Author Madison Lawson was born with a rare muscular dystrophy and has used a wheelchair all her life. In her article, she explains why it is so important for people with disabilities to be better represented in fashion magazines, beauty events and on the catwalk

The first time I attended New York Fashion Week was in 2017. When I arrived at the city that never sleeps, I quickly understood why they call it that: there is no time to sleep when you have to cross accessible obstacles. I attended fashion show after fashion show, and each time at the door, people were rarely told how a wheelchair user like me should enter the building. At one point, my PA had to lift me on her shoulders and drag my chair up the steps behind her - not the entrance I'd always dreamed of, but it got me thinking: In an industry that prizes diversity, why aren't there people like me around?

I was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, which causes the muscles throughout the body to gradually atrophy and, in some cases, lung failure. In my life, fashion and beauty have been a source of joy for me. I find normalcy in eclectic patterns and vibrant lipstick, which makes me stand out and really feel like I'm being seen, not being stared at.

Because, although at first I may draw attention to myself because of my wheelchair, I tend to do so because of my style. But, like most disabled people, I often feel left out when it comes to my image in the fashion and beauty industry.

The power of image

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of the population has some kind of disability, making up the largest minority community in the world. It is also the only minority community of which all people can be a part at any time in their lives. Yet in telling our stories, we either fall into harmful stereotypes or are left out.

Judy Heumann, a lifelong disability rights activist and a hero of mine, blames this on the misguided notion that disabled people can't somehow lead fulfilling lives.

"In communities, schools, mosques, churches, synagogues, social clubs or anywhere else, people don't see us as equal members," she said. "They look at us and think, 'How can I live like that? '" - which is why authentic representation is so important.

But it doesn't stop there.

As a child, you create this image of beauty based on what society finds beautiful - so what happens when this image of beauty and desirability is never the same as you? First, it can have a devastating effect on your self-esteem and sometimes even make it difficult to accept your body.

This may relate to model Bri Scalesse, who became a paraplegic when she was six years old after suffering a spinal cord injury in a car accident. "As a child, I longed to see myself in pictures," she told Vogue. "But I couldn't find my body or my chair on TV or in magazines. Disabled people are not models or actresses. A princess without a disability."

Social media and body positivity

In recent years, however, things have begun to change. Social media became a tool through which disabled people could finally control the way they were seen. At the same time, a comprehensive call for increased diversity and the emerging body positivity movement opens up space to celebrate beauty in all its forms.

As a result, we see people with disabilities appearing on catwalks, magazine covers, fashion ads and beauty campaigns. This long-awaited display is slowly but surely eroding the historical stigma surrounding the disabled. But it won't be easy, and it won't happen overnight.

Back in 2017, when I looked around at the models down the runway, there was only one person who looked like me, and that was model Jillian Mercado. Mercado was the first person who really felt like she could represent me because, like me, she had some form of muscular dystrophy and needed an electric wheelchair to get around.

Growing up, Mercado felt alienated from the industry's beauty standards. So she decided to challenge them from within, studying for a marketing degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and interning at Allure magazine.

After modeling for a friend's fashion project, she became the face of Diesel in 2014. The following year, she signed with IMG and has since been involved in Beyonce's construction products and advertising campaigns for US luxury department store Nordstrom, and was recently featured on the cover of Teen Vogue.

"There are a lot of people who feel underrepresented, who feel like they don't exist, who feel like they're being ignored in a very visible environment," she said of her motivations. "I want them to feel like they belong, that they can be models too."

Disabled people are often praised for their bravery - a compliment that can be disconcerting, as many of us don't think of ourselves as brave just for going after what we want, as others do. However, our stubbornness may be what people want to notice.

Mercado paved the way, and others followed. Model Aaron Philip became the first black, transgender and physically disabled model to be represented by a major modeling agency in 2018, after one of her tweets went viral. Similarly, deaf transgender model Chella Man received attention after she shared photos of herself online.

Then there's lecturer, author and disability advocate Sinead Burke - a little guy from Ireland who graced the cover of British Vogue in September 2019. Burke was also the first little person to attend the Met Gala that year, and her custom Gucci dress challenged conventional wisdom. A year later, Gucci made headlines by making Ellie Goldstein, a young model with Down syndrome, the new face of Gucci Beauty.

Beyond representation

The inclusion of people with disabilities in fashion and beauty is an important step in the right direction, but the industry still has a long way to go. "Seeing the representation of people with disabilities as a key component of diversity is a start," Scalesse said.

Indeed, while the industry has been quick to respond to calls from minority communities, we seem to be a little behind.

It is time to go beyond optics and appearances. Yes, we need to see more people with disabilities in front of the camera, but we also need to see them behind the camera. We need to see people like us in magazines, global beauty and fashion brands, the teams behind fashion weeks, casting agencies, and in all those places where we were once forgotten.

After all, if a brand doesn't meet your needs, what good is it to see someone who looks like you in an AD? Similarly, why send a model to a shoot or runway show if she can't get into the venue or backstage properly?

In many ways, 2020 is a year of awakening, a year of recognizing all the voices that have been ignored. Brands that have never been held accountable before are being called out for their symbolic actions and unequal treatment of minorities, and the entire world is being forced to slow down and listen to them. 2021 should be a year of action.