In each edition, we’re shining a light on an influencer with disability who’s definitely worth a follow. Today’s focus is on Nina Tame.
Nina lives in Essex in the United Kingdom with her partner and four sons. She's a mentor, tattoo enthusiast, and influencer and describes herself as ‘The Wheel Housewife of Essex’ and ‘The Disabled Step-Mum you never knew you needed’.
Born with spina bifida, Nina started using mobility aids as an adult – first a walking stick, and then a wheelchair – which she says gives her insight into people’s changing perceptions of her and her ability.
She’s a fierce advocate for people not feeling pressured into sharing information about themselves with strangers if they don’t want to, something that crystalised for her when her third son was also born with spina bifida.
Last year, Nina told Australian parenting magazine Lunch Lady:
“Growing up, I never identified with being disabled and thought it was an icky word. I used to call myself differently abled which makes me want to vomit now. Then, Clarke, my third son, was born with spina bifida like me. That changed everything. Suddenly, what I had disliked about myself, I adored in him, which really changed the way I thought about myself.”
“Previously I just accepted people would ask me a lot of intrusive questions all the time, like ‘What happened to you?’ and I would answer them because I thought I had to. But when Clarke started getting asked the same questions, I was like hang on; he doesn’t have to answer those. We told him: ‘You do not have to answer these questions; you can literally tell them to bugger off because they’re being super nosy.’ Empowering him set me on a path of wanting better for disabled people, so he doesn’t have to go through the things I went through. He is my driving force.”
Find Nina on Instagram at @nina_tame.
