Frances Ryan

@francesryan

Guardian columnist and journalist. Commentator of the Year 2024. Author of Who Wants Normal? (paperback out now) and Crippled. E: frances.ryan.freelance@guardian.co.uk

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Frances Ryan@francesryan· 26d

Myself and the team at Penguin aimed to make Who Wants Normal? as accessible as possible. The audiobook is narrated by the legendary Ruth Madeley. The print and Kindle version is in clear font, with small sections made for lower energy. All formats available here: linktr.ee/WhoWantsNormal

A smiling Ruth Madeley sits in a recording studio. She is wearing a light grey hoodie and ear phones and her wheelchair is parked behind her.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· 26d

Who Wants Normal? has been out in paperback 3 months today! I spent four years interviewing 50+ of Britain’s best loved disabled women, from Ruth Madeley, Jameela Jamil, Tanni GT, Rosie Jones to Nikki Fox. I’m so glad more readers are able to read their wisdom. And filthy anecdotes.

A copy of the book sits upright on three stacked copes. The cover is bright orange and yellow with a lilac stripe.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· 28d

Damn, I broke the cardinal rule of being a Guardian columnist: desperately claim you are in fact working class. *In my defence*, a reader commented that loads of people on disability benefits are lying and I wouldn’t understand that because I’m middle class.

I know it’s a crime to type this as a Guardian columnist but - whisper it - FWIW I’m working class. I also receive Pip and had DLA since I was a child (when my family couldn’t afford a car if that wins working class points!). I also know the system from fifteen years of writing about it, including a book. That includes knowing fraud rate for disability benefits is barely 1%.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jul 7

GRIFTER UPDATE:

Farage says Reform UK has offered to cover cost of Clacton byelection
Nigel Farage says Reform UK has offered to pay for the cost of the Clacton byelection.

I have spoken to the CEO of Tendring District Council. Reform has offered to cover the cost of the by-election.
I will be writing to Rachel Reeves later today with the same message.
Given that we asked for this by-election in the first place, it’s only right that we pay for it.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 26

The care visa article row between Shabana Mahmood and Mike Tapp has got a real “last week of summer term” energy to it. The headteacher has resigned! No one knows which teacher has authority! The kids are hot and acting out!

“I have put my views across on a policy I’ve been working on for months (I have the receipts) in an Op Ed in the times. Give it a read, and let’s continue to discuss.”

Above a picture of himself, he added: “I won’t be intimidated to drop my views. Stay classy! Oh and I’m at a wedding in San Francisco, but happy to talk more when I’m back (I promise that’s the Golden Gate Bridge hidden by the fog).”

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 11

Feels like 48 years ago.

Jeremy Corbyn smiles to the camera and holds a copy of Crippled.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 11

7 years ago today, CRIPPLED was published. This morning, a lecturer emailed me to say a student had written their dissertation inspired by it. I’m continually blown away by the impact this book has had and so grateful for how readers have responded - and are still discovering it.

A bookcase filled with copies of Crippled. The front cover - dark blue with white writing - is visible.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 5

Thanks to my colleagues at the picture desk for the punch to the gut.

A photo of Anthony Head as Giles, the librarian in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, sitting next to Buffy with a very large book.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 5

Disability history has been widely suppressed to the extent it rarely even gets mentioned when talking about the past. Huge congrats to Prof. David Turner for his groundbreaking deep dive, A History of Resistance. Out this week: www.waterstones.com/book/disabil...

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Jun 1

Lovely to see Who Wants Normal? still a bestseller on Amazon. It’s also available in bookshops that pay their staff a living wage.

#1 best seller in living with disabilities biographies. Reviews: average 4.8 stars.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· May 29

Big Gord loves it.

A screenshot of the Guardian homepage showing a comment piece by Gordon Brown next to mine.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· May 26

My colleagues on the environment desk are providing Brits with everything they need during a heatwave.

