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Measuring a Life in Coffee Spoons: A Neurodivergent (Re)Reading of T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'

 

Introduction: Finding Myself in Prufrock's Paralysis

Have you ever felt trapped between the desire to connect and the paralysing fear of being truly seen? When I first encountered T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915), it was more than literature—it was a mirror. But not for who I am now, and some might argue, not for who I was then. One thing is for sure, as my teacher read it, I was forever in love with poetry. As a queer, disabled, neurodivergent educator, I found in Prufrock's voice an echo of my own struggles with masking, social anxiety, and the exhausting performance of fitting in.

This analysis is part of reclaiming my literary voice after years of others profiting from my work. If you're new to Sonnet Sleuths, welcome to a community where poetry becomes a lens for understanding ourselves and our world through diverse perspectives.

 

Quick Summary: What You Need to Know

 

• Form: Dramatic monologue disguised as a love song
• Core Themes: Social paralysis, masking, failed connection, time anxiety
• Why It Matters: Speaks to neurodivergent experiences, gender performance, and modern social anxiety
• Key Innovation: Birth of modernist poetry through fragmentation and stream-of-consciousness
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Prufrock's World: The Architecture of Anxiety

 

The poem opens with an epigraph from Dante's Inferno, a soul in Hell speaks only because they believe their confession will never reach the living world. This establishes Prufrock's defining need: a witness who won't judge or expose him.

 

 

The urban landscape mirrors his internal state:

 

• "muttering retreats"
• "restless nights in one-night cheap hotels"
• "streets that follow like a tedious argument"

 

These aren't just descriptions—they're what Eliot called "objective correlatives," external images that embody internal emotional states. For those of us who experience sensory overwhelm or social exhaustion, these environments feel viscerally familiar.

 

The Yellow Fog: Paralysis Made Visible

 

 

The yellow fog, personified as a timid cat, becomes the poem's most powerful metaphor:

"The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes...
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening...
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep."

This isn't dramatic weather, it's quiet suffocation. Like Prufrock himself, the fog is everywhere yet passive, moving without purpose. For neurodivergent readers, this perfectly captures the fog of executive dysfunction or social overwhelm that keeps us from action despite a desperate desire to connect.

 

 

The Performance of Self: Masking and Gender

 

 

"Preparing a Face": The Exhaustion of Masking

 

Prufrock's need "to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet" resonates deeply with masking, the exhausting performance many neurodivergent and queer people know intimately. Every social interaction requires careful calibration:

 

"There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate"

 

The violence of "murder and create" reveals how masking feels, killing parts of ourselves to create acceptable versions for public consumption.

 

 

Fragmented Perception: When Connection Feels Impossible

 

Prufrock cannot perceive women as whole people, seeing only:

 

• "perfume from a dress"
• "arms that are braceleted and white and bare"
• "the skirts that trail along the floor"

 

 

This fragmentation reveals more than misogyny; it shows how overwhelming social interaction can fragment our perception when we're struggling to process human connection. From a feminist lens, it also exposes how patriarchal conditioning reduces women to parts, even in supposedly sensitive men.

 

 

"Not Prince Hamlet": Impostor Syndrome and Secondary Status

 

Prufrock's self-comparison devastates:

 

"No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord... Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse"

 

 

He casts himself as Polonius—not the tragic hero but the expendable supporting character. For those of us who have internalised messages about being "too much" or "not enough,"  this resignation to secondary status in our own lives cuts deep.

 

 

 

Time, Routine, and the Unlived Life

 

Coffee Spoons and Crushing Routine

 

"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons"

 

This single line crystallises the tragedy — existence reduced to safe repetition rather than authentic experience. The contrast between abundant time ("there will be time") and urgent scarcity reveals the paralysis of chronic procrastination, particularly familiar to individuals with ADHD, who are often caught between hyperfocus and time blindness.

 

 

The Overwhelming Question Never Asked

Throughout, Prufrock circles an "overwhelming question" he cannot voice. Whether read as a romantic proposition, an existential query, or the question of authentic self-revelation, its very unaskability defines his tragedy.

 

 

 

Contemporary Resonance: Prufrock in Digital Spaces

 

Social Media as Modern Drawing Room

 

Prufrock's anxieties feel prescient in our digital age:

• His "bald spot" and "thin" limbs anticipate selfie culture's body scrutiny
• "Visions and revisions" mirror the endless editing of online personas
• The women "talking of Michelangelo" become LinkedIn influencers performing intelligence

Yet online spaces also offer what Prufrock couldn't find—niche communities where difference is celebrated, where we might hear the mermaids sing to us after all.

