CW: Mentions of alcohol use and nights out (especially around40:56-42:04), passing references to the COVID-19 pandemic throughout.

About the episode:

Melissa is an award-winning freelance journalist who focuses on disability rights and has published with Cosmopolitan UK, the Radio Times, Digital Spy, and Metro (among others). She is also the founder of the 'Hands Off Our Handles' campaign, ‘an initiative focused on stopping people from grabbing wheelchair users without consent’. She’s a law graduate and has previously been an associate lecturer.

In this episode, Cath and Melissa discuss how Melissa’s career trajectory transformed from being an aspirational career academic to a freelance journalist. We also learn of Melissa’s internalised ableism, get-on-with-it attitude, and how her early life has impacted her health today. There is also plenty of insight about how ‘Hands Off Our Handles’ started!  

Bonus tangents include brief conversations around media fandoms, and the perks of having a wheelchair on a night out.

We hope that you enjoy!

Melissa’s Article:

Don’t call me ‘wheelchair bound’ – it’s disrespectful (universitygraduation article)

Follow the Hands Off Our Handles Instagram

Want to be a guest on the show, support HE Enabledfinancially, or hire Cath for freelance work? Check out the HE Enabled website!