Diversity In The Blogging World!

When I first started blogging, it was only for school. I didn’t think it would grow as much as it has in the (almost) six years like it has, but now that I have continued on with it and seen the opportunities that blogging can give a person as far as working with different brands and meeting other bloggers from around the world. You worry as time goes on with more people making blogs if there is enough original material to go around. Everybody worries about this, because you don’t want to say this was your idea when another person has put up the same contend on their blog. Since there are so many niches (fashion, beauty, lifestyle etc) I wanted to share my thoughts on breaking out of the mold of what normal bloggers are, because nobody is the same.

I was on Twitter recently where I found a pair of sisters, they run a blog and YouTube channel simply called, Mandeville Sisters. They are Amelia and Grace Mandeville. Grace is kind of special, because she only has one hand. She recently put up a video on their YouTube channel explaining her reasons why there’s not a lot of people with disabilities on YouTube. This got me thinking of how in the beginning of my blogging journey, I was the only one that had a disability and was a full-time blogger. So while I was watching Grace’s video, I instantly got an idea on how I could help promote other disabled bloggers like myself, because I think it would help other young people and kids with or without disabilities understand more about themselves and show everybody has their differences and we should respect each other.

I decided to ask three of my favorite disabled bloggers to help me out in this post. First off we have Hayley-Eszti who is a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blogger, she also suffers from a chronic illness called M.E. Sara is a lifestyle, crafts, book blogger that suffers from Muscular Dystrophy. And Michelle is a lifestyle blogger that suffers from Cerebel Palsy. All of the ladies were asked the same questions and gave me their honest opinions about them.

First question, when did you first get the idea to do a blog?

H: I came across some bloggers and really enjoyed reading their content. It wasn’t until I became ill and bedbound that I decided to start my ownone, I never thought I’d be good enough before but I so desperately needed a creative outlet which could be done from my bed or when in hospital and a blog seemed like the perfect way!

S: I had wanted to do one but just never really got around to it and wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about etc. Then back last March I think it was someone I followed on Instagram who also has a form of Muscular Dystrophy started a blog and after I read hers she inspired me to bite the bullet and start my own.

M: I started thinking about it at the beginning of last year but didn’t actually take the plunge and set it up until September.

Question two, why do you think there’s not a lot of disabled bloggers out there?

H: I don’t really know, I don’t see why there shouldn’t be! I have had a positive response from other bloggers when discussing my disability on my blog but for a long time I felt like people wouldn’t be able to relate to me as I was different to 90% of other girls, I always wanted a fashion blog as fashion blogs are what inspired me in the first place but for a long time I felt like I wouldn’t fit in or that people would be rude or put off because I had a wheelchair. I was actually so wrong and when I did put an outfit post up showing my wheelchair. Everyone was so sweet! As a community blogging can often be very appearance driven, fashion, beauty and “perfect” girls but life isn’t like that, we are all different and we should embrace who we are and show the world that we still have things to say that other people might be interested in. I want to see more disabled/handicap bloggers, because so many of them are so lovely.

S: I think there’s probably more than you realise, just maybe not all of them incorporate their disability into their blog.

M: I think with anything starting to blog is nerve-wracking and alot of people don’t think people will be interested in reading what they write.

I wanted this post to bring in more awareness in the blogging community, that not everybody is the same. We might share the same content every now and then, but our views are always different. I don’t think disabled bloggers are any less different from the rest, we all have a story to share and once we feel comfortable in our surroundings, we can truly be ourselves. Thank you to Grace Mandeville for inspiring me to write this post and help spread the word of the less traditional bloggers of the internet. I also wanted to say thank you to Hayley-Eszti, Sara, and Michelle for answering my questions and I’ve linked their blogs at the top of that Q&A section if you want to read more about them and their blogs. Down below I got the idea to add even more blog links, of ONLY bloggers with any kind of disability. I’ve tried my best on doing a mini summary of them and their blogs too. Click a link and get to know these people too!

• Mermaid In Disguise – Beth is a fashion, beauty, lifestyle blogger that suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.
• The Disabled Diva – She is a blogger, author, and mother. She blogs about her disability, living California, going to Disneyland, and just trying to put a smile on your face! She suffer from different invisible illnesses.
• The Disabled Foodie – David is a wheelchair user and a foodie! He does restaurant reviews in the New York City area. He does these reviews in a different way from most, he focuses his attention on the restaurant’s access for other handicapped people.
• When Tania Talks – Tania is a beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and health blogger. She suffers from a number of different illnesses, she has two blogs. Tania Talks Health is her second blog, which has more information on her conditions and provides advice for others.
• Around and Upside Down – Vicky is a fashion, beauty, food, and travel blogger. She suffers from EDS hypermobility type, she discuss a wide range of disability topics, especially a segment called “Wheelchair Fashion” it’s similar to the normal “OOTD (outfit of the day)” posts that all the other fashion bloggers post, but she focuses on what works and looks great with sitting in a wheelchair!
• Hash It Out – Jane is a blogger, host of her own Podcasts, and activist. On her blog and podcast she talks about different topics of people with disabilities, in real life or in the media. You can find her podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Podmatic.
• Curb Free with Cory Lee – Cory is a wheelchair user and a travel blogger. He talks about the times where he’s trips are both accessible and not so accessible. His life goal is visit all seven continents and he’s got four more to go!
• Words I Wheel By – Emily was born with a disability called Larsen syndrome which affects her joints and muscles. She blogs about disability experience and encourages people to understand it in more accepting and supporting ways.