 

 

 

Intersectional Readings: Beyond Universal Anxiety

 

 

Queer Coding and Hidden Selves

 

 

LGBTQIA+ readers recognise the coded language of concealment. Prufrock’s terror of being “formulated, sprawling on a pin” speaks to the violence of being outed or exposed. His conviction that “I do not think they will sing to me” echoes the generational trauma of exclusion from love and beauty.

 

Poetry, Music, and the Power of Naming

 

 

My own journey toward understanding my gender and neurodivergence was shaped not only by poetry but by music. For years, I masked my difference to survive, until I heard the lyrics from Hurray for the Riff Raff’s “Pa’lante” in 2017:

 

 

“Well lately, don’t understand what I am
Treated as a fool
Not quite a woman or a man
Well I don’t know
I guess I don’t understand the plan”

 

 

These words gave me the clarity and permission I needed to embrace my nonbinary, pansexual, and asexual identity. Like Eliot’s verse, today’s music is living poetry, offering language, validation, and solidarity for those of us whose stories are rarely told.

 

 

Class, Race, and the Limits of Universality

 

 

 

While often seen as universal, Prufrock’s anxiety is actually specific — he moves through privileged spaces (such as tea parties and cultural references) even though he feels excluded. Contemporary analysis must consider whose anxieties are canonised as “universal” and whose are marginalised. Some critics claim that Prufrock’s anxieties are universal, while others view them as tied to his social class, gender, or sexual orientation. Feminist and queer perspectives complicate the notion of universality, revealing how the poem both reflects and challenges the limitations of early twentieth-century masculinity. Recognising these debates, we understand Prufrock not as a simple figure but as a lens for exploring broader issues of identity, power, and belonging.

 

 

Literary Innovation: Fragmenting the Modern Self

 

 

Eliot’s techniques revolutionised poetry:

 

• Stream of consciousness captures anxious thought patterns
• Irregular rhyme mirrors psychological instability
• Dense allusion creates cultural exhaustion
• Fragmentation reflects the modern self’s disintegration

 

 

These innovations provided us with language to describe experiences that Victorian poetry couldn’t capture — the fractured, overwhelming nature of modern consciousness.

 

 

Personal Reflection: Why This Matters

 

 

When I (finally) discovered my neurodivergence, Prufrock suddenly made sense. Well, a new, nuanced and previously undetected sense instead. His paralysis wasn’t weakness; it was the exhaustion of existing in spaces not built for minds like ours. His fragments weren’t just modernist technique; they were how overwhelming situations actually feel when you’re processing them differently.

 

 

In my work with neurodivergent students through DW Tutoring, I see Prufrock’s struggles daily: brilliant minds convinced they’re “attendant lords,” measuring lives in coffee spoons because authentic existence feels too dangerous.

 

 

But unlike Prufrock, we’re building communities where the mermaids do sing to us, where our differences are strengths, where questions can be asked, and where the connection doesn’t require masks.

 

 

Conclusion: Prufrock’s Gift and Our Response

 

 

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” endures because it articulates the inarticulate, the terror of being seen, the exhaustion of performance, the grief of an unlived life. It gives us language for experiences that often feel unspeakable.

 

 

But we need not be Prufrock. In naming these fears, in finding community, in choosing authenticity despite the terror, we can hear the mermaids singing, each to each. And yes, they will sing to us.

Autism’s Three-Body Problem: Why Levels Fail Us

 

 

There’s a concept in physics known as the “three-body problem.” While the movement of two celestial bodies under gravity can be predicted relatively easily, a third is introduced, and the system’s behaviour becomes chaotic—impossible to determine with simple rules. Recent popularisations of this idea underscore a universal truth: some systems are simply too dynamic and interconnected for neat, reductionist solutions.

 

 

When it comes to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its diagnostic “severity levels,” we face a strikingly similar human dilemma. The DSM-5’s introduction of Levels 1, 2, and 3 was intended to bring order and standardised language to the diverse ways autism presents, theoretically aiding treatment planning and resource allocation. In theory, this sounds pragmatic. In practice, it falls short.

 

 

The Paradox: Achievement vs. Internal Reality

 

As an autistic educator and researcher, I have lived the consequences of this system. My recent reclassification to Level 2 ASD—“requiring substantial support”—brought a strange mix of validation and frustration. This is a vindication because my experiences were previously dismissed by a psychiatrist who saw only my academic achievements. The frustration, however, is palpable because this label reinforced my conviction that autism’s diagnostic levels are profoundly misguided, reflecting society’s need for tidy categories rather than our complex realities.

