The Purple Orange Podcast

"I was grateful": Until I realised it was my right

Ayla Regione spent years hiding her deafness, trying to “keep up”, and pushing through without asking for what she needed. When barriers got in her way, she blamed herself. But everything changed when someone reminded her that access isn’t a privilege — it’s a right. This episode is a powerful story of identity, internalised ableism, and what it means to stop apologising for your needs and start claiming your space. “I wasn’t the one that was failing the world. The world was failing me.”

(Audio) Come sit with us: Belle and Jasmine of Babes with Mobility Aids

You can sit with us 🦼 Join our host, Belle Owen, as she talks with Jasmin from Babes with Mobility Aids for a joyful and insightful conversation about naming and styling mobility aids, authentic representation in media, and the power of telling real stories online. From calling out tired tropes to celebrating mobility aids as tools of freedom, this episode is full of sharp takes and big laughs.

"You Don't Look Sick": Living with Invisible Disability

When Nicole Edmunds first became unwell, doctors told her it was stress, anxiety, or poor sleep. But she knew her body — and she knew something wasn’t right. After months of medical gaslighting and self-doubt, Nicole was diagnosed with POTS: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome — a form of dysautonomia that affects the autonomic nervous system and is often invisible to others. In this honest and moving episode, Nicole shares what it’s like to live with an invisible disability in a world that rewards performance over rest, and productivity over pacing. She speaks about identity, relationships, and how exhausting it is to prove your pain when no one can see it. Whether you have an invisible disability or want to understand how to be a better ally to someone who does — this story is for you. Listen now and reflect on how we make space — or don’t — for people with invisible disability. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Australian POTS Foundation [https://potsfoundation.org.au/] * Dysautonomia International [https://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/] * Standing Up to POTS [https://www.standinguptopots.org/] * The Ehlers-Danlos Society [https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/]

Black people can be disabled: Breaking the cycle of disability stereotypes

What happens when the world refuses to see who you really are? When Khadija Gbla was diagnosed as autistic in their 30s, it brought relief — and grief for all the years spent masking, misunderstood. In this powerful episode, they reflect on cultural stigma, disability, racism, and how becoming a parent helped them begin to heal and rewrite the story. Born in Sierra Leone and resettled in Australia as a teenager, Khadija’s story is one of survival, identity, and fierce love — especially for their son, Sammy, who is also autistic. With honesty and strength, Khadija shares how racism, ableism and cultural stigma collided throughout their life, and how they’re now rewriting the narrative — for themselves and for the next generation. “I wish I had had somebody like me to realise that Black girls can also be disabled.” Listen now to hear a story of strength, claiming identity, and the power of self-acceptance and understanding. Listen to Khadija's TED talk about female genital mutilation. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4n0zcsdoN0] Download the transcript for Black people can be disabled: Breaking the cycle of disability stereotypes [https://purpleorange.org.au/stories/purple-orange-podcast-series]

It's the little things

For Trudy and Chris, love wasn’t about grand gestures. It was in the little things - train rides to nowhere, shared jokes, holding hands, or quietly sitting side by side in the sun.   In this moving episode of the Purple Orange Podcast, we share the story of a relationship shaped by love, disability, and intimacy. Trudy and Chris remind us that life’s most meaningful moments are often small, deliberate, and full of care.   This story also honours Trudy, who passed away before the episode was released. Her husband, Chris, wanted the world to hear it.    Trudy's warmth, humour, and spirit live on through her words.