Gabby's story

Stepping into the spotlight

From the first moment Gabby struck a pose in front of the camera, she knew she’d found something special.

She’s a model and actor and loves how expressive she gets to be on every photo shoot.

“It was a bit of an impulse, I was like – you know what, why not!” she says.

What started as something to do for fun, has become a career where Gabby can be confident, quirky and true to herself.

As a bonus, she’s also found a sense of community among friends who are photographers and models. Making every workday something they can enjoy.

Gabby was diagnosed with autism when she was around 12 or 13 years old. She describes her diagnosis as something she lives with daily, but that doesn’t define who she is or what she can do.

“Some family members took it on very well,” she explains, “especially my grandad, he was always interested in me and my interests, not just me as a diagnosis.

Gabby is Chinese Malaysian on her mom’s side and a mix of Maltese, Scottish and Irish on her dad’s. Living with an invisible disability has meant she’s often faced the challenge of being misunderstood.

“I learned not to react to judgment.” Gabby says. “People will always have their own opinions, but as long as you stay true to yourself, that’s all that matters.”

When looking for support, one of the things that appeals to her is clarity and directness.

As she puts it, “The Disability Gateway is quite useful for people with invisible disabilities who need something a bit more direct and straightforward sometimes.”

She goes on, "It helps provide the correct support and foundations to make the job easier for everyone in general.”
It’s thanks to having the right support that Gabby has found a career she loves. Modelling gives her the chance to be creative and to show off the most fun parts of her personality.

1:20

Audio

Just go be creative in a chaotic sort of way.

I’m Gabby, and I am a model and actor. I wasn't officially diagnosed with autism until I was 12 or 13 years old. When I first got diagnosed, we didn't really have much support. Having a resource like Disability Gateway back when I was diagnosed would have been amazing.

Some family members took it on really well. I would say especially my granddad. He spoke Cantonese and was interested in me and my interests, not just me as a diagnosis. I guess extended family was a bit harder. It was harder for them to see that I was still me, even with the diagnosis.

I’ve got a lot of friends who do photography and modelling, and it's always been a delight. We still have fun while getting some great photos at the same time.

Being very straightforward helps people with invisible disabilities like me find facts and resources that are much easier to understand. Disability Gateway helps provide the right supports and foundations to make things easier for everyone.

Call 1800 643 787.

For a free TIS interpreter, call 131 450.

Or visit disabilitygateway.gov.au/chinese-traditional.