Accessible friendships: Why social media is important for me

Topics mentioned: Disability, neurodiversity, friendships, social media 

About: Claire shares why social media is so important to her as a Disabled young person, explaining how it makes connecting with others, building meaningful friendships, and finding a supportive community more accessible.

Social media means connection, connection to opportunities I may not have otherwise had, connection to the outside world and crucially first impressions that are solely made by me. At least that’s what social media means for me. As a Disabled young adult, who is a powered wheelchair user, I am fully reliant on others to support with everyday tasks and activities including going out and meeting new people. Always having a PA* with me wherever I go is a necessity and very useful, in order to be able to access anything I may want or need. However, it makes me feel like my time is not truly my own and this is a problem which social media solves brilliantly. All I need is my laptop or phone and reliable internet access and I am free to initiate interactions on my own terms, no need to worry about when PA’s will be available – just true connection, often with Disabled people like me.

*Personal Assistant. Someone who supports a Disabled person with any aspect of everyday life they may need help with.

There are many other reasons why social media is so freeing for me and I wonder what the social media ban or restrictions will mean for young people – particularly Disabled or Neurodivergent young people. Of course, there are valid concerns about the safety of social media platforms, but every young person deserves connection and belonging, and it’s not always easy or possible to achieve this in person. As a wheelchair user my main priority when going out is accessibility. Is the venue step free?  Are pathways flat? Is there an accessible toilet? Is there enough space between furniture or other items to allow me to move easily? Often the answer to these questions is sadly no – and if you are a young wheelchair user reading this, inaccessibility is not your fault. You deserve to be able to go out wherever you want just like anyone else.  However, this inaccessibility is what makes social media so meaningful for me, physical barriers are removed and I can just chat.

Being Disabled means that I experience fatigue and need to rest after going out, this is something which I don’t need to consider when connecting with people on social media. Instead of feeling exhausted after an outing, I often feel energised and motivated after scrolling through relatable and interesting posts or joining interest-based discussions in online communities. I can contribute to conversations when I have the energy, there is no pressure to reply in the moment like there sometimes can be with in person interactions. For Disabled or Neurodivergent people, this flexibility can be what enables friendships in the first place. Chatting via text rather than speaking is also so much more accessible to me as a Disabled person who has difficulty talking.

Social media is so much more than just accessible though, it offers community, opportunities, information and motivation to try new things. For example, I started blogging thanks to social media. I connected with another blogger I really liked and asked if I could write for them – the answer was yes, this gave me confidence in my opinions and my writing ability. So much so that I am now writing this blog! What I am trying to say is that social media can open doors – it can allow young people like us to see ourselves reflected in other people’s stories, pursue new interests or start careers. Whatever your interest, there is probably a space on social media dedicated to just that.

I have also really benefitted from joining online communities created by and for people who share the same identities as me. This is another reason why social media is so important to me – it has enabled me to connect with others who I genuinely relate to. For other young people who are beginning to explore their sense of self, social media can serve as a tool for navigating all of that complexity. Whether a young person is exploring their gender identity, sexuality, race, cultural background, religion, neurodivergence or disability – or all of the above, social media can show them that they are not alone and they have a place in society too. You belong here.

Finally, I hope this blog is a reminder that social media can be a positive space and a vital means of connection for Disabled young people like me.