Redefining what it means to be powerful

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Redefining what it means to be powerful

Doaa Shayea is a sociology student and GB Parapowerlifter, who is challenging and changing perceptions of disability

Doaa Shayea - Sociology student and GB Parapowerlifter

Redefining what it means to be powerful

Doaa Shayea is a sociology student and GB Parapowerlifter, who is challenging and changing perceptions of disability

Doaa Shayea

Being in a wheelchair growing up, many people assumed I had a cognitive disability as well as a physical one.

Society had a way of making me feel like I didn쫄챰뻣펄셳 belong and I was constantly underestimated.

3 December 2024

But underestimating Doaa Shayea is not a wise move.

The sociology student, who is currently in her foundation year at the 쫄챰뻣펄, is a Parapowerlifter, public speaker, proud Muslim and change maker.

Speaking at events locally, regionally and nationally, she shares her experiences and passionately champions disability rights, disrupting typical narratives that limit the potential of those with diverse abilities.

Within three months of taking up Parapowerlifting she was competing at the European Championships, and now she쫄챰뻣펄셲 balancing her academic work with training, in a bid to reach the Commonwealth Games.

Doaa Shayea

"I don쫄챰뻣펄셳 like my story being one of sympathy 쫄챰뻣펄� I쫄챰뻣펄셫 a Muslim woman in a wheelchair, and I have had to fight to be heard and seen. But I쫄챰뻣펄셫 also a model, competing at the highest level of sport and a strong advocate for self-love and positive mental health.

After college I took a few years to heal, soul search and grow spiritually, looking at what I wanted to achieve and setting goals to get there. I originally started wheelchair racing, but after wanted something different and now I쫄챰뻣펄셫 powerlifting.

I쫄챰뻣펄셶e transferred a lot of the physical and mental strength that my sport takes into my academic learning too.

I쫄챰뻣펄셫 used to pushing my body past its boundaries 쫄챰뻣펄� now coming to uni means I쫄챰뻣펄셫 doing that with my brain!

Doing a foundation year has been great and, while it쫄챰뻣펄셲 tricky to balance everything, each part of my life feeds into the other. We are all more than just 쫄챰뻣펄쁮ne thing쫄챰뻣펄� 쫄챰뻣펄� and I쫄챰뻣펄셫 certainly more than my disability."

Growing up in 쫄챰뻣펄, she wanted to pursue higher education locally, and chose Sociology based on its affinity to social justice.

Already lending her voice to many different channels, she will balance her degree with whatever opportunities come her way.

Doaa continued:

쫄챰뻣펄쏧쫄챰뻣펄셫 currently a lived experience expert with charity Well Connected, working with our medical students. It basically helps them to learn about a medical condition from a person, not a textbook, and understand that someone shouldn쫄챰뻣펄셳 be defined by their condition.

쫄챰뻣펄쏧쫄챰뻣펄셫 also speaking at a conference for the University쫄챰뻣펄셲 Education students in January, again outlining my lived experiences and how you should ask and never assume when it comes to inclusivity.쫄챰뻣펄�

Whatever she takes on, it쫄챰뻣펄셲 clear that Doaa has one purpose 쫄챰뻣펄� to make a difference.

쫄챰뻣펄쏮y ultimate goal is to sculpt a society that is not just accessible but inherently inclusive to all. I describe myself as 쫄챰뻣펄쁡isrupting the disability narrative unapologetically쫄챰뻣펄�, and that쫄챰뻣펄셲 ultimately what I쫄챰뻣펄셪l continue to do.쫄챰뻣펄�

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