In many European countries, meteorologists describe nights with temperature minimums above 20C as “tropical”, while in Spain, which is more familiar with extreme heat, they call nights above 25C “equatorial” or “torrid”. In recent years, they have informally introduced a new category for night-time temperatures above 30C: “hellish”.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· May 25

Mabel thinking about why it’s 31 degrees in May in the U.K. and the ever growing existential threat of climate change. Also, her lunch.

A red cocker spaniel lays on a turmeric sofa and stares into the distance. Her head is on a cushion.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· May 23

Add in today’s Guardian newsletter to the Dear England preview and this is the most football content I’ve ever produced. They’re probably going to ask me to run the sport desk soon.

My week: why are cigarettes chic again, and why oh why do I support Leicester City?

Frances Ryan Frances Ryan

I’m Frances Ryan, Guardian columnist, and this week I’ve been thinking about the scandal of disabled people being forced to live in hospital, progressives uniting to stop Reform UK in Makerfield, and why smoking is apparently cool again. Don’t worry: I’ve also found time to start the new series of Rivals.

Who I’ve been cheering on | As a Leicester City-supporting family, these are not good times: one minute you’re winning the Premiership, the next you’re relegated to League One. My dad and uncle have been comforting themselves with the Netflix documentary Untold UK: Jamie Vardy. Meanwhile, I’ve been previewing Dear England – the BBC adaptation of the Olivier award-winning play about Gareth Southgate’s reign as England manager – for today’s What’s On mag. I found myself cheering on a man to take a penalty he missed 30 years ago. Who says football is a cruel sport?

Frances Ryan@francesryan· May 12

UPDATE: Starmer is beyond parody.

According to Sky’s Beth Rigby, the mood at cabinet was not quite as supportive towards Keir Starmer as Jenny Chapman implied. (See 11.39am.) Rigby says:

This coming from a government source. A less supportive assessment of cabinet meeting
“Keir said in Cabinet that he wouldn’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually. Then after the meeting he refused to see Cabinet ministers individually”

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 29

Compliments.

A reader named Fromthespoons: “Quite a mean and spiteful piece I thought.”

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 27

I’ve got a few of these limited edition Who Wants Notmal? postcards (that were sent out to celebs) hanging around the house. If you’re getting a copy of the paperback for your daughter or mate etc and would like one with a dedication, email me: frances.ryan.freelance@guardian.co.uk

A fan of lilac postcards with ‘Who wants normal anyway?’ in red and yellow on the front.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 21

It was a pleasure to be interviewed by Annie MacManus for her Changes Substack to celebrate the paperback release of Who Wants Normal? We spoke about coping with life changes you want to hand back, bell hooks, and why I’m excited for a shower I can use. anniemacmanus.substack.com/p/the-change...

A photo of me, a white woman with long blonde hair who is wearing a black All
Saints jumper with arm cut outs whilst sitting in an electric wheelchair. The Changes Interview with Frances Ryan - 6 Questions and Answers on Change.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 17

One of the bonuses about publishing Who Wants Normal? Life Lessons from Disabled Women has been hearing from men. Many said it resonated with them. Others that it shocked. Thanks so much to top lad Jack Thorne for his v kind endorsement.

“This book is beautiful, vital, and important. I loved it.” - Jack Thorne, writer of Adolescence.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 16

WHO WANTS NORMAL? is out in paperback today! Hearing from readers who feel more confident or simply less alone after curling up with this book has meant the world. I hope the paperback makes it more accessible to everyone. Plus it fits in a handbag now. Get it here: linktr.ee/WhoWantsNorm...

A copy of Who Wants Normal? stands upright on top of three others face down. The cover has bright orange and yellow stripes as well as a lavender strip at the bottom.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 15

Absolutely howling that the reviewer included my grudge about being called The Guardian’s “disability columnist.”

