Vulnerability

Featured
Vulnerability: What does it mean to you?
Vulnerability: What does it mean to you?

Vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, but we know it to be a strength. Vulnerability paves the way for connection.

Sex & Sexuality
Julie Shinners: It took real tragedy to open myself up to vulnerability.
Julie Shinners: It took real tragedy to open myself up to vulnerability.

Julie Shinners is a blogger and public speaker, based in Toowoomba, who found her voice when she was trying to deal with the fallout from a diagnosis of, and treatment for, breast cancer.

Bethany Robinson: They see me as a vulnerable person because of my Deafness.
Bethany Robinson: They see me as a vulnerable person because of my Deafness.

As a Deaf, queer, non-binary person Bethany Robinson opens up about the need for accessible spaces and how our society is not designed for Deaf people, or for people with differences, which leads to a sense of exclusion and isolation.

Jessica Walton: I’m a disabled, queer person. If you like me good, if not, bad luck.
Jessica Walton: I’m a disabled, queer person. If you like me good, if not, bad luck.

Jessica Walton is an author, musician and teacher. She wrote the picture book Introducing Teddy, which she came up with the idea for when searching for picture books that reflected the diversity of her family, and in particular trans people, in a positive way.

Meena Johnson: I felt like I always had to prove myself.
Meena Johnson: I felt like I always had to prove myself.

By the age of 21, Meena Johnson had lost most of her family on her father’s side, including her father, uncle and grandma. Through those experiences, the understanding that you don’t know how much time you have now drives her to make the most of each day.