Brooke welcomes special guest, Ruth Rathblott to discuss the concept of "unhiding." Ruth shares her personal experiences of living with a limb difference and the challenges she faced in accepting and embracing her disability. They discuss the different perspectives within the disability community regarding terminology and identity, highlighting the importance of individual experiences and the need for open dialogue. Ruth also reflects on her childhood, where she initially didn't see herself as different until a pivotal moment in high school. They delve into the impact of societal beauty standards on individuals with disabilities and the lack of representation in media. The conversation explores the journey of unhiding, which involves acknowledging, finding support, building a community, and ultimately sharing one's experiences to help others.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Acknowledging and accepting one's disability or difference is an important step towards self-acceptance and building deeper connections with others. Finding a trusted person to share one's experiences with can provide support and help in the journey of unhiding. Building a community of individuals with shared experiences can create a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of loneliness. Sharing one's experiences and story can help others who may be going through similar struggles and create a sense of connection and understanding. Representation and visibility of diverse experiences, including disability, in media and society is crucial for breaking down stereotypes and promoting acceptance and inclusion. BEST MOMENTS "I think my hand has been my greatest struggle and it's my greatest gift because it also allows me to connect with people."  "I think hiding, for me, is the problem. And it affects us in so many ways. And then unhiding becomes the bridge to connection, to self-acceptance, to leadership."  "I think sometimes with disability, we don't allow for the questions... So why not be able to ask a question to me if you're wanting to build a relationship with me?"  "I really welcome your prayers. They're not gonna do anything for the growth of this if that's what you're praying for, but I accept all prayers because there are things in my life that I wanna grow."  VALUABLE RESOURCES https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/disabled-and-proud/id1621152878 HOST BIO Disabled and Proud is the show that brings listeners a different perspective on disability. Each week this podcast highlights an awesome disabled guest speaking about their own disability; why they are proud to be disabled and why they are proud to be themselves.  The conversations in this show will look at what challenges these amazing people face socially, mentally, physically and life in general. This show is raw, open, honest, funny, welcoming and educational.  Disabled & Proud does exactly what it says on the tin! And whilst we are creating this space for disabled people to be unashamedly themselves, without the need to conform to society, this is also not about toxic positivity. This show will be shining a big, bright light on disability without it being “Paralympic or pity”.  As you will hear disability is WHOLE, COMPLETE & PERFECT and whilst the topic of disability can be quite heavy - and we definitely don't shy away from the bad days - this podcast is also about having fun too! Our aim is to play a part in reclaiming the word disability - turning it from inadequacy to perfection!INSTAGRAM! https://www.instagram.com/disabledandproudpodcast/?hl=en: https://www.instagram.com/disabledandproudpodcast/?hl=en