Beauty and Women in wheelchairs
Today, disabled persons, particularly women in wheelchairs, have begun to destroy this stigmatised perception with amazing accomplishments like the Ms. American Wheelchair.
Once, society viewed disabled people as dependent, unable to contribute to society. This has changed and today, disabled persons, particularly women in wheelchairs, have begun to destroy this stigmatised perception with amazing accomplishments. Furthermore, manufacturers have began to develop designer chairs to cater for women.
Only in 2007 designers from New York held a fashion show specifically directed to display wheelchairs. The fashion show was hosted by four women who founded the ‘Discovery For Design’, a non-profit organization dedicated to women who rely on wheelchairs. One of these women, Marilyn Hamilton, is the co-inventor of the Quickie wheelchair. The other three were sports, arts, and business dynamos who experienced traumatic injuries and landed in wheelchairs.
This fashion show was dedicated not only to stylish wheelchairs, but also to fashionably designed clothing ensembles specifically created to flatter women who spend a significant amount of time in wheelchairs. The runway Models were four women selected from across the country who had become disabled.
First of these fascinating women, Jenny Smith, experienced an accident while practicing gymnastics. Her spinal cord injury, which occurred 17 years ago, since this she has driven, graduated college with a Master’s Degree, or working for the Mobility Project.
The second is, Melissa Holley was working her way through college when an auto accident resulted in her spinal cord injury and campaigned to bring an experimental spinal cord treatment procedure to the United States. She has not allowed her wheelchair to disable her life.
Michele Boardman the third, is a young woman diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. She was confined to a wheelchair by age 12. Despite this, she attended college, she was one of nine youths throughout the world honoured by the Yes I Can! Foundation in 2004.
The fourth model, Rosemary Rosetti, is a successful woman whose life was detoured by the falling of a huge tree that crushed her spinal cord during a bicycle ride. After her recovery, she began to travel the world discussing her journey in living life actively in a wheelchair. She has published a book on this topic, and was a previous Ms. Wheelchair America.
These women are a tribute to the amazing strength and beautiful journey of which women in wheelchairs are capable. Their story is truly an inspiration to us all.