The longest discussion thread in the Youreable Community section contains a fairly heated debate about me; apparently I'm even more contentious than the Motability debacle to some of you, which is quite an achievement!

If you read my articles from the top, you'll notice that I'm introduced as an "'It' girl on wheels". Obviously this is slightly ironic, as it's hard to balance those kitten heels on my foot plates and the majority of celebrity bashes are held in wheelchair inaccessible venues.

Nevertheless, you might glean from the intro that I'm attempting to be humorous and entertaining, (I stress the word "attempting") and you may get a hint as to the general flavour of the column.

If you're looking for hardcore rants on disability politics, well, I just ain't the type to chain myself to a bus. But if you don't like my columns, don't read them, it's that simple. It makes no sense to keep reading them (as my critics seem to be doing), then work yourself into a lather writing lengthy tirades objecting to me and my writing. Save yourself the angina, just click on 'Home'.

In one of numerous postings in the discussion thread, Jill Parkinson wrote:

"What sort of a world do you live in Lara? Is it the real world that a lot of disabled people inhabit? Where the important issues are…will the carer turn up today? Can I stretch my benefits to include heating my house? Will I manage adapting to a property that is neither suitable nor adapted? …your disability seems to be cushioned by having lifestyle choices and money. You seem to live in a cosy and affluent society where it is easier to flourish."

Why is it annoying for you that I've finally managed to start earning a living? What's the problem exactly? Are you discriminating against me because I'm no longer on income support? If I was still unemployed, would I be more acceptable to you and a 'better' disabled person?

We'd all rather have some money than go without, so why, when someone else manages to scramble out of the mire, are they suddenly an object of scorn? Making judgements about someone based on how much money they have is no different to being racist, sexist or any other 'ist'.

In the debate I've been called, among other things, "dangerous", "damaging" and "self-obsessed". Kate O'Leary even stated, charmingly: "Lara Masters - get rid of her!"

It comes back to the old argument that while the ethos of disability is acceptance and celebration of difference and diversity, the reality is as soon as you do something that isn't traditionally associated with disability - like become a minor celeb or pose in a sexy calendar - the hypocrisy of the concept becomes apparent as you are immediately maligned by certain disabled people who believe that as your particular expression of disability is incongruent with theirs, it is therefore wrong (or damaging, or dangerous).

Kate O'Leary wrote regarding my columns: "She's speaking on my behalf too!" But of course I'm not; I've never met the woman. I speak for no-one but me, as all of us do.

Does Graham Norton speak for the entire male gay population? Does Trevor McDonald speak for all black men? No, and it's ridiculous to expect them to.

Jill wrote: "We want good, honest role models". By 'we', I assume she's referring to the royal we of the so-called disabled 'community', because of course, all disabled people want the same thing and speak with one voice, not.

I don't consider myself to be a role model but I appreciate that as I work in TV, I'm going to get noticed and as I happen to be disabled, that's going to be a media focal point.

Anyone in my position, a disabled 'celeb', can never be fully accepted as long as there are angry disabled people who feel, and are, vastly under-represented and who need someone on whom to project their grievances and practise the anti-disability ethos of telling them how they should be living and what they should be expressing publicly.

Part of the reason there aren't more disabled 'celebs' is because of these judgemental disabled people who criticise others for daring to be themselves and who don't submit to someone else's vision of what disability means.

'Different' is never 'wrong' (or dangerous, or damaging). It is simply another expression which serves to further widen the diversity pool.

If everyone believed only one way of living was the 'right' way, we'd all be living parallel lives with the same ideals. There would be no such thing as diversity.

What we should all be doing, especially because we're disabled, is practising and promoting tolerance and acceptance of difference and trusting that each of us is living our own 'right' way, based on personal knowledge and experience.

I am not, as Jill continued to write, on a "self-imposed pedestal of minor celebrity". It's the "pedestal" bit I take exception to.

I agree I've made choices which have put me in the spotlight but I know this doesn't make me superior to anyone else.

Perhaps, if I explain a bit about my background, some people may think a little more before judging someone that they really know nothing about, but sadly I think I'm clutching at straws.

After having to leave university because I could not physically manage to get around campus, I spent many years unemployed and on income support, trapped in accommodation that I couldn't even get a wheelchair into because the corridor was so narrow.

I spent much of the time in bed or on the sofa and had hourly carers, who often didn't show up or who would refuse to clean the kitchen and so on. I was severely depressed, I could see no way out; I had no qualifications and no idea what I was going to do with my life.

A friend of mine, Laura, is a personal trainer and she would come over every week and help me stretch and exercise. One of her clients was a photographer for the Daily Star and she thought it would be a nice piece to take photos of me training with Laura.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, these photos ended up being more of a fashion shoot and I ended up on This Morning doing a 'disabled girl models but is she really just a bit deluded?' type interview.

A producer saw me and asked if I would like to present That's Esther with Esther Rantzen and Heather Mills.

Hmmmmm, I thought to myself, I don't know, should I should just carry on living the way I am so I can be down with the right-on disabled people who only accept you if you fit in to their very narrow boundaries of what disability means, or, shall I accept this job, get off benefits and be on the telly!? Tough call.

So to Jill, Kate and co, please, give peace a chance; live and let live, make love not war and other harmony promoting slogans.

P.S Found a fab new P.A by posting a very specific ad on the "home help" section of www.thegumtree.com. Try it, it's free!

P.P.S Matt Fraser's one man show, "Sealo The Sealboy" is brilliant, funny and incisive, don't miss it! Read the review here…