En Garde with Trinity Lowthian: Paris 2024 Paralympic Stories Artwork

Twenty-First Century Disability

Let's be honest. Life with a disability can be difficult. Luckily, we are living in the twenty-first century. This podcast is about how living in the modern world has helped people with disabilities to have fairly "normal" lives. Join me as we explore why this is and as I try to look at disability from a social model perspective and change how the world sees disability.

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Twenty-First Century Disability

En Garde with Trinity Lowthian: Paris 2024 Paralympic Stories

March 03, 2026 • Hollis Peirce • Season 5 • Episode 4

0:00 | 28:23

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Episode Summary:

On this episode of 21st Century Disability, I sit down with Ottawa wheelchair fencer Trinity Lowthian to talk about how she became disabled, what it’s really like living with feeding tubes, and how she found her way into wheelchair fencing. We also get into where she’s competed so far and the academic wins she’s worked hard for along the way.

What You’ll Learn
•What it can look like to become disabled and adapt to major life changes
•A clearer understanding of feeding tubes (including different types) and day-to-day realities of living with one
•How someone gets started in wheelchair fencing, and what training/competition can involve
•Ways to pursue sport and academics at the same time, even with complex medical needs

Topics We Cover
•Trinity’s story: how she became disabled
•Feeding tubes we’ve both experienced
◦Different tube types and practical considerations
•Trinity’s path into wheelchair fencing
◦How she found the sport
◦Where she has competed and what competition has been like
•Trinity’s academic achievements and what helped her succeed

Stand Out Moments
•A candid look at the learning curve of adjusting to disability and rebuilding routines
•Practical, lived-experience talk about feeding tube life—what people often misunderstand and what actually helps
•The moment Trinity realized wheelchair fencing could be a serious competitive path, not just “something to try”
•How Trinity approaches high performance + academics without sacrificing her health

Who This Episode Is For
•Disabled listeners navigating new diagnoses or major changes and looking for perspective
•Anyone living with (or caring for someone with) a feeding tube who wants more real-world conversation about it
•People curious about adaptive sports, especially wheelchair fencing
•Students and athletes trying to balance health, school, and training
•Allies who want to better understand disability beyond inspiration tropes—through lived experience

Follow Trinity
•Instagram: @lowthian_canhttps://www.instagram.com/lowthian_can/

Support the Canadian Paralympic Team
Donate: https://paralympic.ca/donate

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