Prominent Australian disability activist Stella Young died Saturday morning at age 32.
Young was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that causes bones to break easily, leading her to disability advocacy at 14 years old, reported ABC Australia.
The young activist often called herself a crip, which others found offensive, while she was an ambassador for Our Watch.
"People get all up in arms when I describe myself as a crip because what they hear is the word 'cripple' and they hear a word you're not allowed to say anymore," she told 720 ABC Perth in 2012. "Crip is a word that I find empowering the same way that some members of the gay community, but not all members of the gay community, find the word 'queer' empowering."
Followers were drawn to Young's way of being compassionate to the disabled community, yet tough when standing up for what she believes in.
"She could sit there with such poise, essentially being told she shouldn't exist and yet not turn on them, not berate them, not storm off. [She would] just listen to them with great compassion and intelligence and respond with some incredible zinger," George McEncroe, a comedian and close friend of Young's, said to ABC Australia.
She appeared to hate being called "inspirational" because of her disability and yearned for a day where the disabled were genuinely congratulated for achievements without the focus falling on their disability, she said earlier this year.
"She often railed against being used as what she would call 'inspiration porn,'" Comedian Ben Pobjie said to ABC Australia. "And she objected to the idea that disabled people should be seen as inspiring just for living a normal life. She was right, it shouldn't be inspirational for people with disabilities just to live normal lives. But ... I think, she lived an extraordinary life, that she was an extraordinary woman."
Young represented the disabled community as the former editor of the ABC's disability news and opinion website, Ramp Up, a member of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council, the Ministerial Advisory Council for the Department of Victorian Communities, the Youth Disability Advocacy Service and Women with Disabilities Victoria.
Young's family issued a statement to ABC Australia about her death:
"With great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Stella Young, our much-loved and irreplaceable daughter and sister. Stella passed away on Saturday evening, unexpectedly, but in no pain. A private funeral will take place soon, followed by a public event in Melbourne, with more details to come."
