Published: 5 September 2025.
When Khadija Gbla was finally diagnosed as autistic at 34, they weren’t surprised — they were relieved. What followed was a powerful reckoning with a lifetime of being misunderstood and forced to mask.
Born in Sierra Leone and resettled in Australia as a teenager, Khadija’s story is one of survival, identity, and fierce love — especially for their son, Sammy, who is also autistic.
With honesty and strength, Khadija shares how racism, ableism and cultural stigma collided throughout their life, and how they’re now rewriting the narrative — for themselves and for the next generation.
“I wish I had had somebody like me to realise that Black girls can also be disabled.”
Listen now to hear a story of strength, claiming identity, and the power of self-acceptance and understanding.
Listen to Khadija’s TED talk about female genital mutilation.