Frances Ryan

She/her
Journalist and author
The Guardian

Award category:

Politics, Law and Media

Over the last year, I’ve continued my Guardian column, interviewed Angela Rayner for British Vogue, and finished my upcoming book ahead of its publication next April. Who Wants Normal? The Disabled Girl’s Guide To Life – featuring interviews with fifty plus well known disabled women and non-binary people – and is thought to be the biggest publishing deal for a disabled women in the U.K.

I think it’s incredibly easy to read those sort of paragraphs and forget that so-called “success” comes in many other forms than a highlights reel. It’s objectively really hard sometimes to be and do everything you want when you’re dealing with a disability and industries that are not built for it. So if you’re trying to get into journalism as a disabled person, I’d say: be kind to yourself. Write about the things you think matter. Try not to feel disheartened by rejections (we all got them, particularly when starting out). Keep going. Your voice is very much needed.

As one of the only disabled woman in the British press, I’m always aware of the need for more representation of disabled talent and our stories. Being on a power list is an honour but I’ll be happy when there’s hundreds of new faces up here instead of me.

Q&A

Frances Ryan
Make a spreadsheet of editors, their contact details, and their sections. Get familiar with what individual newspapers and magazines want. Always make sure you send a pitch to the right person and the right section; the best idea in the world won’t be accepted if you’re not sending it to the right place. Read everything. Find an older mentor. Don’t be afraid to talk to colleagues about what you’re getting paid. Write about disability if you want but don’t let yourself be pigeonholed. Editors will inevitably ask you to cover the Paralympics but you can write about politics, beauty and literally any brief a non-disabled journalist can.
My work has helped change government policy, been discussed in the House of Commons, and overturned the housing, benefit and social care decisions of disabled people featured. My investigation into the Department for Work and Pensions “bribing” benefit claimants helped lead to a legal case that ended the practice, whilst my column on Bristol City Council’s plan to “warehouse” disabled care users helped stop the policy. I’ve helped bring issues facing disabled people to national and international attention During the 2024 general election, a film I co-created about the impact of austerity on disabled people was featured on the John Oliver show in the US.
I’m looking really looking forward to my book, Who Wants Normal? The Disabled Girl’s Guide To Life, being published next April. From Jameela Jamil, Selma Blair, Rosie Jones, to Ruth Madeley, I can’t wait for readers to hear the wisdom (and also jokes) of some incredible disabled women.
I write about politics for a living so I never successfully switch off from the news. But a good TV show, a glass of wine and a high calorie meal is always a good way to wind down.
The Tory Party no longer being in government.
Dogs. I prefer a pet that doesn’t hate me.
I’d ban newspapers from having more than 7% of their staff come from private schools. And if I got two genie wishes, I’d have a regulatory body that fined media organisations for inaccurate reporting around minorities and marginalised groups.
Too many to mention but on a practical level, more funding for social care, benefits and accessible housing. And above all, attitudinal change because half the battle is a culture that says it’s somehow permissible and natural for disabled people not to enjoy the same opportunities and rights as other people.

Areas of expertise

Equality, Politics, Television, radio, podcast

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Image credits: Fabio De Paola
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