In two days time, it'll be the one year anniversary of the opening of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Les JP, as they were known in France, proved to be a transformative moment for me.
Before experiencing the Paralympics, I thought I had a good handle on inclusion. I've worked hard in my personal and professional life to be open-minded and affirming. But in less than 24 hours, these Games showed me so much about what I did not know: not just about the power of human resilience, but how deeply hidden some of my own blind spots still are.
I'd never really noticed how absent people with mobility differences were from the spaces I move in. The Paralympics didn't just show me the power of athletes — they showed me how much of society is built on assumptions about who "belongs" where.
Watching wheelchair rugby for the first time at Arena Champ de Mars, I was mesmerised — not just by the speed and skill of the game, but by the design of the sport itself. From its classification system to the strategic necessity of including players with diverse mobility levels, it was a masterclass in inclusive architecture.
And it made me wonder: what would it mean to live, work, and relate in ways that actively build space for others, rather than simply allowing them to show up?
We all have gaps in awareness — not because we're malicious, but because we are shaped by the worlds we inhabit. The Paralympics gave me a lens to see how those gaps play out in real life. As a therapist and educator, it reminded me that inclusion isn't just a feeling or an idea — it's about systems, structures, and habits. It's about who gets to participate, and on what terms.
Take a moment to reflect on your own life. What do you notice?
Who is missing from your spaces? Whether it's your workplace, friendship circle, or gym — who isn't there, and why might that be?
When have you assumed that someone wouldn't be interested, able, or 'a good fit'? How did that assumption shape your actions?
What have you done to actively include people who live differently to you — whether in mobility, neurodiversity, gender identity, or background?
Can you recall a time you encountered something new — like I did with wheelchair rugby — that challenged your assumptions? What changed for you?
Download the PDF I have created, The Inclusion Inventory, and fill in the table.
What do you notice when you fill in the table? Is there an imbalance?
Choose one row and brainstorm one small action you could take to shift the balance.
If you haven't already, watch Murderball — the 2005 documentary that introduced many to the raw, competitive world of wheelchair rugby. Then ask yourself:
Inclusion isn't just about inviting people in. It's about changing the rules of the game so that more people can play. The Paralympics reminded me of that. It also reminded me how much beauty, brilliance, and bravery we miss when we don't.
Let's open our eyes — really open them — and start building a world that makes room for all kinds of bodies, minds, and lives.
What happens when we step outside the culture we were raised in? Between Worlds: Reflections on Culture, Identity, and Living Abroad is a five-part series exploring how life abroad reshapes our sense of self, belonging, and how we relate to others.
If you've just returned from studying abroad, how are you? No, really. How are you doing?
What happens when we step outside the culture we were raised in? Between Worlds: Reflections on Culture, Identity, and Living Abroad is a five-part series exploring how life abroad reshapes our sense of self, belonging, and how we relate to others.