By CARLY FINDLAY
So I read an article on Mamamia titled “I don’t care about your wedding”. The writer just didn’t want to know about her bride friends’ flower arrangements or makeup plans.
I am not a bridezilla, but I don’t care who knows how excited I am to get married. As soon as my partner popped the question, I was pinning dresses and bouquets on Pinterest, obsessively buying bridal magazines and happily oversharing wedding plans with anyone who’ll listen (the girl who sits next to me at work is probably more excited about my wedding planning than I am!)
Why?
I never thought I’d get married. Never thought I’d be loved or love as much as right now. Kids at school told me they were not going to talk about sex around me because I’d never have sex.
Because I have a lifelong skin genetic skin condition called ichthyosis form erythroderma. It means scaly red skin. I was born with it and it will probably never be cured.
But now, I can’t wait to be a bride. I feel most comfortable in my own skin now, more than ever before. I own my difference. When choosing my wedding dress, I didn’t worry about how much skin was exposed, or if I’d be cold. I will accessorise later. My dress is more bride-y than I ever imagined.
But in my peripheral vision – my sixth sense for peoples’ reaction to the different – I see surprised reactions. Brains ticking over thinking about how a relationship with the other works.
Writer Lindy West says she can’t “wait to be a fat bride”. She writes of how people are surprised she’s a fiancé, assuming he’s her roommate, and laments that she didn’t see TV shows featuring fat women in relationships. She never thought she’d get married. I wanted to high-five her through the screen. Her words hit home.
Lindy wrote:
“But when I think back on my teenage self, what I really needed to hear wasn’t that someone might love me one day if I lost enough weight to qualify as human – it was that I was worthy of love now, just as I was. So I’ll be fat on my wedding day. Because being fat and happy and in love in public is still a radical act. Attention, every fat teenager on earth: you’re invited.”
Blogger Lindy West
Replace Lindy’s references to her size with my skin and that’s me.
I’ve noticed an element of surprise about my relationship. For a few months I awkwardly called Adam my boyfriend, worried what people would think. And then I hesitated when I mentioned my fiancé, because I didn’t want people to wonder about our sex life (because that’s often a common question directed to people with disabilities – and I’ve been asked about whether Ichthyosis affects sex by a number of strangers). Also, I couldn’t quite believe the fiancé thing myself so it took a lot of getting used to.
But. I was recently asked to do some mystery shopping as a diversity awareness exercise for a friend – a store manager. The first thing I asked was whether the store had a bridal registry. The sales assistant looked me in the eye and said yes they do, and explained how it works. They passed my awareness test. The sales assistant looked me in the eye and didn’t flinch when I mentioned I am getting married. A pleasant experience!
Top Comments
Wow- this article was fantastic! Enjoy your special day beautiful lady. You are an inspiration to me xx
Hi Carly, You may not remember me, I worked with you many years ago back in Albury, you were a beautiful spirited young lady then. Wow I think your writing and blog is just amazing. Follow your dreams honey. You have put the biggest smile on my face today. May you and Adam live a wonderful married life together. I can't wait to see your wedding photos and will now continue to follow your work, you are Amazing. You go girl. Allana Chambeyron