Did We Just Witness Ableism on the Red Carpet?
In a moment meant to celebrate excellence and creativity, the red carpet became the center of a deeper conversation about inclusion and bias. Did We Just Witness Ableism on the Red Carpet? is more than a provocative question, it is a reflection of how society still reacts when disability is visible in spaces often defined by narrow standards of beauty and prestige.
When I watched the 98th Oscars, I was mostly just excited to see if the movie "One Battle After Another" which I thoroughly enjoyed, would actually sweep the night. But as soon as I hopped online afterward, my feed wasn't just about the winners. I saw a wave of "reactions" to Adam Pearson and Nikki Lilly being on that red carpet that honestly said more about our society’s hang-ups than it did about them. A comedian, Danny Polischuk, shared a photo of Adam Pearson on the red carpet with a mocking caption, which backfired as Pearson responded with a witty and empowering message, calling out the comedian's ableism.
For those of us here in Kenya, these names might not be household names yet. Adam is an actor with neurofibromatosis, and Nikki is a creator with arteriovenous malformation, also known as an AVM, is a tangle of blood vessels that creates irregular connections between arteries and veins. It can cause bleeding or seizures, often present from birth.) They weren’t there as a "charity invite" or to be anyone's "inspiration porn." They are professionals. They are visible. They belonged in that room with everyone else. It’s a pattern I see constantly: people are fine with disability until it shows up in "prestige" spaces. We’re okay with it in a hospital or a fundraising ad, but when it’s under the Hollywood lights, it makes people uncomfortable. Why? Because of ableism, the quiet, annoying belief that some spaces are reserved for a specific "look."
Disability isn't just about an impairment or a medical diagnosis. The real "disability" is the barrier we as a society builds. Sometimes it’s a building in Nakuru with no lift, but often, it’s the stare or the comment questioning why someone is even there. That mindset reduces a person’s whole career and talent down to their physical structure. It’s exhausting to watch, and even more exhausting to live.
We need to stop acting like visibility is a favor we’re doing for people. It’s a right. For me, that is respecting the human before the impairment or medical condition they may have. We need to be focusing on the work because they are there because of their contribution to the industry and not letting those "harmless" online comments go unchecked.
This isn’t just a Hollywood problem. You see it every day in our schools, shops, markets and workplaces, not because people can’t do the job, but because our attitudes are stuck in the past. Surely, we can do better. We must support accessible spaces and actually amplify the voices that are already doing the work.
The red carpet is just a strip of fabric. The real issue is who we think "deserves" to walk on it. People with disabilities don’t need anyone’s permission to be seen; we are already everywhere. The only question is whether the rest of society is ready to show some basic respect.
Article by: Emmanuel Brian Mbuthia