Siew Ling posing with a copy of Not Without Us during the book launch event.

I am now a published author! 

I recently had the privilege of contributing an essay to Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion in Singapore. This book of essays by 22 authors adopts a creative and critical disability studies approach, highlighting the voices of persons with disabilities who are often marginalised in society. From arts and education to media representation and healthcare, the topics of the chapters span diverse domains. Taken together, the book aims to encourage readers to think more critically about inclusion, as well as the ways we research, analyse and think about disability in our lives. 

So, how did I get involved in this project?

A few years ago, my friend Victor Zhuang, one of the co-editors of this book, asked me if I would like to contribute an essay about my lived experiences to a book he was working on. He knew that I enjoyed writing, and that I post frequently about my experiences and reflections on Facebook. In fact, I have been doing so since 2007. As I cannot see photographs and videos, these written posts are my only way to capture memories. Re-reading my posts from the past allows me to relive those moments.

Since I had so much content to pull from, Victor helped to pick out some past posts for me to rework and elaborate on. After a few rounds of edits, my essay, Going Through Life via Touch: A Journal of My Deafblindness Experience was born.

Siew Ling taking a group photo with the editors and other contributors to the book at the launch event. Her friend, Victor, who dialled in for the event, poses from his Zoom screen.

I was glad to meet the other contributors of the book at this launch event ☺

The book was released online in January 2023, while an official book launch was held at Central Public Library on 4 February. It was thrilling to attend the launch and receive a physical copy of this book that I had contributed to.

I really enjoyed this process of writing and participating in such a meaningful project. Although I doubted my abilities at the start, I am grateful for the opportunity to share my story through this publication. 

In my view, Not Without Us is a step in the right direction– it goes beyond superficial tokenism to really explore what inclusion is, and how we can achieve it, through the perspectives of persons with disabilities and their allies.  

Find out more about the book here:  https://bit.ly/notwithoutus2023

 

Tan Siew Ling is fully Deafblind, having lost both her sight and hearing to the neurological condition Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). She carries a braille device, affectionately named "Little BI", wherever she goes. Her humour, love of wordplay and penchant for puns keep her friends on their toes. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and writing down her thoughts—often on a whim—which she occasionally shares on social media, much to the amusement of her readers. When she's not reading or writing, you'll likely find her swinging a 20kg kettlebell, throwing a 9kg slam ball, or powering through a pair of 15kg battle ropes. Nothing too strenuous. You can find out more about Siew Ling and her journey here.