 

 

The notion that academic or professional success negates significant autistic traits is deeply flawed. Navigating academic structures does not erase daily challenges: sensory overwhelm, executive dysfunction, and the relentless, exhausting labour of masking. These are high-cost performances, invisible to those who rely on superficial assessments. Support needs are fluid and context-dependent, not static or easily captured by a single label.

 

 

Our Own ‘Three-Body Problem’: Levels vs. Lived Experience

 

Much like the celestial three-body problem, attempting to categorise the infinite variability of autistic experience into three tiers quickly descends into its own form of chaos, often with detrimental human consequences. Consider the “three bodies” at play:

 

1. The Autistic Individual: Each person is a universe of unique neurology, fluctuating internal states, sensory sensitivities, co-occurring conditions, strengths, and challenges.
2. The Environment: An ever-changing landscape of social expectations, sensory inputs, available (or absent) accommodations, and varying levels of understanding and acceptance.
3. The Diagnostic & Support System: A complex entity shaped by clinical judgement, resource constraints, policy, and systemic biases.

The interplay between these “bodies” means that support needs are rarely static or straightforward enough to be captured by a single, lifelong level. The system strives for predictability but, in reality, is far more complex and less predictable than such classifications allow, leaving many needs unmet and individuals unsupported.

 

As I wrote in “A Pox on Resilience”:

 

“Lazy welfare cheat or inspiration porn,

No middle ground for the differently born.”

 

These levels create false binaries, ignoring the constant evolution of support needs. Research confirms that static categories limit opportunities by pigeonholing individuals into narrow definitions of their abilities and challenges. They also fail to reflect the lived experience of autistic people, who often find their support needs changing over time and in different situations.

 

 

Beyond Simplistic Labels: Urgent Need for Systemic Change

 

For instance, a person with autism may require more support during a job interview than during a routine day at home. However, the current system does not account for such variations, leading to inadequate support in certain situations. While diagnosis can validate, the real harm arises from how levels are used in practice. Critics, including autistic advocates and researchers, rightly argue that these levels are poorly defined and fail to capture the dynamic, fluctuating nature of support needs across different contexts and life stages. As one advocate put it, “mild autism doesn’t mean one experiences autism mildly... It means YOU experience their autism mildly.” This insight highlights how these labels often reflect external perceptions rather than internal realities.

 

 

We urgently need systems that recognise:

 

1. Support needs are dynamic and context-dependent.
2. Achievement does not negate disability or the need for accommodations.
3. Environmental modifications and societal acceptance are essential.
4. Autistic voices must lead: Nothing About Us, Without Us!

 

 

Finding Our Voice, Demanding Better

 

Through poetry and teaching, I attempt to express what clinical language overlooks. When I write, “Barriers bloom like noxious weeds, / Choking paths, stifling needs,” I articulate the daily reality of navigating obstructive systems—a truth my neurodivergent students deeply understand.

 

 

More Than a Level: A Call to Action

 

I may be “Level 2 autistic,” but I am also an educator, poet, mentor, and advocate. These roles are not contradictions. Our value lies not in labels but our unique insights and collective strength.

 

 

The system that imposes these levels is in urgent need of transformation. Who better to lead that change than those who know its failings first-hand? Let’s dismantle these oversimplifications and build something truly supportive—together.

 

 

In the cacophony of existence, a voice strains—

Forty-plus years of searching,

A lifetime of pains.

Words crumble to ash, unheard and unseen,

Lost in society's vast, indifferent machine.

 

Neurodivergent synapses spark and sputter,

A mind wired differently, thoughts all a-flutter.

Autism's maze, ADHD's relentless tide,

Trauma's shadows where nightmares reside.

 

Rejection's barbs, familiar as my own skin,

Each "no" a thorn, each silence a coffin.

Dysphoria whispers, "You don't belong here,"

In a world that sings harsh and unclear.

 

Nonbinary, queer, asexual—labels that confound,

A self yet unanchored, unsafe, unbound.

Isolation creeps, a suffocating shroud,

Drowning amid the indifferent crowd.

 

Empathy burns, a fire beneath the skin,

A curse, a gift, searing from within.

But who hears the helper's muffled plea?

Who sees the saviour drowning at sea?

 

Knowledge hard-earned through years of strife,

Wisdom gleaned from a fractured life.

