As we celebrate Disability History Month, we’re spotlighting the social media stars who are using their platforms to spread awareness all while creating fun, exciting content and building strong communities of followers.
Lucy - @ludawinthesky
Lucy is a fashion content creator, with over 570K TikTok followers. During time in hospital after being falsely diagnosed with and treated for a psychological condition (when she actually had a brain disease) Lucy had a seizure which caused her to fall out of bed and onto a radiator pipe, giving her a burn so severe it permanently paralyzed the bottom of her left leg. After having to relearn how to walk, talk, read and write amongst other basic skills, Lucy uses her platform to promote body positivity and advocate for inclusivity. Her content is full of fashion try-ons, highlighting clothes that work best for her body shape that is often not considered by brands, and always accessorises with one of her sticks that complement the look.
Toby Addison - @blindtobes
Toby is a blind footballer, content creator and disability advocate. His content highlights daily life of a blind person, often tackling big questions in a light-hearted way. He uses his platform to answer common questions he gets, creates skits based on real life experiences all to help spread awareness of day-to-day challenges the blind community face.
Ellie Middleton - @elliemidds
Ellie is an author, content creator and podcast host. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD at age 24, Ellie advocates for other undiagnosed neurodivergent people, knowing how few adults receive a formal diagnosis and having experienced how a diagnosis can change your life. Her debut book Unmasked navigates topics like the workplace, experiencing sensory overload and the journey of getting a diagnosis, with the ultimate goal of helping make society a more inclusive place. Her second book, How to be You, looks at ways that the reader can work with their neurodivergent brain, to become more empowered and live more authentically.
Em - @crueltyfreecruella
Em is a beauty content creator who has ME and fibromyalgia. She is a huge advocate for cruelty free makeup, showcasing brands that aren’t (and more importantly those who are) cruelty free. As someone with chronic illness, Em reviews beauty products on their packaging, considering how they user-friendly they are to those with accessibility or dexterity issues. Em is shining a light on an under-discussed and often forgotten topic in the world of beauty inclusivity.
Shelby Lynch - @shelbykinsxo
Giving herself the title ‘your favourite disabled Bratz doll’, Shelby is a fashion influencer and model who has been a Glamour cover girl, modelled for brands like Kurt Geiger and even modelled in London Fashion Week. Shelby has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, which causes her muscles to weaken as she gets older and has been a wheelchair user since a young age and has used a ventilator since age 13, as her breathing is also affected. She’s best known for her fun outfits, often dressing in bold colours and advocating for better representation in the fashion industry. Her love of fashion and advocacy work finds harmony in her videos exploring clothing brands that are accessible to and suit wheelchair users.