We’re all about celebrating people in their entirety, which is why we were excited to see the hashtag #DisabledAndCute being embraced by people with disabilities on Twitter. Eschewing the notion that their disabilities make them less-than able-bodied people, #DisabledAndCute began as a way of celebrating all bodies. The hashtag was created by Keah Brown, a young woman who lives with cerebral palsy. As she explained to Teen Vogue, it’s commonly held that people with disabilities inherently hate their bodies or are in some way disappointed in them. Brown claims that #DisabledAndCute is proof that this is not true.
“My disability is not all that I am, but it is a big part of who I am. I will never not be disabled, and so to [conceal] that part of me would be ridiculous,” Brown told Cosmo.
ot only does #DisabledAndCute encourage body positivity, it embraces an unapologetic call for visibility. The hashtag is a step in the right direction, down a path where people with disabilities aren’t making a statement just for celebrating themselves. Regardless, #DisabledAndCute is a great way to share your story within the context of a conversation that celebrates all that you have to offer.