Allison Lang takes charge of her life

Canadian Paralympic Committee

January 24, 2025

“I used to pull my soccer socks high enough that you couldn't see my knee”

Canadian sitting volleyball player Allison Lang, wearing a white Team Canada jersey with the number 17, smiles during a post-match interview with a CBC reporter at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The background features a blue media backdrop with the Paris 2024 Paralympic logo and sponsor logos.

Like the stars, the moon and the sun, Allison Lang shines on.

She’s a member of Canada’s women’s sitting volleyball team which won a historic bronze in Paris last year. She’s also a model (both figuratively and literally), a disability advocate, and a social influencer.

The hardworking 31-year-old from Edmonton, now based in Montreal, has overcome many challenges in her life – challenges that are prevalent in today’s society.

She’s been bullied, body shamed, and felt rejected because of her disability.

It was an arduous task to find peace in her life.

“The light bulb moment was when I was 26,” said Lang, in an interview with CPC at the Team Canada Celebration for Paralympians and Olympians last month in Ottawa. “It took me a long time to learn to love my body.

“It’s so unfortunate, because we should be taught that from the moment we’re born, instead of being taught things that we should hate about our bodies. Nobody is the same, we’re all unique, and we should cherish that instead of always fighting what it restricts us from doing.”

Lang’s insecurity during her youth comes in part from being born missing half her left leg. It reached its apex during her teenage years in Edmonton where the bullying got so bad she was forced to change schools.

“The bullying really got to me,” admitted Lang, in a strong and firm voice. “I tried to internalize it a lot and I didn’t want to tattletale on the other children, but it made me feel more alone.

“I was in denial that I was disabled, and it really affected my self-worth. For the longest time I obsessively tried to hide my prosthetic leg. I used to pull my soccer socks high enough that you couldn’t see my knee.”

Then one day, Lang made the decision to accept and embrace what makes her different.

“I ended up taking a knife to my prosthetic leg and cutting off the cover and I said, if I’m going to authentically live as myself, I’m going to embrace myself and that’s with my prosthetic metal leg,” she recalled.

“That was the turning point for me, because I never looked back. I never put a cover back on my leg. I started advocating for people online by sharing my vulnerable story and my struggles with body image.

“It allowed me to connect with so many more people than I ever thought imaginable online and offline.”

Lang says a lifelong participation in sport helped her cope with her perceived differences. A natural athlete, she excelled on the playing field. But she was hesitant about Para sport at first.

“I was at the lowest point of my life when I was invited to play sitting volleyball,’’ she said. “But I fell in love with it. I wasn’t great at it when I first started eight years ago.”

Like Lang, most of the sitting volleyball players are leg amputees and she joined a community where there was support outside her family.

“I walked into the room and for the first time in my life, I was surrounded by impactful, powerful women that upheld what I wanted to be.

“We all had different stories of resiliency. And now I get to call them not only my teammates, but my friends. They helped pull me out of the deep end. I will forever be grateful.”

Lang (third from right) with sitting volleyball teammates at Team Canada Celebrations

Off the court, Lang is also busy with many interests and projects. She works as a model for several companies, she’s a social media influencer, and disability advocate who regularly shares the issues that have affected her life.

“Modelling has given me a chance to showcase my disability without having to make it the main focus,” she said. “If I can help at least one person feel comfortable dressing their body, then I feel like I’ve done my job. I’m so lucky that I get to work with amazing brands.”

Through her website and social channels, Lang is expanding her message to a growing audience.

“The world is becoming more inclusive and an accepting place,” she added. “Using my platform in a positive way I have connected with people around the world that have the same mission and are sharing our stories.”

After the team’s success in Paris, Lang is already preparing for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

“Staying positive is a mindset choice. I don’t want to live a life with a regret anymore.”

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