“My everyday life in which I do exactly the same things as everyone else should not inspire people, and yet I am constantly congratulated by strangers for simply existing.”

Australian comedian, journalist and disability rights activist

Stella Jane Young was an Australian comedian, journalist and disability rights activist. She became widely known for her writing and public speaking on disability rights, and for challenging the assumptions that often surround disabled people. Her work combined humour, media commentary and advocacy. Young used her platform to argue for more honest and respectful ways of talking about disability, and she remained closely associated with disability activism in Australia.