By Mencap
"I am now engaged to get married to my fiancé, as he is now.
He was just my boyfriend for 3 years then he asked me to marry him.
After the 3 years and I said yes - that’s me giving him permission and
consent
Consent is when you say yes to something, like an operation, or Mencap using your photo for a story. You may have to sign something to say yes. If you can't make your own decisions, someone else can say yes or no for you. They must think about what is right for you.
to my hand in marriage but I know not everyone has this. I think it helps other people to speak out and have the right to have a voice in having happy and safe
relationships
Relationships are about the people in your life. You might have different types of relationships like friendships, family relationships, or a boyfriend or girlfriend.
: having the right to have a voice in your relationship and being comfortable, in a relationship where you both want the same things and having the right to agree."
Me and my fiancé have a lot in common, like we both support football. Me and him do the same drama group together and have the love and passion for drama. Our drama group is called ‘The blue-sky actors’ and I am the main lead actor."
"It would help when you have things in common with each other, then you come to an agreement with each other. Then you have the right to have a voice in your relationship, giving advice to other people with and without disabilities to have a voice in the relationships too.
It’s important for everyone having
easy read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
documents (about this topic) so other people can read information to help them, with easy pictures to use as symbols to go with the information, especially if other people with disabilities can’t read small print like me – I can’t read print that is too small.
Having the right to have your consent and your voice (heard) in having healthy and happy relationships for other people who can’t access these things or any form of relationships for themselves (is important). That’s why we need easy information and easy pictures to use to us understand what we are trying to say.
Me and my fiancé are happy and it should be like that for everyone."
Further reading
Ellen is now happily married to Allan and you can read more about her story in this article first published in Real life magazine.
If you, or someone you support, would like Easy Reads about relationships and sex, visit our dedicated webpage.