Karl Womack is a disability activist and poet who lives in a care home. (544 words)

Karl about Karl

My name is Karl Jonathan Womack. I was born in 1966. I was born with acute paralysis, epilepsy and a learning disability. The day I was born I had a testicle removed because it was strangulated and 6 months later I had an abscess. I couldn’t walk until I was 4 years old.

I was in and out of GP surgeries. They told my parents I was lazy and retarded. Through my early childhood I had intense physiotherapy, throughout my life I’ve had psychiatry and psychology. I was bullied from the age of 8 – 40 by able bodied and disabled because I went to mainstream school despite my disabilities. I was transferred to a special school for disabled and was bullied by the disabled for looking able bodied. I have a file full of certificates. And use a pseudonym called Blaze Burnstar.

I’m 56 and from the age of 23 I lived in residential care. Continue reading →