Advocacy & Rights Archives

Invisible Disabilities: A Parent’s Journey to find her and her child’s voice!

🌟 “Navigating Life with Invisible Disabilities and Inclusion: A Conversation with Suchitra” 🌟

In this deep and eye-opening conversation, Suchitra shares her journey as a parent and advocate for inclusion, shining a light on the struggles, challenges, and triumphs of raising a child with invisible disabilities. From her early dreams of a career in forensic science to her lifelong dedication to disability advocacy, Suchitra takes us through her powerful story of resilience, love, and the pursuit of equality.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just curious about how you can make a difference, this conversation highlights the importance of exposure, understanding, and the power of asking the right questions. Discover the nuances of invisible disabilities, the reality of sensory issues, and the need for more awareness, empathy, and systemic change in India and beyond.

Key Themes:
The transformative power of exposure and empathy
The complexities of family dynamics around disability
The impact of access to resources and systemic advocacy
Balancing self-care with caregiving responsibilities

👉 Watch now to gain valuable insights and a fresh perspective on inclusion, resilience, and the journey towards a more inclusive world.

Who should watch this? Parents, educators, caregivers, and anyone curious about making a difference in the world of inclusion and support for invisible disabilities.

The Power of Allyship: Building an Inclusive Duniya with Pooja Sharma

In this episode of Just Your Normal Missfit, host Ann Thomas sits down with Pooja Sharma, a neurodivergent adult and founder of the Sarvodya Collective. They discuss Pooja’s personal journey of growing up with a sibling with an intellectual disability, discovering her own neurodivergent identity, and her mission to promote neuro-inclusion through her ongoing campaign, Inclusive Duniya. The conversation dives deep into the importance of empathy, identity, and the role of ordinary people in fostering an inclusive society. 💛

Discover the importance of allyship, the challenges of advocacy, and the small actions that can lead to big changes in creating a world where everyone feels seen, supported, and safe. 👇

India’s Transgender Bill 2026 Explained: Rights, Risks & What It Means With Meghna Kulkarni

India’s Trans Bill 2026 is a step backwards and in this episode, we discuss why that is the case.

We break down the newly introduced amendment to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act with educator and parent Meghna Kulkarni, who has two neurodivergent, trans, non-binary children, Shreesh and Rit. Meghna explains how society’s binary view of gender shapes misunderstanding, clarifies differences between sex, gender, and sexuality, and shares her family’s unlearning journey supported by Sweekar the Rainbow Parents and related workshops.

She outlines landmark legal moments including the 2014 NALSA judgment and the 2019 Act’s key provision of self-identification without medical intervention, then argues the new amendment removes self-identification, narrows recognition to specific communities, excludes trans men, trans women, and non-binary people, and could criminalize caregivers and allies while reintroducing medical board examinations.

The episode ends with a call to learn, respect differences, and practice compassion, plus information on support resources.

The Case That Banned Autism Stem Cell “Cures” With Sushama Nagarkar

What happens when hope turns into harm?
In this powerful episode, host Ann Thomas sits down with Sushama Nagarkar – psychologist, parent, and founder of Yash Charitable Trust. Together, they unpack the recent landmark Indian Supreme Court judgment that banned the commercial use of stem cell therapy for autism in India.

💛 About the guest:
Sushma Nagarkar is a school psychologist, special educator, and founder of Yash Charitable Trust. With decades of experience and lived insight as a parent, her work focuses on dignity, inclusion, and evidence-based practices for neurodivergent individuals.

⚖️ Why this matters:
In 2022, Sushama led a Public Interest Litigation challenging the promotion of stem cell therapy as an autism “cure.”
In January 2026, it led to a landmark Supreme Court judgment banning its commercial use in India.

But this isn’t just a legal story.
It’s about parents, desperation, misinformation and the courage to ask: Are we helping, or hurting?