There are thousands of creators advocating for greater inclusivity in online spaces. #DisabilityPrideMonth might be coming to an end, but there's no reason our support should stop! Continue to see inclusive content in your social media feeds by following the incredible disabled creators listed below:
1. April Lockhart: @aprillockhart
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Disability: Amputee
- Profession: Fashion Influencer
April is a Nashville-based content creator who lost her hand at birth when her mother's umbilical cord got wrapped around her wrist while in the womb. April has worked in the beauty industry for over 6 years. When TikTok began taking off, April noticed how little diversity there was on the platform, especially when it came to the intersection of disability and fashion. Challenging herself to post an OOTD video for 30 days, April started a movement called “Normalizing Disabled Fashun Girlies in your Feed.”
“The growth I’ve been experiencing makes me feel like I’m in the right place. I’m excited and hopeful to start seeing real change.” - April Lockhart
2. Milly Pickles: @millypickles
- Location: United Kingdom
- Disability: Amputee after being electrocuted
- Profession: Athlete
When Milly was 20 years-old she was electrocuted. As a result, she had to have her right leg amputated below the knee and also lost the big toe on her left foot. Miraculously, something prevented the current from traveling up her spine and to her brain, which ultimately saved Milly’s life. During the accident, 36% of Milly’s body was burnt, most being internal burns. Prior to her amputation, Milly was an active runner and lacrosse player. Today, she is GymShark’s first para-athlete partnership and has returned to an active lifestyle.
“When I lost my leg, I looked for people like me to follow and there was nobody; just one lovely girl in Brazil but I couldn’t understand a word she was saying!” - Milly Pickles
3. Spencer West: @spencer2thewest
- Location: Toronto, ON
- Disability: Amputee after being born with Sacral Agenesis
- Profession: Motivational Speaker, Author and Disability Advocate
Spencer lost both legs from the pelvis down at the age of five due to a genetic disease. He is now a successful global keynote speaker, content creator, and activist. One of Spencer’s most notable accomplishments is summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, a volcano in Tanzania that has an ascent of over 4,000 feet. His feature film- Redefining Possible: Spencer West documentary premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. He has also written an autobiography titled “Standing Tall: My Journey”.
4. Kaylee Bays: @slayleebays
- Location: California
- Disability: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Profession: Dancer
At age 21, Kaylee was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but this didn’t stop her from pursuing her dream of being a professional dancer. Kaylee is continuously advocating for greater disability representation in the dance community. She is an accessibility coach, a cast member for Disneyland, and enjoys sharing her experiences with chronic illness and how her disability didn’t diminish her passion for dance. Anything is possible with hard work and determination, and Kaylee is a great role model for aspiring performers with disabilities.
5. Taylor Lindsay-Noel: @accessbytay
- Location: Toronto, ON
- Disability: Quadriplegic
- Profession: Entrepreneur
On track to represent Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games, Taylor broke her neck in 2008 while trying to perform a difficult gymnastics routine. This left her as a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down. A decade after Taylor’s injury, she is now a full-fledged entrepreneur with her own premium loose leaf tea company “Cup of Té,” which was featured in Oprah’s 2020 Gift List. Taylor has also become a rising star on TikTok where she reviews local Toronto hot-spots to see how truly “accessible” they are!
“I was getting to re-write my narrative — divorcing an identity — only, a lot earlier. I grew up really fast, and earlier. Most people learn by the time they are adults that things can change suddenly. I found out early.” - Taylor Lindsay-Noel
6. Erin Novakowski: @erinnovakowski
- Location: Calgary, AB
- Disability: Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Profession: Disability Advocate
Erin is a 20-year old TikToker known as WheelchairErin living with spinal muscular atrophy who makes videos that are a funny takedown of people's incorrect, often ableist, expectations of wheelchair users. Their content seeks to humanize their experiences and defy the so-called inspirational stories of people "overcoming" their disabilities.
7. Britt Lynnae: @myelasticheart
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Disability: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Profession: Disability Advocate and Aspiring Lawyer
Britt is a 25-year-old disability justice advocate and content creator in Chicago. She has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and is using her social media platforms to educate others on ableist beliefs. In addition to being a busy law student, Britt runs workshops about accessibility and offers freelance sensitivity readings.
Are there other disabled creators we should all be following? Share them with us on instagram at @ailledesign and we’ll feature them in our next roundup!