Here’s Mia’s full interview with Stella Young, which appeared on Episode 9 of Mamamia Sky.
Stella is a comedian and the editor of Ramp Up, ABC’s online portal dedicated to disability issues. Mia sat down to chat with Stella about living with a disability, prejudice and her work as an activist.
Comments
25 Comments so far
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Thank you so much for this interview Stella. I have an invisible disability and I can’t work even though I have a degree and am very motivated. I have CFS, Chronic migraine and fibro as well as some resulting mental health problems. My illness got to disability level my last year of uni and since then I have been mostly bed ridden. That’s hard for me to even type but it’s true. I love that you said you refuse to apologize. I need to stop apologizing. I have days where I CAN do things and I generally just focus on the good (cos the bad times are bloody boring). But i still feel so much guilt and shame about being on th DSP and not being able to do things for myself. I’m working with a wonderful psychologist at the moment. One thing I have found is if people don’t know you have a disability or don’t believe you when you say you do (a large number! ) they say the most awful things about people on centerlink or people who need extra help. Because obviously I’m just faking it so I can be broke instead of using my degree to get a good job and make some good money. My boyfriend dumped me recently for no apparent reason other than because I am sick. He has been nothing but nasty since then. It sucks that we are a supposed to be a compassionate society but we still BLAME people for being sick or disabled or unemployed. Sorry about the rant I just was so inspired by the interview and ofcourse it brought up a lot of issues for me. I am developing a thicker skin tho.
on a slightly different note, thank god for dogs! Mine is a very energetic little girl who KNOWS when I’m really sick and will spend all her time just lying in bed with me instead of going and being with other people or running around and playing. She never guilts me (unless I don’t take her with me when I go out!) she is just supportive and loving and selfless. Ah what we could learn from dogs!
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Loved the interview and Stella!
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My favourite interview so far Mia. Well done.
Stella is a top chick!! I will definitely look out for her in the future…. I really enjoyed watching that, it’s lifted my spirits.
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Amazing interview! Love how articulate Stella is about the social experience of living with a disability and the basic needs that our community fails to meet currently. I look forward to seeing more of Stella in the media- starting with a twitter follow and exploring the ramp up website!
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The show keeps getting better and better. Stella was the highlight this week for me. I think her future will be full of great achievements for herself and for disabled people. Wishing you well Stella and thank you
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Loved this interview. I have also seen Stella on q & a and she is a wonderful advocate and interesting person in general. I admire her candid insights into her world. I also enjoyed your interview style Mia. Kept it real, which often doesn’t happen when people with a disability are interviewed.
I also think Stella will become well known and political groups will probably want to poach her! Good luck to her.
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great interview, i have seen stella before on q&a, and she is so smart, wise, funny and interesting.
i wonder if she has plans to head into politics? she seems like she has the guts and determination to be a great politician.
i am hoping the NDIS gets through without a political sh*tfight. i can just see tony abbott now banging on about “a great big new tax”…
how we can deny people basic needs in living with their disability, or helping their child with disability, is beyond me.
i predict we will see a lot of stella in the years to come.
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She’s awesome!
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Awesome interview. You absolutely have the conversation a couple of girlfriends would have and I value that far more highly than an orchestrated interview.
Stella, btw, you rock. Talk about a young woman with potential!
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Great interview girls. I love your washing machine/dryer comeback Stella. That was great! I hope you have more like it for those small-minded and forgetful people. I’d love to see you do stand-up.
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Go Stella – you are a real *
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Stella, just watched the whole interview – wow. You are so beautiful and articulate and FUNNY! I relate to you so much – about being a life lesson to people, and also the lack of boundaries between people without disabilities and us, and that working in a public environment made you more confident. It was so good getting to know you this way. I am definitely coming to see your comedy shows. Very proud to call you a friend.
PS Mia – I really love your nailpolish
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Also love the nail polish. The things we notice!
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Fantastic work Stella! I admire you so much and am so happy to see you on this site.
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I thought Stella looked familiar then she mentioned that she had gone to Deakin university and I went there too around about the same time (we are of a similar age)!! I must’ve seen her around campus
Anyway what a cool chick she is! Very positive, happy, upbeat and optimistic…it’s great to meet people like this whether they have a disability or not. I have met too many people that have a great life with very few problems that complain constantly about stupid little things. Stella is an inspiration!
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Great interview Mia. Its shocking and shameful about Stellas treatment regarding her teaching pursuits. So many kids have missed out on an inspiring teacher!
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Loved the interview! Stella you’re a legend going to go follow u on twitter now
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“I went through a whole cycle of the washer & dryer” oh my gosh, too funny! Wonderful interview! Stella is wonderful. “Breaking bones isn’t all beer & skittles”… I think that might be my new catch phrase!
As for not comparing yourself to other people, that is such an important lesson and one I will strongly take away from this to apply in my own life.
Thank you so much.
Side note: The Crips are actually a gang in the US.
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Lol she had me giggling at those comments. Might use the breaking bones isn’t all beer and skittles on my nephew who just had a bad break. :p
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what, you couldnt tell the maid in the background to wait until you have finished? its very distracting.
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Is that all you took out of this interview? What a shame… people have jobs to do regardless if there’s an interview taking place.
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nope, not at all. What a condescending comment. I think stella is a wonderfully inspiring individual…but it bothers me that the interviews that are videoed on this site are a poor quality. Mia is a wonderful writer but needs to improve on her TV skills if this is going to be a continuing part of her site… Adjusting the camera mid question and totally cutting stella off mid answer was another example.
If they are going to have video content on this site, it needs to be as good a quality as their print content or don’t bother.
IMHO.
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I agree, either ignore everything going on around you or fix it up properly to start with, fiddling around with it while Stella was talking looked like you were bored and rude. And just quietly, sitting beside or even slightly behind her like you were must have been really uncomfortable for her, having to turn hard left to talk to you. Otherwise great personality and interesting person to interview – good luck to Stella, hope she goes far (and gets a girls holiday without breaking a bone)!
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Great interview – thank you for posting!
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ps – what is on the back of the door in the later part of the interview?