I’m so happy to write tonight’s post, though I have to admit, it tugs at my heart too. Growing up with Cerebral Palsy, I remember my mom taking pictures of me and developing them like I was a model. Being a model with a disability wasn’t seen as possible when I was six or seven years old. Today, I found out a British company has chosen a seven-year old girl with Cerebral Palsy to model clothes for their catalog.
Holly Greenhow is 7 years old and has Cerebral Palsy. I’m overjoyed that the rest of the world is starting to acknowledge that a person can be beautiful and have a disability. I also love that according to the article, this isn’t the first time a child with a disability is being used to advertise something in mainstream markets. Now that we’re getting closer to the Holiday Season, I’ve seen the “differently able” toy catalog from Toys-R-Us and while this is also a step in the right direction, I’m just thrilled about the statement this makes in the mainstream market.
When you grow up with a disability, it’s very easy to think you’re the only one going through things, even if you go to a school, or even a hospital, and see other kids like you. Seeing someone who has a disability in a catalog makes you feel like you have a place in the world, and there are other people who can understand your situation. You don’t feel like the odd-man-out.
Feeling like the odd-man-out could lead to self-esteem issues in life. As I’ve said before, I’ve been very lucky to have an extremely supportive family but, that’s not always the case for others who live with a disability. Thank you to those stores and other media outlets for making disability more visible for all to see. The powerful and positive message sent with these actions will impact many people.
What other retail campaigns can positively influence how disability is viewed?
To find out more about this story, check out the link below:
http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/adorable-girl-cerebral-palsy-lands-major-modeling-gig-200200378.html
Thanks for reading..
cr