A Belated Hugo Awards Post

On August 18th 2019 I became the first blind person to win a Hugo Award.

That’s still sinking in.

Not just the first bit, but just the fact that there’s a Hugo Award on my desk.

But here I want to acknowledge that I personally would not have won this award without the support of my family, without the support of my friends, without the support of the people who taught me how to write. Magazines do not happen in a vacuum and neither does change. My colleagues (Dominik Parisien and Michi Trota specifically) cannot go unmentioned here, because this community is astoundingly full of talent.

I did not get onto that stage, I did not accept that rocketship without the hands of many people lifting me up. You can see the text of the acceptance speech that Michi and I delivered on behalf of all of Uncanny and Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction here.

Thank you. To the science fiction and fantasy writing community, to the fan community, to the international disability community.

I’ll be writing more on this topic soon!

Elsa stands in a teal gown, holding a Hugo Award in the crook of her right arm, and a leash attached to a black Labrador in the left hand. Phjoto by Simon Bubb. Photo used with permission from Simon.