In recent years, Ryan has become one of the most authoritative voices on representation and policy as they relate to disabled people in the UK, though she bridles at the fact that she is frequently described as the Guardian’s “disability columnist”, “despite this role not existing at the paper and my work focusing on politics”. As a wheelchair user from childhood, who now also lives with the effects of chronic illness, Ryan writes from a perspective still all-too-rare in mainstream publications – as she notes in her chapter on representation, “disabled women working in the media are essentially like Superman and Clark Kent: you never see them in a room at the same time”.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 13

Who Wants Normal? Life Lessons from Disabled Women is out in paperback this week! A brand new forward. The same memoir and interviews with 50+ of Britain’s most well known women with physical and mental health conditions. Pre-order here and it might even arrive early: linktr.ee/WhoWantsNorm...

A photograph of the front cover of the book. It’s dark orange with yellow and lilac stripes. The title reads: Who Wants Normal? Life Lessons from Disabled Women. At the top of the book are three endorsements. British Vogue: “Exceptional.” Jameela Jamil: “We all need this book.” Rosie Jones: “I’ve never related to a book more.”

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 9

One of my favourite chapters in Who Wants Normal? is on body image. I wrote this essay for British Vogue on the way disability and health can impact how we feel about our bodies and place in the world (often more than we expect). www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogu...

A photo of a double page spread in British Vogue. On the left side, there is a small photo of me (a blonde woman sitting in a wheelchair in the sun with sunglasses on her head and a glass of wine on the table). On the right side, there is a large illustration of a woman laying down in striped white and blue lounge clothes.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 8

Ignore the tarpaulin.

A photo of a double glass door. There’s a fence and black tarpaulin in the back garden.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Apr 8

My back garden may still be a building site but glass walls on a sunny day makes it worth it.

A photo of a three door glass wall. In the garden that it looks out onto, there is a magnolia tree and a tarpaulin covering what used to be grass.

A photo of a feature window. Through the glass, you can see grass and neighbouring houses.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Mar 27

After a long 3 months, we’ve finally got a new sofa and Mabel is visibly relieved.

A red show cocker spaniel lays upside down on a tumeric coloured sofa, her head on a cushion. One of her eyes is staring at the camera and her legs and paws are spread out.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Mar 12

Look what arrived!

The paperback of Who Wants Normal? sits in an opened cardboard box. The cover is bright orange, yellow, and lilac. There are a dozen copies underneath.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Mar 8

I’ve been telling Mabel all morning she could win Crufts. The best thing is at least part of me believes it. I mean, come on.

A beautiful red show cocker spaniel lays on her side, her head on her upturned paw. Her eyes, nose, and inner paw are dark in contrast to her red and blonde hair.

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Mar 7

I’m on Guardian Opinion newsletter duty this morning. I talk about Gen Z men being statistically more sexist than their dads, Iran’s media blackout, and why there’s no need to film podcasts (unless Jonathan Groff is your guest).

Hi, I’m Frances Ryan, Guardian columnist and author of Who Wants Normal? Life Lessons from Disabled Women. This week, I’ve been thinking about the paradox that young men as a group are statistically more sexist than their fathers and grandfathers, Access to Work cuts and internet blackouts in the Middle East war. I’ve been finding light relief by listening to the Good Hang podcast – or should that be watching? I’m

T

I’m trying to limit my intake of news that makes me feel as if the human race is devolving into a pool of amoral gunge. Still, one report got through my fortress this week: almost a third of gen Z men agree that a wife should always obey her husband, according to a global study by King’s College London. The research – which surveyed 23,000 men in 29 countries, including Britain, the US, Australia and India – found that young men today were more likely than those in older generations to hold what researchers call “traditional” (or is that massively sexist?) views about gender roles.

I thought instantly of the astonishing anonymous piece by a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Opinion last week, about the misogyny she and her friends regularly encounter online. Part of me feels lucky that, as a millennial, I narrowly dodged an adolescence in which social media fuels and normalises women’s objectification and oppression. But boys grow up to be men – men we meet on dating apps, we sit next to in the office, and who sometimes run for election. That’s very much all of our problem, isn’t it?

Frances Ryan@francesryan· Mar 3

Brilliant. An expat im Dubai has a startling revelation, by @stephencollins.bsky.social