The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney
-
0:16 - 0:20This right here is a photo of me
when I was 14 years old. -
0:20 - 0:22Now, I know what you're thinking,
-
0:22 - 0:24'Dylan, mate,
-
0:25 - 0:27are you sure that's not Ryan Gosling?'
-
0:27 - 0:29(Laughter)
-
0:29 - 0:32But, unfortunately, no,
this is a photo of me. -
0:32 - 0:35Now, for a long time, I tried to delete
this photo from my memory, -
0:35 - 0:38and to be honest, do you blame me?
-
0:38 - 0:41Firstly, what the hell
is going on with my hair there? -
0:41 - 0:42I remember my mum's a hairdresser.
-
0:42 - 0:46I used to sit in the front seat of her car
with a tub of gel and a hairbrush, -
0:46 - 0:49and on the way to school every day,
I'd sit there thinking, -
0:49 - 0:51'Dylan, you have absolutely nailed it!'
-
0:51 - 0:52(Laughter)
-
0:52 - 0:55I still don't understand
why she let me leave the car. -
0:55 - 0:57Also, secondly,
-
0:58 - 0:59where the hell are my eyebrows?
-
0:59 - 1:01(Laughter)
-
1:03 - 1:04Now,
-
1:04 - 1:07unfortunately for me,
-
1:07 - 1:10I didn't grow any eyebrows
until I was 17 years old. -
1:10 - 1:13Now, I understand that I had
completely no control over that, -
1:13 - 1:17but, as you can imagine,
it wasn't really helping my cause, was it? -
1:17 - 1:18I also had braces.
-
1:19 - 1:20I also had my bed in the pantry,
-
1:20 - 1:22and I was a little bit
on the overweight side. -
1:23 - 1:25This was really the first time in my life
-
1:25 - 1:28that I was really struggling
with my disability. -
1:28 - 1:32Up until this age, I'd never really cared
about the fact that I was in a wheelchair. -
1:32 - 1:35Everybody was young,
nobody really noticed it, -
1:35 - 1:38and everything just
went along pretty smoothly. -
1:38 - 1:42But, at this time,
things started to change. -
1:42 - 1:44People started going to house parties.
-
1:44 - 1:48Boys started kissing girls,
girls started kissing boys. -
1:48 - 1:49Girls starting kissing girls,
-
1:49 - 1:52and occasionally,
boys started kissing boys. -
1:52 - 1:54But, absolutely nobody was kissing Dylan,
-
1:54 - 1:56I can tell you that much.
-
1:56 - 1:58And it was also about the first time
-
1:58 - 2:04that I really thought about myself
as being weird because I had a disability. -
2:04 - 2:06And, to be honest, that really sucked,
-
2:06 - 2:10and had a really big effect
on absolutely everything that I did. -
2:10 - 2:12I started having a crap time at school.
-
2:12 - 2:14It really started affecting
my sporting career as well. -
2:14 - 2:18For the first time in my life,
I was really, really down on myself. -
2:18 - 2:21And then, the next year, in Year 9,
something happened. -
2:21 - 2:23A mate of mine was having a house party.
-
2:23 - 2:26Now, this was a really good mate of mine.
-
2:26 - 2:29And previously, I'd never really been
invited to that many house parties, -
2:29 - 2:32and I thought, 'What a perfect opportunity
to go to your first one. -
2:32 - 2:34I'm absolutely going to kill it,
-
2:34 - 2:37and everybody will invite me
to all the parties coming up ever since'. -
2:37 - 2:41Now, the invites for the party came out,
and what do you reckon happened? -
2:42 - 2:43I didn't get one.
-
2:44 - 2:45I didn't get an invite.
-
2:46 - 2:47And I remember thinking to myself,
-
2:47 - 2:49'That is bullshit.
-
2:49 - 2:52Like, I'm actually
really good friends with this guy, -
2:52 - 2:54how could I not be invited to his party?'
-
2:54 - 2:56I was sitting at home
the day of the party, -
2:56 - 3:00and I went to myself,
'I just really, really want to go'. -
3:01 - 3:05Now, back in the day when you're 15,16,
it was super uncool and lame -
3:05 - 3:08to text the person to ask
if you can come to the party. -
3:08 - 3:12The far more badass thing to do
was simply turn up and jump the fence. -
3:12 - 3:13(Laughter)
-
3:13 - 3:16Now, as you could imagine,
-
3:16 - 3:18jumping, it's not really my forte.
