Charley-Anne Gordon
Law Lecturer, domestic abuse, and medical law researcher, women’s and disability rights activist
Education
As my disability developed I could handle the hospital stays and pain, but I couldn’t cope with being told that I would never work. Having my dreams crushed hurt more than any physical pain. This would not be my story. I ploughed into higher education with determination. I was also looking for a sign, a role model, to tell me that practising law was achievable for me, but this never came. I decided I would carve out my own path. As a disabled woman and a victim of childhood domestic abuse, I wanted to research the issues so frequently overlooked by society. My path towards a research career led me to discover my passion for teaching. I realised that if through teaching, I could help one disabled student realise that they belong in the legal profession, there could not be a more valuable career.
My ambitions led to winning ‘Future Legal Mind 2019’. Following my LLB, I was accepted directly to write a PhD, with my thesis dedicated to addressing the intersectional issues that affect coercive control victims. My lecturer career started in 2021 at the age of 24, teaching at De Montfort as a postgrad. Despite still writing my thesis, I realised it was the right time to seek a lectureship position, and was hired by the University of Buckingham in January 2023 as a Lecturer in Law.
I have subsequently spoken at Women’s Parliament in Cambridge, to highlight the way the NHS fails disabled women seeking reproductive/gynaecological healthcare. At work, I have been appointed the module lead on a core LLB module, and am teaching a research-led module which stresses intersectionality within the law, where I pushed for the inclusion of disability rights.
When I wheel into a new classroom, there are looks of uncertainty and curiosity. Through effective teaching, it is magical to disprove students’ initial impressions of me. Supporting disabled students in finding their educational strength is vital, but I underestimated the importance of challenging the misconceptions that entire cohorts have about disability – normalising the intellect of disabled individuals within the legal field.
“We must not fail the students of the future. Everyone is entitled to the choice to seek exemplary higher education – and the key to equitable access for disabled students is adaptability and accessibility. Education is for you, education is for everyone.”
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Disability Power 100 2023 profile information has been self-submitted by the profile subject. Shaw Trust understands and respects that disability and impairment descriptors and language use varies from person to person. Shaw Trust assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or discrepancies in the content of this, or any other, profile page.
Image credit Jasmine-Leann Gatteral @tobewanderlustcreative
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