When NDIS first started rolling out, I never imagined myself or my sister trying our hand at standup comedy to bring awareness to social and sexual issues surrounding disability.

In my early twenties, I watched a disabled comedian by the name of Steady Eddy perform at a friend’s birthday party. His comedy routine meant so much to me as a young woman with similar challenges, in my eyes it helped normalise disability.

One of my idols, Stella Young was a very well-known disabled standup comedian, and her abrasive sense of humour is what helped me to embrace the labels society gave me.

My perceptions about this label were shattered by other disabled comedians, so I loved the idea of using jokes to tell others about problems faced by people with a disability every day.

My sister and I are a little bit different to your average standup comedian duo because I require a bit more technological help. I like to think that by doing standup we can encourage the disabled community to develop their own communication skills and stay educated about more ‘taboo’ topics on sexual health and consent.

We started posting videos on social media of both of us trying our hand at stand-up comedy and were contacted through Facebook after Safer Girls, Safer Women saw some of our content and wanted our help spreading awareness about sexual health and consent for girls and women. 

Safer Girls, Safer Women is the relatively new, national organisation we were hired by to perform our standup comedy routine at the Safer Girls Safer Women Big Meeting 2023 event. This project was funded through the Office for Women and the Department of Social Services as a gender equality initiative.

We flew down to Sydney on Tuesday night, and stayed at a hotel for two nights, which was covered by Safer Girls, Safer Women. The accessibility of the hotel could be improved through consulting someone with lived experience. For example, it’s very hard pushing equipment like a hoist and a commode across a carpeted floor.

The symposium for Safer Girls, Safer Women was fully accessible, providing a large online viewing platform to those who couldn’t make it to the hotel and provided a good opportunity for those in Sydney to catch up with friends who have mobility issues as well.

Events like Safer Girls, Safer Women create a protected environment for those with a disability to develop their knowledge on sexual health, respectful relationships, and consent education. 

I believe that the NDIS needs to promote and allocate additional funding for more events like this on their website and social media. These types of events are so important in facilitating social engagement and building confidence in unfamiliar but safe environments.  

I almost gave up on standup comedy last year, and it was only when my sister offered to help me that I really wanted to give it a shot. 

My sister speaks with a microphone during our comedy routine and because I have a more pronounced speech impediment, I use my phone to speak for me. This requires a lot of planning, especially the timing of certain jokes, and because I’m using an app on my phone, I require assistance from my support worker.

At the very end of Two Sit Down Comedians performance the Sydney presenter of Safer girls, Safer Women, Mel Harrison said ‘I think it’s so cool to see something that you wouldn’t see every day. Other people wouldn’t think that two girls in wheelchairs, with speech impairments can be this hilarious.’ 

I thought a few of our jokes might be a little bit crude and wasn’t sure whether anyone would find them funny, so I was surprised at how many laughs we got and how much fun the whole experience was.  

By doing this event, I got more confident when pursuing stand-up comedy, and enjoy laughing at myself while doing so.

I would definitely encourage other people with a disability to pursue something out of their comfort zone, it made me feel like I accomplished something I have always wanted to. 

Was this article helpful?

About the author

Jamie-Lee loves to challenge stereotypes surrounding disability; her lived experience of someone growing up disabled motivates her advocacy. Having studied journalism at uni, she uses her writing skills to her advantage. Shining a light on independent living options available to people with a disability is how we can create change in our society. She hopes to help other people with a disability along their journey, encouraging vulnerable people to find their voice. She believes that diversity will pave the way to equality for all.

The Housing Hub currently lists over 3,200 homes for people with disability to rent or buy, including individual apartments and group homes. Search for a home that is right for you today!

Or better still, creating a housing seeker profile and let the Housing Hub do the hard work for you. Sign up here!

When NDIS first started rolling out, I never imagined myself or my sister trying our hand at standup comedy to bring awareness to social and sexual issues surrounding disability.

In my early twenties, I watched a disabled comedian by the name of Steady Eddy perform at a friend’s birthday party. His comedy routine meant so much to me as a young woman with similar challenges, in my eyes it helped normalise disability.

One of my idols, Stella Young was a very well-known disabled standup comedian, and her abrasive sense of humour is what helped me to embrace the labels society gave me.

My perceptions about this label were shattered by other disabled comedians, so I loved the idea of using jokes to tell others about problems faced by people with a disability every day.

My sister and I are a little bit different to your average standup comedian duo because I require a bit more technological help. I like to think that by doing standup we can encourage the disabled community to develop their own communication skills and stay educated about more ‘taboo’ topics on sexual health and consent.

We started posting videos on social media of both of us trying our hand at stand-up comedy and were contacted through Facebook after Safer Girls, Safer Women saw some of our content and wanted our help spreading awareness about sexual health and consent for girls and women. 

Safer Girls, Safer Women is the relatively new, national organisation we were hired by to perform our standup comedy routine at the Safer Girls Safer Women Big Meeting 2023 event. This project was funded through the Office for Women and the Department of Social Services as a gender equality initiative.

We flew down to Sydney on Tuesday night, and stayed at a hotel for two nights, which was covered by Safer Girls, Safer Women. The accessibility of the hotel could be improved through consulting someone with lived experience. For example, it’s very hard pushing equipment like a hoist and a commode across a carpeted floor.

The symposium for Safer Girls, Safer Women was fully accessible, providing a large online viewing platform to those who couldn’t make it to the hotel and provided a good opportunity for those in Sydney to catch up with friends who have mobility issues as well.

Events like Safer Girls, Safer Women create a protected environment for those with a disability to develop their knowledge on sexual health, respectful relationships, and consent education. 

I believe that the NDIS needs to promote and allocate additional funding for more events like this on their website and social media. These types of events are so important in facilitating social engagement and building confidence in unfamiliar but safe environments.  

I almost gave up on standup comedy last year, and it was only when my sister offered to help me that I really wanted to give it a shot. 

My sister speaks with a microphone during our comedy routine and because I have a more pronounced speech impediment, I use my phone to speak for me. This requires a lot of planning, especially the timing of certain jokes, and because I’m using an app on my phone, I require assistance from my support worker.

At the very end of Two Sit Down Comedians performance the Sydney presenter of Safer girls, Safer Women, Mel Harrison said ‘I think it’s so cool to see something that you wouldn’t see every day. Other people wouldn’t think that two girls in wheelchairs, with speech impairments can be this hilarious.’ 

I thought a few of our jokes might be a little bit crude and wasn’t sure whether anyone would find them funny, so I was surprised at how many laughs we got and how much fun the whole experience was.  

By doing this event, I got more confident when pursuing stand-up comedy, and enjoy laughing at myself while doing so.

I would definitely encourage other people with a disability to pursue something out of their comfort zone, it made me feel like I accomplished something I have always wanted to. 

Was this article helpful?

About the author

Jamie-Lee loves to challenge stereotypes surrounding disability; her lived experience of someone growing up disabled motivates her advocacy. Having studied journalism at uni, she uses her writing skills to her advantage. Shining a light on independent living options available to people with a disability is how we can create change in our society. She hopes to help other people with a disability along their journey, encouraging vulnerable people to find their voice. She believes that diversity will pave the way to equality for all.

The Housing Hub currently lists over 3,200 homes for people with disability to rent or buy, including individual apartments and group homes. Search for a home that is right for you today!

Or better still, creating a housing seeker profile and let the Housing Hub do the hard work for you. Sign up here!