going to make closed captions appear for people who are deaf. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille."

I don't think the question is whether or not Australia can afford to do this. It's how much longer can we afford not to.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is an investment in all Australians. It's not about people like me who currently live with disabilities, it's about all of those who might in the future.

"The National Disability Insurance Scheme is an investment in all Australians. It's not about people like me who currently live with disabilities, it's about all of those who might in the future.

"With the time to talk about funding comes the time to talk about what kind of country we want to be. Are we a country who will pay 80 cents a day to ensure that all of us can participate? Or are we a country who'll bury our collective heads in the sand so we don't have to talk about it?"

I want to live in a world where we don't have such low expectations of disabled people that we are congratulated for getting out of bed and remembering our own names in the morning. I want to live in a world where we value genuine achievement for disabled people.

"I want to live in a world where we don't have such low expectations of disabled people that we are congratulated for getting out of bed and remembering our own names in the morning.

"I want to live in a world where we value genuine achievement for disabled people.

"Disability doesn't make you exceptional, but questioning what you think you know about it does."

It doesn't matter how we got like this. Really. If you're just sitting next to one of us on the train, or taking our order at a cafe, you don't actually need to know.

"It doesn't matter how we got like this. Really.

"Are you asking because you want to know or because you need to?

"If you're just sitting next to one of us on the train, or taking our order at a cafe, you don't actually need to know."

Just because we are hanging out with a non-disabled person doesn't mean they are a carer. Disabled people have friends, partners, kids, parents, siblings and families just like everyone else.

"Just because we are hanging out with a non-disabled person doesn't mean they are a carer. Disabled people have friends, partners, kids, parents, siblings and families just like everyone else.

"Quite often these people are hanging out with us because they like to, not because we need looking after, or because they are kind, generous souls."

Disabled people are not nice and grateful all the time; we get pissed-off when things don't go our way, just like everyone else.

"Disabled people are not nice and grateful all the time; we get pissed-off when things don't go our way, just like everyone else...

"We're not willing to believe that these disabled people who achieve great things might also be as complex and flawed as anyone else."

Your kids are going to stare. And that's perfectly okay ... If you tell them not to stare, or discourage them from asking questions because you think it might upset us, you're teaching them that looking different is something to be ashamed of. It's not.

"Your kids are going to stare. And that's perfectly okay. When you look different to everyone else they've ever seen, kids will naturally stare. There's no need to be embarrassed about it or consider it bad behaviour. Kids are interested in anything that's different to the norm.

"And the thing is, if you tell them not to stare, or discourage them from asking questions because you think it might upset us, you're teaching them that looking different is something to be ashamed of. It's not.

"We'd much rather have an honest conversation with your kids than have them shuffled away from us like we might bite them.

"Besides, eventually they'll say something really cute and funny, like 'Are you imaginary?' or 'Why are you wearing shoes?'"

I've been an atheist for a long time - ever since I first heard that there was only a stairway to heaven.

While [Peter Singer] may see value in the life I'm living now, and may even treat me as an equal, he still believes that on the balance of things, parents and doctors should be given the choice to end lives like mine before they get tricky. For me, and for many other people with disabilities, it's personal.

We get so few opportunities to publicly and raucously celebrate our community and the amazing contributions people with disabilities make. The Paralympics are ours. Hands off.

"The sentiment of those suggesting the Olympics and Paralympics be combined is no doubt well intentioned. But it also echoes the myth that disabled people want to be other than what we are - that we'd like nothing more than to be "allowed in" with the able-bodied competitors...

"We get so few opportunities to publicly and raucously celebrate our community and the amazing contributions people with disabilities make. The Paralympics are ours. Hands off."

I promise to grab every opportunity with both hands, to say yes as often as I can, to take risks, to scare myself stupid, and to have a shitload of fun.

"Listen, Stell. I can't tell you for certain that you and I will ever meet. Perhaps that thing I always say flippantly, usually with a third glass of wine in my hand – that I'm here for a good time not a long time – perhaps that's true.

"But on my path to reach you, I promise to grab every opportunity with both hands, to say yes as often as I can, to take risks, to scare myself stupid, and to have a shitload of fun."

I've never thought I was going to die young. But I'm aware, sometimes painfully so, that there are people who do.

"For the young people here practicality is a good thing. There are times where compromise is necessary. That's part of wisdom. But it's also important to hang on to what you believe, to know what you believe and then be willing to stand up for it. And what's true for individuals is also true for countries."

Topics: disabilities, melbourne-3000