In the wake of Professor Stephen Hawking's death, there was an outpouring of tributes for the esteemed scientist, described by many as the greatest mind of his generation. However, some the tributes dedicated to him made one big mistake: the error of insinuating that having a disability was an inherently negative thing.
After this attitude spread across social media, people from the disabled community took to Twitter to tell the world that, although they may have a complicated relationship with their disability, it had brought them many great things. Using the hashtag #ILoveMyDisability, people made it clear that their disability was something that had helped make them who they were and something that would never stop them from shooting for the stars.
Some people loved being disabled because it had brought them closer to what they loved
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/devonnexxmarie/status/975004155700899840]]
Others had put their pain into making something beautiful [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/blueberrycy/status/975449225411551232]]
There's a silver lining to every cloud and this Twitter user hit the nail on the head
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/RickBanas87/status/975418296609615872]]
For others, it was all about the little things [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Cheelcare/status/974828024628727808]]
Being disabled had helped inspire whole careers [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/AddyPottle/status/975186792537141248]]
It had brought families closer together [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/riotheatherrr/status/974806059251507201]]
It had created beautiful partnerships [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BergBronwyn/status/975244362740219904]]
People had made friends for life because of it [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BeingKaylaSmith/status/975837335681150976]]
And created a kind and loving community [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/annieelainey/status/974780642595569666]]
Being disabled had inspired people to do good [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/AfroAutPunk/status/974992110863699968]]
And it had led people to become stronger than they ever realised they could be [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/kcdemarcowagner/status/974848087507206144]]
This girl had a strong body and mind - not to mention fabulous fashion sense [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/agoraphobia69/status/974798761187856384]]
This woman summed things up with a picture [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/shonalouiseblog/status/974960091358167041]]
This doctor put her determination to her disability [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BlondeHistorian/status/974769772712878088]]
Whereas this lady loved living life a little differently [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Ixzianna/status/975304895577255936]]
However, as some Twitter users pointed out, it's hard to love anything 24/7 [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/nuggetscribe/status/974824129248616449]]
It was OK for people to make it clear they didn't always love their disability [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/lillielainoff/status/974833260688797703]]
In fact, some people didn't love theirs at all [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ShutUpDanni/status/974837414295408640]]
For some people, it was more about finding acceptance [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/EbThen/status/974815898086313990]]
And acknowledging, no matter who you are, life is what you make it [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Coleoftheball/status/974992542797303808]]
It was amazing to hear people talk about their relationship with their disability so beautifully and openly. Hopefully, the #ILoveMyDisability hashtag will inspire greater understanding of living life with a disability from able-bodied people.
