Aug. 20, 2023
Audio
Coming out Disabled
By Charlie Petch
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Coming out Disabled
By Charlie Petch
At an open mic in Brooklyn for invisible
and visible disabled people I came out
I felt so small to do this
like it wasn’t my space like I wasn’t enough
like look you can walk how dare you
like you’ll still never belong
but they cheered my dear reader they cheered
they cheered like I completed a marathon on one foot
a spelling bee against an evil wizard to free the town
like capitalism lay at my feet gasping after the fatal blow
even writing about it I am crying
because I know when I am feeling small
aphasic and so disabled my asking for help
sounds too desperate and frustrated and
tripping over gibberish and all I can do
is understand why they won’t
help
there was once a room
filled with all the strongest
funniest and best people
who saw me so raw
and let me know
I finally belonged
Charlie Petch
Charlie Petch (they/he) is a disabled & transmasculine multidisciplinary artist from Toronto Canada. Their poetry collection/Audible book, Why I Was Late (Brick Books), won the 2022 ReLit Award, and was named "Best of 2021" by The Walrus. Petch received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Spoken Word from the League of Canadian Poets. Their new solo show “No one’s special at the hot dog cart” is coming out March 2024 with Theatre Passe Muraille.
Image description - Charlie Petch is in a white t-shirt against an off white background. They have their chin in their hands and are looking into the camera. Their chest and shoulders are in frame.