Being in the Room Isn’t the Same as Being Included

I’ve been in rooms where I was technically there and completely invisible. Nobody was rude to me. Nobody said anything wrong. I just wasn’t really seen.

That’s the difference between being present and being included, and it took me a long time to find the words for it.

Social inclusion isn’t about ticking a box that says someone showed up. It’s whether people turn to you when a decision is being made. Whether your opinion gets asked for or just tolerated. Whether the space was built with you in mind or you’re expected to fit yourself into a space that wasn’t.

I’ve watched barriers get called down to “just how things are” so many times that I stopped believing that excuse a while ago. Barriers are built. Which means they can be unbuilt.

What I want for people isn’t tolerance. It’s belonging. Those are two different things, and only one of them actually feels good from the inside.

Have you ever been in a room and felt completely invisible? What would it have taken for that to change?

If you’re working out how to take up more space in rooms like that, Self Advocacy Unleashed walks you through exactly how. Join the waitlist, link in bio.

Madeleine x