Symphonic courage :
Eliza Hull ' s trailblazing odyssey in music and disability advocacy
I am a writer , musician , and disability advocate living in Castlemaine , regional Victoria , Australia with a physical disability ‘ Charcot Marie Tooth ’ that I ’ ve had since I was five . It affects the way I walk . I fall over regularly and can ’ t get upstairs unless there is a railing . shares the experiences of several disabled parents from across the world .
When I was first deciding to become a parent , I was met with discrimination and told that I wouldn ’ t be able to manage . This really made me feel so much shame , but also fired me up as well . It made me realise how much stigma there is in the medical space when disabled people decide to become parents . I realised it was time to start making change in this space which is why I created the book . It has sparked so many great conversations , and I hope made some changes .
What is one word that best describes you ?
Resilient . I think any disabled person is resilient because we face so many societal barriers ( physical and attitudinal ) and yet we keep going . We are also often patient , creative thinkers , great problem solvers and ingenious .
2023 was a big and exciting year for you ! What inspired you to pursue music at a professional level ?
By chance I was invited to sing in the local eisteddfod when I was five years old , and I won a gold medal . It made me realise that perhaps I could do this !
I am passionate about the under representation of disabled musicians in the music industry , and advocate for change in this space by consulting with organisations and music events .
I have co-written a children ’ s book ‘ Come Over To My House ’ which authentically represents various families that are Deaf or Disabled .
I also created the ABC series ‘ We ’ ve Got This ’ about parenting with a disability , this is now a book that has been published in Australia and internationally that
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