Yet warnings fall on ears deafened by fear,

As others march blindly towards perils near.

 

The tribe remains elusive, a shimmering mirage,

Fading with each misunderstanding, each barrage

Of blank stares, of glances that never linger,

Of people who look, but fail to see the singer.

 

Helplessness learned, a bitter draught to swallow,

As hope's embers fade, leaving the heart hollow.

The voice grows hoarse, the weary spirit mired,

Unwanted, unseen, and uninspired.

 

In this abyss of unbelonging, deep and wide,

Echoes the cry of a soul with nowhere to hide.

For connection, for understanding, for home,

In a world where different means forever alone.

 

Senses overload: lights blind, sounds pierce,

The world a tempest, wild and fierce.

Touch that scorches, smells that choke and smother,

Each day a battle, one after another.

 

Yet still it burns, this invisible flame,

Flickering, sputtering, but never quite tame.

In the endless night, it stubbornly glows,

A beacon of self that nobody knows.

 

How long can it endure, this hidden pyre?

Will it fade from view or burn ever higher?

In the silence between heartbeats, it persists,

A testament to a life that still exists.

 

 

The biblical story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 often serves as a powerful metaphor for conquering seemingly insurmountable odds. At least, that is how it has abundantly resonated with me throughout my life. Especially as I was named David and growing up in an Irish Catholic family, I constantly encountered these timeless biblical tales at school, home, and church — their influence permeated every aspect of my life.

I have never escaped that metaphor and comparison with every battle, and I have had more than most. From escaping an abusive family and living on the streets to being sent to multiple uncaring foster homes. To bullying from family, fellow students and mental health staff following my first suicide attempt (the nurse instructed me and a fellow patient how to slit our wrists/arms correctly). When I was hospitalised and in rehab for eight years after a man ran a red light and almost killed me. The list keeps on going. My most recent battle has been going on for over seven years. Yet still, I hear that metaphor, sometimes from casual observers or even from myself. It is exhausting and, frankly, dangerous. 

The issue with applying this comparison to modern situations becomes profoundly problematic, especially when addressing toxic positivity, disability fetishisation, and the deep-rooted challenges individuals face when confronting systemic biases. Let us explore these pressing issues more broadly while interweaving the essential elements of disability experiences, energy management, allyship, and the ongoing necessity for collective action. 

Toxic Positivity and the Disability Experience

When people resurrect the David and Goliath narrative to promote the notion that anyone can overcome any obstacle simply through positivity and perseverance, it can:

• - Invalidates Real Struggles: This narrative can dismiss the fundamental and systemic barriers individuals face, particularly those with disabilities.
• - Oversimplify Complex Issues: This approach reduces complex social and institutional problems to simple personal challenges, ignoring the need for structural change and collective action.

The “Spoon Theory” and Energy Management

For individuals with disabilities, the concept of “spoons” as a metaphor for energy is crucial:

• - Limited Resources: Each day starts with a finite number of “spoons,” representing available energy.
• - Prioritisation: Individuals must carefully allocate their energy, often making difficult choices about which activities to pursue
• - Invisible Challenges: This energy management is often invisible to others, leading to misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations.

Disability Representation and Institutional Barriers

Using the David and Goliath story in the context of disability representation can:

• - Exploit Disabled Individuals: It can frame disabled people as “heroes” for merely existing or achieving everyday tasks, which can be patronising and dehumanising.
• - Ignore Systemic Barriers: This approach shifts the focus from addressing systemic ableism and creating inclusive environments to celebrating individual triumphs over adversity.

https://www.ted.com/talks/stella_young_i_m_not_your_inspiration_thank_you_very_much?subtitle=en

Unrecognised Challenges in Institutions

• - Fluctuating Energy Levels: Institutions often fail to recognise the variable nature of disabilities, expecting consistent performance.
• - Lack of Responsiveness: When systems are unresponsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities, it can lead to frustration and disillusionment.
• - Pressure to Surrender: Silence or indifference can unintentionally pressure individuals into giving up their fight for accommodation and recognition.

Confronting Institutional Biases

When individuals confront institutions with long-established histories of discrimination, comparing their struggle to David and Goliath can:

• – Misrepresent the Nature of the Challenge:Institutional biases are deeply embedded and multifaceted, unlike the clear, singular adversary in the biblical story.
• – Promote Individualism Over Collective Action: This can imply that change is the responsibility of a lone “hero” rather than a collective effort.
• – Overlook the Need for Structural Change: The narrative can obscure the need for systemic reforms and policy changes.

