Vale Stella Young

Comedian, journalist and disability advocate Stella Young has passed away, aged 32.

We're previously shared her TED talk "I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much".

In this talk, she tells us:

"I want to live in a world where we don't have such low expectations of disabled people that we are congratulated for getting out of bed and remembering our own names in the morning. I want to live in a world where we value genuine achievement for disabled people."

And:

"That quote, 'the only disability in life is a bad attitude', the reason that's bullshit is ... No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille."

Stella was a strong campaigner in the formation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) which is currently in trial phase in locations across Australia, and is due to be rolled out by 2019.

She commentated for the Paralympics in London 2012, and wrote this piece about why they should remain separate to the Olympics. She hosted Australia's only disability specific television show, No Limits, and was online editor for RampUp.

The ABC have compiled this list of 17 things Stella wanted you to know

We are grateful for her candour and humour; the attitudes she changed and the policies she helped to create; and for the words she leaves behind.

Vale Stella Young.