Reading Design Meets Disability made me rethink how I’ve traditionally understood assistive devices—as purely functional tools. Pullin challenges that limited view by showing how design and disability can intersect in creative, expressive, and even fashionable ways. What stood out most to me was the idea that disability devices, like hearing aids or prosthetics, shouldn’t have to be hidden or neutral—they can be bold, beautiful, and part of someone’s personal identity. The example of Aimee Mullins using prosthetic legs designed by Alexander McQueen was especially powerful. It showed how design can shift perceptions of disability from something to be fixed or minimized to something that can be celebrated and uniquely expressed.
This reading made me reflect on how design influences the way we feel about ourselves and how others see us. It made me realize how much design has to do with dignity, pride, and empowerment—not just function. I found myself thinking about how many products I use daily that are designed to be sleek or stylish, and how unfair it is that many people with disabilities are given tools that feel like medical equipment instead. Pullin’s emphasis on co-design really resonated with me; involving disabled people directly in the design process isn’t just practical, it’s respectful. This reading left me inspired to think more inclusively about design and more critically about who gets to have choice, beauty, and individuality in the products they use.