![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Gary-Bourlet.jpg)
A blog by Gary Bourlet, Membership and Engagement Lead and self advocate
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/UKDHM2021_Image_03-320x308.jpg)
This month (18 Nov – 18 Dec) is Disability History Month.
The themes for 2021 are sex and relationships and hidden impairments.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Talk-320x320.png)
So I decided to tell my story about living with hidden impairments.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Birth-Place_medium.png)
I was born in 1959 with a mild learning disability.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 2.
Some people call these things ‘impairments’.
But I prefer to call them disabilities.
So I don’t use the word impairments.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Brain-Seizure-320x320.png)
Epilepsy is when a person has seizures.
This is a hidden disability because you cannot tell someone has epilepsy by looking at them.
You also cannot tell that I have a learning disability just by looking at me.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Teacher-2_medium.png)
School was difficult.
The teachers once even kept me away from other children because they thought they would catch epilepsy from me.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Epilepsy-3-320x320.png)
My seizures are very serious.
One time I nearly drowned in a swimming pool because of them.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Tablets_medium.png)
My epilepsy means that I have to take medication.
This has side-effects like making me feel sleepy and making my hands shake.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Railcard_Disabled_UK_medium.png)
Because my disability is hidden, I sometimes have to convince people that I am actually disabled and need help.
I have a disabled railcard and can show this to staff at train stations when I need help to find the right train.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Group-43-320x320.png)
Some people with more obvious disabilities worry that others will not see past their disability.
But I worry about the opposite, that people would not believe that I need help because I do not look disabled.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Speakup-6_medium.png)
I have been campaigning for rights for people with learning disabilities for over thirty-six years.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/People-First-Group-320x320.png)
People with learning disabilities were not treated well when I first started and did not have a voice.
A lot has changed in this time, and people are now treated much better.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Communication-Aid-3_medium.png)
One thing that has improved is that people with learning disabilities now have access to better communication aids.
Communication aids help people with learning disabilities to communicate with other people.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Good-Idea-320x320.png)
Learning Disability England members have done a lot of work trying to improve accessible communication and help people with learning disabilities to have access to what they need.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/speak-up-320x320.png)
This, and our other projects working with members and partners, aim to improve the lives of people with hidden disabilities by giving them a voice.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/question-150x150.png)
But there is still more to do.
Too many people in the general public don’t understand about hidden disabilities.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Talk-and-listen-150x150.png)
That is why I decided to tell my story this Disability History Month.
To help raise awareness.
![](https://www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Thumbs-Up-3-320x320.png)
The more people understand each other, the better a place the world will be for everyone.