These celebrations honor the July 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.
But nearly 31 years later, people with disabilities still face a number of barriers to equitable treatment, varying from physical hurdles to economic challenges. Misconceptions and biases about people with disabilities continue to exist.
Some TikTok creators hope to challenge these notions by sharing their experiences candidly online. With everything from self-deprecating jokes to glimpses into their lives as disabled people, these 10 TikTok accounts are embracing #DisabilityPride and challenging others to do the same.
Andy (@theonewiththeservicedog)
TikTok creator Andy posts videos for her audience about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the other diagnosed illnesses she has. Through her posts, she educates people about some of the social and political barriers she faces. She even has an adorable service dog, Obi, that often makes an appearance.
Jay Johnson (@itsjaaayyy)
Jay Johnson is a 19-year-old creator growing her following on TikTok, where she posts makeup tutorials and get-ready-with-me style videos. For Disability Pride Month, she’s shared stories about her polymyositis diagnosis, which often leaves her fatigued and in pain.
Erin Novakowski (@wheelierin)
Comedian, writer, and disability advocate Erin Novakowski has amassed a huge following on TikTok with her funny, provocative content. Erin, who uses a wheelchair, posts makeup and lifestyle videos, but more often her videos are comedic while bluntly calling out the biased and negative comments she often receives.
Spencer West (@spencer2thewest)
Spencer West is a motivational speaker and advocates for LGBTQ+ and disability causes. After losing his legs as a child, Spencer now answers questions and corrects misconceptions about his own disability and about accessibility issues that the disabled community faces. He also frequently profiles restaurants, travel, and exercise routines.
Louie (@notlewy)
TikTok creator Louie posts trendy content, advocates for disability awareness, makes music, and creates comedy videos that are often about his arthrogryposis. Louie’s deadpan humor is a hit on the app, and his videos treat disability with a lightheartedness that acknowledges and celebrates difference.
Britt (@myelasticheart)
Britt posts content about living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Her videos are honest and emotional, explaining the ignorance and injustices that many disabled people face. But they also show moments of joy and hope that are often overlooked in mainstream depictions of people with disabilities.
Nic Hite (@leftyonhardmode)
Smaller creator Nic Hite has recently seen his celebrity grow on TikTok with a number of viral videos. He’s an amputee who uses a myoelectric prosthetic arm and makes content about disability advocacy in the media, life as a disabled person, and the occasional cyborg joke.
Rollettes_la (@rollettes_la)
The Rollettes are a Los Angeles-based women’s dance group where all 10 members use wheelchairs for mobility assistance. The troupe has about 166,000 followers on TikTok, and they post everything from lifestyle content to disability awareness videos. Though, most of their videos are wheelchair-friendly adaptations of the viral dance trends that make TikTok popular.
Isabel Mavrides-Calderón (@powerfullyisa)
Sixteen-year-old Isabel Mavrides-Calderón is wise beyond her years, sharing information about issues facing the disabled community on her account. Isabel, who has a spinal injury, works as a community organizer and writer, and educates more than 9,500 followers about ableism—or discrimination in favor of able-bodied people—and how to celebrate disability.
Bri Scalesse (@briscalesse)
New York City-based model and advocate Bri Scalesse posts vlog-style videos and participates in trends on the app. Bri uses a wheelchair and posts fashion and lifestyle content to highlight how her mobility device gives her the freedom to live the life she wants.