-
3:18 - 3:22And unless I had some kind of crane
or, like, trampoline device ... -
3:22 - 3:23(Laughter)
-
3:23 - 3:26there was no way in hell
that I was getting over that fence. -
3:26 - 3:27The only way to get in
-
3:27 - 3:29was to knock on the door
and go through the front. -
3:29 - 3:31Anyway, I sat at home
and I'm like, 'Stuff it. -
3:31 - 3:33I'm going to go and see what happens'.
-
3:33 - 3:36I go to the front door, knocked
on the door, and my mate answered. -
3:36 - 3:40And he had this really weird, shocked look
on his face, like I was there. -
3:40 - 3:43I remember thinking to myself,
like, 'What have I done? -
3:43 - 3:47Why didn't I sit at home and play N64,
like I did every other Saturday night?' -
3:47 - 3:48Anyway, he looked at me, and he said,
-
3:48 - 3:51'Dyl, mate, I'm so glad that you came.
-
3:51 - 3:54I didn't know if you could
get in my house because of the stairs, -
3:54 - 3:56so I didn't invite you'.
-
3:56 - 3:58I remember thinking
to myself, 'Is that it? -
3:58 - 4:02Is that genuinely the only reason
that I wasn't invited?' -
4:02 - 4:04Anyway, I went in that house party,
-
4:04 - 4:06absolutely crushed it,
had an awesome time. -
4:06 - 4:08(Laughter)
-
4:08 - 4:13I remember the next day, I woke up,
and I was really bloody mad at myself. -
4:13 - 4:14I was really mad at myself
-
4:14 - 4:18that I let my insecurities
and my embarrassment about my disability -
4:18 - 4:21
dictate the previous year of my life. -
4:21 - 4:23I was really mad at myself
that I believed this thing, -
4:23 - 4:26this negative stigma
that having a disability -
4:26 - 4:28makes you weird, makes you different,
-
4:28 - 4:31and that's the only reason
people don't want to hang out with you. -
4:31 - 4:35I'm really mad at myself
that I didn't just grow a set of balls, -
4:35 - 4:39have some confidence, talk to my friends
and educate them about my disability. -
4:39 - 4:41Now, the only reason
I wasn't invited that night -
4:41 - 4:43wasn't because they didn't like me,
-
4:43 - 4:45but it was because I didn't tell them
about my disability. -
4:45 - 4:48I didn't tell them
I could get up the stairs, -
4:48 - 4:49and it'll all be fine.
-
4:49 - 4:52I sat at home for a whole year
thinking these people didn't like me. -
4:52 - 4:56The only reason that they did was because
they weren't educated about disability, -
4:56 - 4:59and I really didn't do anything
to educate them on it. -
4:59 - 5:02So, after that night,
things really changed for me. -
5:02 - 5:04I started being more social,
-
5:04 - 5:05I started getting a lot fitter,
-
5:05 - 5:07I started going out a lot more,
-
5:07 - 5:09and I even started kissing
the odd girl or two. -
5:09 - 5:11(Laughter)
-
5:12 - 5:14After that night,
I made a pact with myself. -
5:14 - 5:15I made a pact with myself
-
5:15 - 5:20to never, ever let my disability
get in the way of what I wanted to do. -
5:20 - 5:23I made a pact with myself
to not be scared of my disability, -
5:23 - 5:26but rather to embrace it
in everything that I did. -
5:26 - 5:30Because of that, I've been able to live
a truly, incredibly awesome life. -
5:30 - 5:32In 2008, I was lucky enough
-
5:32 - 5:35to win a gold medal
at the Paralympic games, -
5:35 - 5:39playing basketball for Australia -
wheelchair basketball, believe it or not. -
5:39 - 5:40This was incredible for me.
-
5:40 - 5:43Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to go
to the Paralympic games. -
5:43 - 5:45The Paralympics -
for those who don't know - -
5:45 - 5:48is the pinnacle of elite sport
for people with disabilities. -
5:48 - 5:50But a lot of people
-
5:50 - 5:53don't know the true meaning
of the word 'Paralympic'. -
5:53 - 5:54The word is actually split in two:
-
5:54 - 5:57the 'Olympic' part -
which represents the Olympics, -
5:57 - 5:58the pinnacle of sport -
-
5:58 - 5:59and the 'Para' part.
-
5:59 - 6:01There's a common misconception
-
6:01 - 6:05that the 'Para' part
actually means paraplegic or paralysed, -
6:05 - 6:06but this isn't the case.
