Loose Women star Sophie Morgan has opened up about some of the shocking things people have said to her as a wheelchair user
(Picture: Edo Dream)Loose Women star Sophie Morgan has opened up about some of the shocking things people say to her as a wheelchair user.
The TV presenter, 37, recently put pen to paper for a new book entitled Driving Forwards reflecting on her extraordinary life after a car crash saw her paralysed from the chest down at just 18 years-old.
Describing the writing process as “therapeutic,” Sophie told Evening Standard how she hoped it would help to dispel several myths about people with disabilities.
“People assume that many disabilities are a fate worse than death and I’ve had people say to me over time ‘I would rather die than be like you,’ or ‘I’d rather kill myself than be paralysed,’ she explains almost matter-of-factly as she has heard it so many times.
“When people say that to me I don’t get outraged or upset, I genuinely think, ‘okay, this is because you think disability is a dead end; you think that having a disability is game over’.
“Yes, a lot of things end when you have a disability and your life changes, especially when you have a disability like a spinal cord injury, your life can feel like two parts; it can feel like a non-disabled life and a disabled life and it’s very different.
“I wrote this book to reconcile those differences and explain to people who might think ‘f**k that, I’d rather not be disabled,’ that actually, there are some incredible benefits and consequences that you would never expect and to be honest with you, I have found myself; I would never change it – I love my life.”
Another thing she would like to get off her chest is a misconception about people who use wheelchairs – specifically women who use wheelchairs.
“I still have people asking me if I can travel, you know, do I get out much?” she sighs.
“I was in a taxi coming home from an amazing event at the BBC recently and the irony was absolutely unbelievable; I was going to the premiere of a documentary about disability rights called Then Barbara Met Alan and the taxi driver on the way home actually said to me ‘good for you love getting out and about! Do you get out much?’
“I thought ‘gosh, are we still here, do you still think that I can’t get out?’ And I had only just been to see this show about people trying to validate their worth in the 70s and 80s, trying to get disability rights to the forefront to make it a legal obligation to not discriminate and here I am in 2022 with a taxi driver who still thinks I can’t get out of the house!
“There’s like these real stereotypes that still exist and work still needs to be done to disprove them all of the time.”
Morgan will in fact be getting out a lot as she’s currently working on a new show involving travel for Channel 4.
“It’s an absolute privilege,” she enthuses.
When drawn on her dream travel destination, she doesn’t have to think too hard.
“I don’t have a bucket list, but if I did I really want to go to Canada. It would be really fun and I could take my motorbike on a road trip.”
Sophie will also soon be seen taking part in Stand Up To Cancer’s Celebrity Bake Off.
“It was hilarious, I can’t bake to save my life! It was almost like throwing myself off the deep end, but it was really fun and all in the name of a good cause. I also learned some new skills,” she concludes.
