Carly Findlay

Writer, speaker, appearance activist. Loving life!

  • About me
  • Say Hello – my book
  • Hire me!
  • Support Me
  • Contact
  • What is Ichthyosis?
  • Ichthyosis + appearance diversity resources
  • Disclaimer
  • Shop
  • Guest post contribution guidelines
  • Growing Up Disabled in Australia

Order of Australia

January 27, 2020 Carly Findlay Leave a Comment

Image: woman with red face and dark curly hair tied back. She’s wearing a blue and white check dress. She’s standing in a book store.

I’ve been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM).  It’s for my work with disabled people

You can read the whole Australia Day Honours list here.

I admit to having a massive case of imposter syndrome – it’s a strange feeling. I’ve known for over a month and haven’t been able to write anything down about it until now. 

But I’ve reflected on my achievements – editing Growing Up Disabled in Australia, writing Say Hello, speaking at various writers festivals including Ubud, Melbourne and Byron,  working as Access and Inclusion Coordinator at Melbourne Fringe, creating Access to Fashion at Melbourne Fashion Week, running the Australian Ichthyosis Meet, appearing on You Can’t Ask That, working with advocates to change policies, writing for the media and providing advice and support to countless people with ichthyosis, facial difference and disability (and their families). My work has always been about inclusion, representation and visibility for the wider community.  

Someone in the media just asked what my greatest achievement has been. It took a while to answer. I said “defying others’ low expectations of me”. 

It’s an honour for my work to be recognised on a national level, and I hope that other disabled people can see what’s possible.  

There are so many leaders – past and present – who have worked hard for disability rights, and I am thankful to them for teaching me so much. We are a strong, resilient and hardworking community and I’m proud to be a part of it. 

I am excited to continue to do work in the skin condition, appearance diversity and disability spaces, and the media, literary and arts communities – and beyond. I have some big plans.

While I’m proud to be an Australian, I didn’t want to mention this award yesterday as I don’t believe it’s a day for celebration. I strive for a more equitable Australia in all of my work, and this includes recognising and working with First Nations people. 

Thank you to everyone who believes in me – family, friends, colleagues, readers and strangers.  

It’s an honour to be included among great people including some  of my faves – Tim Minchin, Rebekah Robinson and Georgie Stone, Jane Turner, Peter Combe and more.

Watch a video about my OAM on SBS.

Read about my OAM on SBS and Australian Ageing Agenda.
See the listing on the Governor General website

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Socials

  • View tune.into.radio.carly’s profile on Facebook
  • View @carlyfindlay’s profile on Twitter
  • View carlyfindlay’s profile on Instagram
  • View sqoggle’s profile on YouTube

Book me to speak

Sign up for some love in your inbox

Listen to my podcast

Tune in

Enter your email address to receive new posts by email.

Archives

Popular Posts

  • What's with the image descriptions on my social media posts?
  • The death of Offspring's Dr Patrick Reid. The TV death that stopped a nation.
  • The Greatest Showman - upliftspirational exploitation and the able gaze
  • Disability is not a bad thing! - My keynote speech for International Day of People with Disability in Albury Wodonga
  • What kind of person laughs at a stranger's face?
  • Interview with Beth Bradfield from Malory Towers
  • Six at Best - Eddie Perfect - Offspring
  • Creamoata: a much loved, yet lost food of my childhood. Help me find it.
  • Callan Mulvey got married
  • My concerns about Wonder the film (and how to talk to your kids about Wonder)

Copyright

The material on Tune into Radio Carly is copyright. The writing in this blog is by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Most photos in this blog are by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without permission from Carly Findlay. This blog represents my personal opinions and experiences. It does not reflect those of my employers'. The information I provide about ichthyosis is mostly based on personal experiences. Please seek medical advice or counseling before trying any new treatments I've written about. Where stared, I use affiliate links on this blog. By clicking them, I receive a small percentage of the purchase.

Copyright © 2021 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.