People often ask me when I realised that I was different. Some people seem surprised that it's a question that I cannot answer. I was never told that I was different. I was always just Sinead; I was just like my dad.

Sinéad Burke’s quote speaks to her identity and the way she has always perceived herself. She explains that people often ask her when she first realized she was different, but she cannot answer that question because she was never told she was different. To her, she was always just Sinéad, a person defined by her own personality and experiences, not by societal labels. By adding that she was “just like my dad,” Burke emphasizes the normalcy of her life and the deep familial connections that shaped her self-image.

The origin of this quote lies in Burke’s experiences growing up with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. As an Irish writer, activist, and advocate for disability inclusion, she has often spoken about how the world defines people by difference, whereas in her own home she was seen simply as herself. This quote reflects her parents’ approach to raising her without emphasizing physical differences, allowing her to grow up with a strong sense of self-worth and belonging.

Burke’s words also highlight a broader message about acceptance and perception. Her inability to pinpoint a moment of realizing she was "different" demonstrates the power of environment and nurturing. When children are raised in loving, inclusive spaces, they do not see themselves as fundamentally separate from others. Instead, it is society’s attitudes that often create feelings of difference, not the individual’s self-view.

In a wider sense, the quote is a call to rethink how we frame identity and difference. Burke’s perspective challenges people to consider how labels and assumptions can be limiting, and how embracing others simply as themselves can foster confidence, dignity, and equality. It underscores the idea that our truest identity is shaped not by societal definitions, but by the way we are loved and supported within our families and communities.