In the year 2013, selfie was the word of the year. This was partially due to the front facing camera on most smart phones, which by 2013, most people owned. When people have a front facing camera, they take more selfies! However, prior to the front-facing camera, people had been taking selfies with other methods. See if you recognize any of these faces.
The first two pictures above were obviously both taken prior to 2013. However, the last selfie was taken by Keah Brown using a front facing camera. Keah Brown has a disability, and she used her selfie to promote self-love and acceptance in disabled people.
A major struggle of people with disabilities is the notion that disabled people can't be beautiful. However, when Keah Brown made the above post on Twitter, she started a movement to empower disabled people to believe in their own beauty. Using the hastag, "#disabledandcute," she posted two very cute photos of herself. The post rose in popularity and soon many were using the hashtag.
On Instagram alone, the hashtag has 36,598 posts associated with it. Here's one image that I found. This post came from a woman named Elsie Tellier whose Instagram bio reads 21 years-old and Cystic Fibrosis strong.
I love looking at these posts. Since Instagram gives its users the option to follow a hashtag, I have chosen to follow this hashtag, and I encourage others to do the same. This simple act is a great reminder of the privilege of able-bodiedness, and supporting this hashtag will assist in beating any pre-existing stigmas about disabled people.