SIC’s Career Spotlights: Lydia Wilkins
Lydia Wilkins is a freelance journalist and copywriter, the host of the Disabled Debrief podcast, and an ambassador for AccessAble. She writes disability and corruption-centric pieces for major publications such as the Independent, The Metro, Refinery 29, Business Insider, and more.
A photo Lydia Wilkins. She is a white woman with dark brown, curly hair, who is smiling and looking to the left. She’s wearing glasses and purple shimmery eyeshadow, as well as a white jacket, black top, and a necklace which reads ‘Lydia’ in blue cursive font.
Why did you choose the career that you did?
This happened kind of by accident! I wish I was like the typical journalist who usually says ‘I always knew from the age of …..’ It took me a long time to be diagnosed as an Autistic person - but I think this manifested itself early in the form of language. I remember being fascinated by words, language - and also history. It could be something like repeating a particular word, phrase, over and over - which is connected to ASD! I got very lucky that at a young age I had an amazing teacher who nurtured my love of history and writing. I had realised at a very young age that I could not write fiction - it’s to do with theory of mind - but I enjoyed the act of putting pen to paper. I kept on doing that - but it was the organisation of facts on a page that I could do just that little bit better than the formulaic ‘Once upon a time, there was a…’ An editor advised I get an NCTJ, I did, I went freelance on graduation - and I’m still here!
How do you think being disabled/ chronically ill has changed your approach to how you do your job?
I’m not sure it has changed my approach, as I have always been Autistic - that being said, I know I work very differently sometimes from a typical approach. That being said, I am okay with that - I know where my values are, the pandemic made me realise I don’t want to work in an office, and I am tired of the implication that we have to ‘put up with’ ableism/sexism/etc.
I’m told that I have a good listening ability - and I think that comes from being Autistic, potentially. We are forced to listen wherever we go, because we are seen as the bad communicators - I’d argue that communication is a two way system, and it is because we are not listened to anyway, which is not our fault. It helps to be quiet, sometimes - noise in any shape or form can be distracting, you miss details. That was what led me to writing my debut book - because there was an issue no one was listening to, and that needed to be explored.
What is your career advice for those who aspire to do a similar role?
Hmm. Not something I’m very good at - to give advice! So maybe anyone reading this can learn from my ‘learning experiences’: 1. If an editor or collaborator is touting their experience as an ally in any way shape or form, they probably are not - and this will be performative. Avoid at all costs. 2. Similarly, if they start using words like ‘vulnerable’, or passing judgement for choice of collaborator, run for the hills. 3. You do not have to write singularly about your disabled experience. 4. No is a full sentence - and you can use it. 5. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. So pitch the idea, ask about other projects, talk to the hero you adore at the party.
Did you experience any set-backs when you started working, due to your disability? How did you overcome them?
Ha ha! Hasn’t everyone? We do live in a very ableist society… And I have so many thoughts on this question. But I’ll give maybe 2 examples to answer this. (TLDR: Yes - because ableism is ingrained everywhere. I will likely remain freelance for a very long time for this reason, as nowhere in the national media have my access needs ever been catered for. Virtually every job interview I have ever gone to has had an element of this, with sexism for good measure. I love my job but I hate the set up.)
There was a particular editor I worked with I shall never forget; they made me cry, which is a rarity. I had admired them previously - and it was a minor issue that could have so easily been resolved, and it was outside my control. (It was actually their domain.) We run into each other occasionally - but it was that my ASD was weaponised against me, effectively, which was unforgivable. I am entirely capable of doing the job I do. I deplore the tokenism and the lack of respect anyone junior is afforded - it’s snobbery. We are all one and the same, no better because of a rank decided socially or at birth. Another editor I knew of came out with wonderful phrases like ‘just communicate better’. They were witnessed by other people who worked with me, who checked in on me, as it was a horrible experience - that all of my work was lambasted, they took credit, etc. Both these editors liked to say they wanted a diverse media. I tick that box - and yet my experience of both was not unusual.
I ‘overcome’ by being freelance. I’ll create my own space, and offer up time to anyone who may need help or resource within reason; I’m not going to engage with this any more. I know my values, and I know my ethics and that this is something I am good at - I don’t need to prove or justify this any more.
Are there any specific projects you are particularly proud of?
I am proud of my debut book! It’s not something I had thought I’d do - it came from an odd place of grief and anger, really, a project that would have never have happened without lockdown(s).
The Autism Friendly Cookbook is a result of an accumulation of events. It took almost 18 months - including a gruelling tribunal - to be granted Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The assessment had put my Autism down as being almost akin to a lifestyle choice - and I could ‘just learn’ key skills like how to cook. (Spoiler: Not. The. Case.) That’s a huge issue - I started to talk to other Autistic people, to ask questions about their experiences with access issues and food issues, and a universal thread became clearer over about 4 days.
So the first part of the book is a combination of interviews and text to put down what the issues are - and how to address, such as if you live independently, or if you are a teacher or parent. Then there are 100 recipes, 30 from other Autistic people, which have an energy usage marker, a key for sensory issues, and so much more. There are resources as well - and every person bar maybe 2 are not disabled. The photographer, illustrator and interviewees are all disabled or work well with disabled individuals in not being infantilizing or promoting harmful therapies. There will be no junk science of ‘cure yourself by eating well enough’, either.
Between lockdowns my wonderful mentor died suddenly. The last telephone conversation we had had was utterly pivotal. I’d been in conversations to write another book - to ghostwrite the life story of a contact we both had. As a former publishing heavyweight he was ever so excited by that - instructing me how to write, who to interview, why, how to get to the heart of the story. From the other side of the world the voice whispered down the phone line a final directive: “if you ever sign a contract, send it to me.” To know someone has faith is a wonderful thing. I miss my mentor; they were more than just an editor, but a friend. And the book means that everything has come full circle, now.
How would you improve the current state of your industry?
This is a very weighty question of an ongoing discussion - I have so many thoughts!
Recognise it is not the fault of anyone who ticks ‘other’. We are not here to educate you, and we do not need specific networking groups or anything like that; what we deserve is equal opportunities, with proactive practices to systematically eliminate barriers, such as with job interviews. I read Fix The System, Not The Women by Laura Bates recently; this ought to be the premise everywhere to make a diverse media.
Drop the requirements of tradition where you can. Why are we surprised by recent statistics that suggest something like 98% of all journalists have a degree? Look at the hiring requirements!! Always asking for things like a driving licence also discounts individuals who need round the clock care or who use a wheelchair. The cognitive dissonance of this is truly astounding that no one asks ‘why’ in such a profession.
Be honest. We are underfunded. Print is dying. Mistakes happen. Perhaps if we were just that little bit more honest, we can start to address some issues we have.
Show up. I am tired of hearing stories of tokenism, discrimination, sexism, accusations of #MeToo complaints, racism, transphobia, etc. So little is done about any of this - and we are arguably hypocrites because of it. Allegiances and loyalties are everywhere, but maybe it should be the old fashioned aphorism ‘do the right thing’ that should actually be sought out. People reading this will think ‘oh, she’s a naive bratty Gen z individual’. But I want to believe in a better tomorrow - there needs to be a place for news, there has got to be. We do ourselves a disservice otherwise.
Listen. It’s not hard to do.
Listen to Lydia talk about her experiences at our Disability Pride Month Panel Event. Click here to read more about the event and book tickets.