Happy Pride Month!
In June, we celebrate the diversity, achievements, and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. Pride Month offers the LGBTQ+ community a reinforced sense of belonging, equality, and visibility that history has often denied.
While celebrating pride, it is also crucial to recognize and celebrate the efforts of LGBTQ+ activists with disabilities. These activists continuously fight for a society that offers respect, accommodation, and protection for all identities and abilities.
Here are 3 influential LBGTQ+ activists with disabilities whose impactful work should be recognized:
Spencer West (he/him)
Spencer West is a very successful global keynote speaker and content creator. At the age of five, West lost both of his legs from the pelvis down from a genetic disease. He has since used his personal experiences as a gay man with a disability to advocate for and inspire others who share similar identities.
Read more about Spencer West and his work here: Spencer West (spencer2thewest.com)
Aaron Rose Philip (she/her)
Aaron Rose Philip is a talented fashion model who promotes inclusivity and diversity in the fashion industry. Philip, a Black trans woman with cerebral palsy, takes pride in how her work showcases that individuals with disabilities are just as capable of both looking and feeling great.
Read more about Aaron Rose Philip and her work here: How I Got Here: Aaron Rose Philip On Blazing a Trail in the Modeling Industry | Vogue
Shona Louise (she/her)
Shona Louise is a freelance writer, photographer, and accessibility consultant from the United Kingdom. Louise uses her experience as a bisexual/queer woman with Marfan Syndrome to advocate for disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and accessibility initiatives.
Read more about Shona Louise and her work here: Shona Louise – Disability & Theatre Blog | Access Consultancy | Freelance Writer
About the author: Lauryn Raff is a Marketing Assistant at Lifelong Access. She is also a recent graduate from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Her passion lies in all forms of creative expression, and she is always looking for innovative ways to create positive change.
The views expressed are Lauryn's and do not necessarily represent the official views of Lifelong Access.
Welcome to Lifelong Access.
You may know us as Marcfirst, but we've recently undergone a name change. Why? Because in every phase of life, it’s never a question of if we helped. It’s how we help that truly counts. And how much we helped. Because our clients never outgrow us. And, we never outgrow them. Hence, our new name: Lifelong Access.