Journalist and wheelchair user Olivia Shivas chatted to fellow Kiwis with disabilities about being asked outrageous questions and life in general. She's now the editor of The D*List magazine. Photo: Stephanie Soh Lavemaau
When meeting someone with a visible disability for the first time, people often enquire about what happened.
How that question is received, said journalist and wheelchair user Olivia Shivas, would depend on the individual.
"For some people, how they became disabled is quite traumatic - so it probably is not a wise idea to do that. But for some people, they're really passionate about educating non-disabled people about disability, so they may be more open to it.
"My advice is get to know the person first and then the other bits of the puzzle in terms of why they're disabled will fall into place."
In the 2021 podcast What's Wrong With You?, Shivas and two friends chatted to fellow Kiwis with disabilities about being asked outrageous questions, and about life in general.
Since 2023, she has been the editor of The D*List - an online magazine with content by and for Aotearoa's disability community.
On The D*List, people share ideas, advice, "disability joy" and "disability rage" and first-person stories about relatable topics like dating and having a love/hate relationship with your teacher aide.
Shivas said the website offers comfort to the many Kiwis living with a disability who find themselves alone in their family, friendship circle or workplace.
Those in Auckland's disability community can even connect face-to-face at The D*List's new physical space in Kingsland.
"Having a space for disabled people that's not associated with a service provider - which is often how disabled people gather - is actually really cool."
In the past, people on the street had asked Shivas if they could pray for her healing and "forced" help on her.
She said it was time New Zealanders moved on from viewing those with disabilities in such a "paternalistic" and pitying way.
The magazine came out of survey run for the Human Rights Commission campaign, which canvassed 200 disabled and non-disabled New Zealanders about what was needed to widen or change outdated attitudes and stereotypes about disability.
"A lot of how we form narratives and shift narratives is through storytelling, and how we see ourselves in stories, and how we see ourselves reflected in society.
"And that's what came out of [the survey] - there was nothing for disabled people, by disabled people.
Shivas said the D*List is strongly focused on personal storytelling and sharing ideas: "We're on a mission to celebrate disability storytelling and creativity and community."
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