Invisible Disability

In May of 2025, I attended a speaker series event for GAAD, held at Sony Pictures Studios. Emails from corporate communications had been sent out a few times in advance announcing this event.

I admit, I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. Disability accessibility, honestly it wasn't at the top of my list to attend.

The morning of, I was in the pantry area and a colleague walked in, someone who I hadn't seen in a while, but we had met in a previous virtual meeting on disability inclusion in the workplace and discovered some similarities between us.

She asked if I was going to attend the meeting later that afternoon. I didn't want to tell her that I had not planned on it, nor did I want to let her know that I had no idea what it was about. But if she was asking me then there had to be a good reason for me to attend.

I said, "Sure."

To say that there had to be a good reason for me to attend is an understatement. Only God knew I needed to be there.

It was Global Accessibility Awareness Day, GAAD. Never heard of it. Our keynote speaker was Dustin Giannelli. CEO and Founder of HearsDustin, keynote speaker on hearing loss, communication, inclusion, and culture.

That was the beginning of class for me. I learned so much! The two most important words to me that I learned during this meeting were, Invisible Disability.

I didn't know what I was, so to speak. The effects of two brain tumors in my orbits area, integrating my optic nerves, greatly impacted my depth perception and my peripheral vision. My right eye protrudes a bit which makes it very sensitive to light and dust.

I am visually impaired from my right eye. It is a disability that is unseen.

To someone watching me in a department store for example, I'm walking around, shopping, picking up items, putting 'em back, picking up other items, carrying them around. Walking up and down aisles, walking back and forth in between sections. Oooh there's the MAC counter. I'm looking at lipsticks and gloss. I walk over to the counter to pay and I pay. Share laughs with the salesperson. My bagged items are given to me and I walk out the store, first stopping to admire some shoes, then off I go.

What you can't see is how very careful I am of my steps and my surroundings. What you can't see and aren't paying attention to are the many stops I make and head turns I do so I can check my surroundings before I continue on. On my right side I bump into things and into people because I can't see them. That is anxiety that is extremely high for me.

My disability is unseen because there is nothing physical on the outside that identifies it.

An invisible disability, also known as a hidden or non-visible disability, is a physical, mental, or neurological condition that is not readily apparent to others. These conditions can significantly impact a person's daily life, including their movements, senses, activities, and ability to learn or work, but are not easily noticed from the outside. 

I didn't know about those two words. Invisible Disabilities.

They are real.

They are global.

They matter.

They aren't obvious, but they have a significant impact on a person's life daily. The ability to perform everyday tasks can be overwhelming. Within the disability accessibility realm there is a movement of inclusion for those with invisible disabilities. Many people don't believe one's disability unless they can see it. They joke about it. They belittle it. They depreciate it.

Which is just as unkind and disrespectful as making fun of a disabled person.

Those with invisible disabilities may tend to hide themselves and not talk about their plight for fear of being diminished.

For me, I knew my visual limitations but I didn't want to refer to them as disabilities for three reasons. One, because I was under the impression that a disability was only something that could be seen. Two, because I didn't want people to think of me as disabled and undervalue me. Three, I didn't want to take ownership of it.

Attending that speaker series and joining Sony's Employee Business Resource Group, EMBRACE, changed that.

Knowledge is definitely power.

I learned about invisible disabilities and the tremendous support that surrounds them.

I learned that taking ownership of mine adds value to my life by being transparent and that talking about it can open the door to others understanding it.

I learned that sharing my story, testimony, and struggles, I can also be of encouragement to others living with them.

Especially when it comes to my faith. I need to share my story, tell of God's miracle that I walk in everyday. Yes, I have visual impairments, yes I have to navigate my way around carefully, but, the fact that I can, is all to the glory of God.

This blog with all it's thoughts and feelings, as well as resources and information isn't only for the disabled, it is also for those who are caregivers or have family or friends who have any form of a disability.

Because when it comes down to it, much of the support also comes from people without disabilities who are personally connected to someone with a disability or simply within the care of their own hearts, just want to help.

The Invisible Disability Association (IDA)

https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/

Check out this organization to find out more about invisible disabilities, their programs and resources.