The Importance of Collective Action

• – Amplifying Voices: Uniting strengths can amplify the message that everyone deserves support and acknowledgment.
• – Policy Advocacy: Collective efforts are crucial for advocating policies that recognise difficulties and actively work to dismantle barriers.
• – Building Inclusive Environments: Together, we can work towards creating more responsive and inclusive institutional frameworks. 

Allyship and Its Role in Systemic Change

Allyship plays a crucial role in advocating for systemic change. Allies can support individuals with disabilities by:

• – Educating Themselves: Understanding the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and the language of inclusivity (Lovedisabledlife, 2023).
• - Listening and Learning: Amplify the voices of disabled individuals and be open to feedback (Sinclair, 2023).
• – Advocating for Accessibility: Supporting changes to inaccessible environments and practices in communities and workplaces (Forward Ability Support, 2023).
• - Practising Empathy: means recognising the strength and resilience of individuals with disabilities rather than feeling sympathy (Lovedisabledlife, 2023). It is crucial in advocating for systemic change, as it promotes understanding and respect for individuals with disabilities, their experiences, and their needs.

Examples of Successful Collective Actions

Highlighting real-world successes can inspire others and demonstrate the power of community efforts in challenging institutional biases:

• – Disability Advocacy in Europe: Research has shown that successful campaigns often utilise the lived experience of disabled experts, engage internal allies, and maintain flexible strategies (Coveney, 2023).
• – Australian Disability Rights Movement: The unification and organisation of disability advocates in 1981 led to significant advancements in independence, inclusion, and equality (Commons Library, 2023).

Individual Considerations

When making comparisons, it is essential to evaluate each case’s merits. Factors such as the type of disability, financial resources, medical, social, and family support systems, personal life commitments, and dependents all influence the individual’s experience and must be considered.

The Complexity of Individual Experiences

When examining the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in institutional settings, it is vital to recognise that each case is unique and should be considered on its own merits. The David and Goliath metaphor, while powerful, can oversimplify these complex situations, underscoring the need for a more nuanced approach.

Factors Influencing Individual Experiences 

Several factors can significantly impact an individual’s ability to navigate institutional barriers:

• – Type and Severity of Disability: The nature and extent of a person’s disability can significantly influence their daily experiences and challenges (Nario-Redmond et al., 2013). Even if two identical twins had the same diagnosed condition, the specific manifestation and impact can vary significantly between individuals.
• – Financial Resources: Access to economic resources can significantly affect an individual’s ability to seek accommodations, medical care, or legal support (Mitra et al., 2017). Access to other essentials, like food, shelter, water, and clothing, also significantly affects an individual’s ability to manage their condition and navigate challenges.
• – Medical Support: The quality and availability of medical care can vary widely, impacting an individual’s overall health and ability to manage their condition (Krahn et al., 2015). Some may have better insurance coverage, the ability to pay for treatments, or access to specialists than others.
• – Educational Background: An individual’s level of education and familiarity with institutional systems can influence their ability to navigate complex bureaucracies (Lindsay et al., 2018).
• – Social and Family Support: Strong support networks can provide emotional, practical, and advocacy assistance, which can be crucial in navigating institutional challenges (Tough et al., 2017). The challenges can also lead to fractures within and between advocates and family members’ causing some or many to abandon support.
• – Personal Life Commitments: Responsibilities such as caregiving for dependents or maintaining employment can affect an individual’s capacity to engage in advocacy efforts (Anand & Ben-Shalom, 2014). Each person has their own set of personal responsibilities, such as dependents, work obligations, or other life commitments that add complexity to their situation. These factors can impact the time, energy and resources available to manage their condition or pursue goals.
• – Individual differences in coping mechanisms and resilience: People have different psychological and emotional capacities for dealing with adversity. What may seem manageable for one person could be overwhelming for another due to differences in personality, past experiences, or mental health.
• - Invisible challenges: Many factors that influence an individual’s experience are not readily apparent. As our community says (paraphrased)
• 
  
• “This energy management is often invisible to others, leading to misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations.”
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• – Intersectionality of challenges: Individuals may face multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination or disadvantage beyond their primary condition. This intersectionality can compound difficulties in ways that are unique to each person. 

By making direct comparisons without considering these nuanced factors, we risk oversimplifying complex situations and potentially invalidating individuals’ real struggles. As the response emphasises, it is essential to consider each case on its own merits rather than comparing individuals broadly, even if they face similar challenges.