-
6:06 - 6:09The 'Para' actually represents 'parallel',
-
6:09 - 6:13meaning the Paralympics runs parallel,
or alongside, the Olympics. -
6:13 - 6:17Same gold medals, same venues,
same elite athletes, same time. -
6:17 - 6:21The only difference is obviously we all
have disabilities at the Paralympics. -
6:21 - 6:23Now, this was awesome in Beijing for me.
-
6:23 - 6:25I was 17 years old at the time,
-
6:25 - 6:29so I was still doing my HSC or VCE
while I was over there. -
6:29 - 6:33To be 17 years old and sit on top
of the podium with 12 of your best mates - -
6:33 - 6:36guys that had lost limbs to cancer,
-
6:36 - 6:39other guys that had horrific accidents
on their worksites -
6:39 - 6:40so were left up in wheelchairs.
-
6:40 - 6:43Other guys who had car crashes
and never be able to walk again -
6:43 - 6:45and lost loved ones in the process.
-
6:45 - 6:49To sit on top of that podium
and so proud of what we had done, -
6:49 - 6:52singing that national anthem
with tears in our eyes - -
6:52 - 6:54it was the best thing
that ever happened to me. -
6:54 - 6:57It really was incredible
and something I'll cherish forever. -
6:57 - 6:59I've also got a bit of a name for myself
-
6:59 - 7:02as the dude that crowd surfs
in his wheelchair at festivals. -
7:02 - 7:03(Laughter)
-
7:03 - 7:05I've been very lucky
to travel around the world -
7:05 - 7:07attending different music festivals.
-
7:07 - 7:08Everybody knows me as,
-
7:08 - 7:11'You're the guy that
crowd surfs in his wheelchair!' -
7:11 - 7:13To be honest, the first [time]
that I ever did this -
7:13 - 7:15was completely out of necessity
-
7:15 - 7:17because I was sick and tired
of sitting in the mosh pit -
7:17 - 7:19and looking at all your asses all day.
-
7:19 - 7:20(Laughter)
-
7:20 - 7:23You don't understand how much
that sucks after a while. -
7:23 - 7:26But from the first time I did it,
I was absolutely hooked. -
7:26 - 7:29It's an incredible feeling,
sitting on top of that crowd -
7:29 - 7:32in what I like to call
the best seat in the house. -
7:32 - 7:33It really is incredible.
-
7:33 - 7:36I think it's a really cool metaphor
for people with disabilities as well, -
7:36 - 7:38what they can really do,
-
7:38 - 7:41getting out there, breaking the mould,
doing what's unexpected of them. -
7:41 - 7:43On a side note,
I've only fallen out once. -
7:43 - 7:46And don't worry, I didn't get
any more disabled from the fall, -
7:46 - 7:47so it's all good.
-
7:47 - 7:49(Laughter)
-
7:49 - 7:50Now,
-
7:50 - 7:53when I reflect on my life,
I think back to when - -
7:53 - 7:55I'm really happy that I can sit here now
-
7:55 - 7:59and think that all this stuff
almost didn't happen to me. -
7:59 - 8:03I remember back when I was 14,
I think of 14-year-old Dylan, and I think -
8:03 - 8:07I had these really low expectations
of myself of what I could achieve. -
8:07 - 8:10And I let that dictate
what I did in everyday life. -
8:10 - 8:11I think back to 14-year-old Dylan
-
8:11 - 8:16who thought of his disability
as this really shitty burden -
8:16 - 8:18that was really hard to overcome.
-
8:18 - 8:20I think back to 14-year-old Dylan,
-
8:20 - 8:23and I think I'm so lucky doing
what I'm doing these days. -
8:23 - 8:25I'm so glad that I could challenge
my own perception -
8:25 - 8:27about what I thought about disability.
-
8:27 - 8:30And to be honest, I can sit here
in front of you all today -
8:30 - 8:32and tell you 100% honest truth:
-
8:32 - 8:34if I ever had the chance
to go back in time -
8:34 - 8:36or eat some kind of magic pill
and walk again, -
8:36 - 8:39there's no way in hell
you could pay me enough to do it. -
8:39 - 8:42Because I absolutely love
everything in my life, -
8:42 - 8:43wheelchair or not.
-
8:43 - 8:44I wouldn't change it for the world.
