Why are disabled people still missing from mainstream media?

In this episode of The I Can’t Stand Podcast, host Peta Hooke speaks with Susan Wood, Senior Content Manager at Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and host of Have the Nerve, about disability, media exclusion, and representation in Australia.

Susan shares her lived experience of wanting a career in news media and being repeatedly locked out of work because of inaccessibility rather than ability. Together, they explore how systemic barriers limit disabled people’s participation in media, the long-term impact on confidence and mental health, and why ambition alone is often not enough in an inaccessible world.

This conversation looks at disability through the lens of employment, storytelling, and power, and asks what needs to change so disabled voices are no longer the exception in Australian media.

Content warning: this episode includes discussion of self harm and suicidal thoughts.

Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support

Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au

Connect with Susan:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-g-wood/?originalSubdomain=au

Have the Nerve Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5xxKaf3n2mupbS6zPplacy

Connect with Peta Hooke:

Instagram: @petahooke

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@petahooke

Website: www.icantstandpodcast.com

Email: icantstandpodcast@gmail.com

Episode Transcript:
www.icantstandpodcast.com