TL;DR Avoiding Unfair Comparisons

It is important to note that comparing individuals facing similar challenges can be problematic and unfair. Even when two people have the same type of disability or are confronting similar institutional barriers, their circumstances and resources may differ significantly.

The Danger of Comparison

• – Invalidating Individual Struggles: Comparisons can minimise each person’s unique challenges.
• – Creating Unrealistic Expectations: Holding someone to another’s standard of success or progress can be demoralising and counterproductive.
• – Overlooking Intersectionality: Individuals may face multiple forms of discrimination or disadvantage simultaneously, which can compound their challenges (Crenshaw, 1989).

The Role of Allyship and Collective Action

Given the complexity of individual experiences, the role of allies and collective action becomes even more crucial:

Effective Allyship

• Allies can support individuals with disabilities by:
• 
  
• – Recognising Diversity: Understanding that the disability community is not monolithic and experiences vary widely (Nario-Redmond et al., 2013).
• – Providing Tailored Supports: Allies understand the importance of offering assistance based on each individual’s well-defined needs and circumstances (Catalyst, 2021).
• – Advocating for Flexible Policies: Pushing for institutional policies that accommodate various needs and situations (Lindsay et al., 2018).

Collective Action and Systemic Change

While individual experiences differ, collective action remains crucial for systemic change:

• – Sharing Diverse Perspectives: Combining varied experiences can help create more comprehensive and inclusive solutions (Krahn et al., 2015).
• – Building Coalitions: Uniting diverse groups can amplify advocacy efforts and increase pressure for institutional change (Nario-Redmond et al., 2013). 
• – Promoting Universal Design: means advocating for environments and policies that are accessible and beneficial to all, regardless of individual circumstances (Steinfeld & Maisel, 2012).

In conclusion, metaphors like David and Goliath once thought of as inspiring, are, in reality, anything but. They serve only as a tired and overused trope to sell flights of fancy in action films and by news outlets to try to cash in on ratings. Even when used cautiously and in context, it can still cause much harm. Recognising the complexity of individual experiences, avoiding unfair comparisons, and focusing on collective action and allyship are vital to effectively addressing institutional barriers. By embracing this nuanced approach, we can work towards creating more inclusive and equitable institutions for all.

References

Anand, P., & Ben-Shalom, Y. (2014). How do working-age people with disabilities spend their time? New evidence from the American Time Use Survey. Demography, 51(6), 1977–1998

Catalyst. (2021). Allyship and Advocacy at Work: 5 Key Questions Answered. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/2021/10/14/allyship-advocacy-questions-answered/

Commons Library. (2023). The History of Campaigns in Australia by People With Disability. Retrieved from https://commonslibrary.org/the-history-of-campaigns-in-australia-by-people-with-disability/

Coveney, C. (2023). Disability Advocacy Research in Europe. European Disability Forum.

Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalising the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), 139–167.

Forward Ability Support. (2023). How to be a disability ally. Retrieved from https://fas.org.au/how-to-be-a-disability-ally/

Krahn, G. L., Walker, D. K., & Correa-De-Araujo, R. (2015). Persons with disabilities as an unrecognised health disparity population. American Journal of Public Health, 105(S2), S198-S206.

Lindsay, S., Cagliostro, E., Albarico, M., Mortaji, N., & Karon, L. (2018). A systematic review of the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 28(4), 634–655.

Lovedisabledlife. (2023). Actionable Tips for How to Be a Supportive Disability Ally. Retrieved from https://www.lovedisabledlife.com/blog/actionable-tips-for-how-to-be-a-supportive-disability-ally

Mitra, S., Palmer, M., Kim, H., Mont, D., & Groce, N. (2017). Extra costs of living with a disability: A review and agenda for research. Disability and Health Journal, 10(4), 475–484.

Nario-Redmond, M. R., Noel, J. G., & Fern, E. (2013). Redefining disability, re-imagining the self: Disability identification predicts self-esteem and strategic responses to stigma. Self and Identity, 12(5), 468–488.

Sinclair, T. (2023). Embracing Human Spirit: A Perspective on Allyship for Intellectual Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-human-spirit-perspective-allyship-tristan-sinclair

Steinfeld, E., & Maisel, J. (2012). Universal design: Creating inclusive environments. John Wiley & Sons.

Tough, H., Siegrist, J., & Fekete, C. (2017). Social relationships, mental health and wellbeing in physical disability: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 17(1),
414.