-
8:44 - 8:50But, unfortunately, there are so many kids
across the world, all around Australia -
8:50 - 8:53that are really struggling socially
because of their disabilities. -
8:54 - 8:58Disability remains this thing
that nobody wants to talk about. -
8:58 - 8:59There's still this negative stigma
-
8:59 - 9:05that having this disability
is this weird, unlucky, really ugly thing. -
9:05 - 9:08And for kids with disability
that don't have any confidence, -
9:08 - 9:10it's really hard
for them to get over this -
9:10 - 9:13and get into the world
and do what they want to do. -
9:13 - 9:16And it really restricts everything
that they want to achieve. -
9:16 - 9:18There are heaps of problems in the world:
-
9:18 - 9:22poverty, refugees,
same-sex marriage, gender equality. -
9:22 - 9:24They're all very, very important things.
-
9:24 - 9:28But when the hell do you ever
hear anything about disability? -
9:28 - 9:29Or when do you ever turn on the TV
-
9:29 - 9:32and see the first news story
about somebody with a disability? -
9:32 - 9:35Or when do you turn on your TV
and see a wheelchair TV presenter - -
9:35 - 9:37sorry, a presenter in a wheelchair?
-
9:37 - 9:40Or somebody with cerebral palsy
in our parliaments? -
9:40 - 9:44Or an actual blind actor
playing a blind actor, -
9:44 - 9:46as opposed to some bloke
who's just closing his eyes? -
9:46 - 9:47(Laughter)
-
9:47 - 9:49Now, I remember when I was a kid,
-
9:49 - 9:51when I was struggling, when I was 14,
-
9:51 - 9:54I just wish I could have
turned on my television -
9:54 - 9:56and seen a guy in a wheelchair achieving.
-
9:56 - 9:58Because it would have
made me realise that, -
9:58 - 10:02'You know what? I could do that too!
That, one day, could be me'. -
10:02 - 10:04I wish I had a positive
role model in the media -
10:04 - 10:07where I could have seen somebody
absolutely killing it, -
10:07 - 10:09and that would've instilled
the confidence in me -
10:09 - 10:11to get out there and do whatever I want.
-
10:11 - 10:15I think it's really important
moving forward that we, as a society, -
10:15 - 10:18change our perception of disability
away from this idea -
10:18 - 10:21that it's this really bad,
unlucky, weird thing, -
10:21 - 10:23and stop being so scared to talk about it.
-
10:23 - 10:27We need to realise that it's okay
to have any disability, -
10:27 - 10:31and we need to further our expectations
of what people with disabilities can do. -
10:31 - 10:33Moving forward,
I think in order to do that, -
10:33 - 10:35we need to mainstream disability.
-
10:35 - 10:38Get people with disabilities
into our mainstream media, -
10:38 - 10:41and that will increase
the visibility in a positive light. -
10:41 - 10:44We need to make disability
heaps more commonplace. -
10:44 - 10:46We need to start
the conversation about it, -
10:46 - 10:49which will go a long way
in normalising it. -
10:49 - 10:51And then, who knows?
-
10:51 - 10:53Maybe one day, if we can do that,
-
10:53 - 10:55these kids, like me, like I used to be,
-
10:55 - 10:58won't be going through such a tough time.
-
10:58 - 11:01They won't be embarrassed
about their disability ever again. -
11:01 - 11:04They'll have the confidence
to go out there and do whatever they want. -
11:04 - 11:10But, as a society, we really have to hope
they pick a much better haircut than that. -
11:10 - 11:11Thank you.
-
11:11 - 11:14(Applause) (Cheers)
- Title:
- The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney
- Description:
-
Dylan Alcott wasn't always a Paralympic champion. He grew up disabled, but it might not be what you think. In this engaging and funny talk, Dylan tells us what it's really like growing up with a disability.
Dylan Alcott OAM is a Paralympic gold medalist, World Champion, Grand Slam champion and world record holder for both wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis. In 2008, Dylan won Gold at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic games at the age of 17, the youngest-ever winner of a wheelchair basketball gold medal. In 2013, Dylan switched sports to wheelchair tennis, and in 2015 won his first grand slam title at the Australian Open. Dylan was born with a large tumour wrapped around his spinal cord, leaving him a paraplegic. He is a keen advocate for people with disabilities and is an ambassador for the charities Starlight Foundation and Variety, which help change the lives of kids with disabilities across the country. Dylan is also a music enthusiast and is well known for his wheelchair crowd surfing at music festivals.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 11:26
Rhonda Jacobs approved English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Rhonda Jacobs accepted English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Rhonda Jacobs edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Rhonda Jacobs edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Rhonda Jacobs edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Theresa Ranft edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Theresa Ranft edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney | ||
Theresa Ranft edited English subtitles for The truth about growing up disabled | Dylan Alcott | TEDxYouth@Sydney |