Disabled & Cute: Positive Disability Hashtag Goes Viral
When we say that we love ourself, it should also mean that we love our body and we fully accept who we are or what we are.
Last February, a positive disability hashtag went viral after Keah Brown tweeted her selfies with the hashtag #DisabledAndCute. This “Love Yourself” sort of campaign is the last thing we’d expect from a disabled person, given the society’s notion towards them. Brown, a 25-year-old journalist with cerebral palsy from New York, said that most people give the impression that people with disabilities (PWDs) are unattractive and are often perceived as undesirable and broken. Like any other human being, Brown also feels insecure about her body. But one morning, she was feeling cute, so she decided to share on Twitter what she’s feeling. And the Internet overwhelmingly responded.
Disabled & Cute: Positive Disability Hashtag Goes Viral
More often than not, the hashtags that make an impact on Twitter are about musicians, sports, politics, natural disasters and celebrities. There are only quite a few hashtags about body positivity and disability that resonate on Twitter. For the proponents of disability activism, the hashtag #DisabledAndCute gave the spotlight to the disabled and their physical and mental incapacities. It allowed the PWDs to proudly show to the world their disabilities that make them who they are.
The positive disability hashtag also became the tool of people with physical and mental impairments for them to share their stories that purvey the idea of acceptance, joy and body positivity. Having said that, their openness about their disabilities is not an act of bravery, but rather a way of demonstrating that they are fierce and fabulous despite their condition.
According to reports, the majority of the people who joined in the positive disability hashtag are those with genetic disorders, with limited ability to move, and the blind. Their stories that they share are distinct and convey empowerment. There are also people from all walks of life who got involved. These are Internet users who were feeling good and happy about themselves.
Aside from the #DisabledAndCute hashtag, there are also other hashtags that are helping PWDs tell their stories. Some of these are #GetYourBellyOut for people who use colostomy bags; #CripTheVote to empower those with mobility issues to cast their votes; and #ShowMeYourPump for diabetic people who are heavily dependent on insulin pumps.