In a recent episode of her podcast, Candace Owens, a conservative political commentator with a Youtube subscriber count of 1.4 million, expressed her views on disability representation in fashion campaigns. However, her remarks have generated a wave of outrage from members of the disabled community and their allies.
Owens’ remarks around the SKIMS Adaptive Collection by Kim Kardashian that features a disabled model in the campaign include phrases such as, “I really I don’t understand how far we’re going to take this inclusivity thing, I really don’t get it, and if I am wrong educate me,” “[A model in a wheelchair] seems ridiculous” and “Whose idea was this? Was it your idea? Okay, you're fired”.
Haleigh Rosa, a model, disability rights advocate and founder of foreveryone.foundation, was one of the first people to speak out against Owens' comments. Rosa is paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident, she is a wheelchair user and since her accident she has become a prominent advocate for disability rights. She has collaborated with several high-end fashion brands, including SKIMS, Off-White, LVMH, and Tommy Hilfiger, to bring inclusivity and accessibility to a new generation of consumers. Rosa's campaign for Off-White, titled "FOR EVERYONE," was cited by CNN as one of the fashion industry's moves to set a new precedent for inclusive casting. “After getting injured I remember not seeing anyone like me in campaigns. At the same time, I was relearning simple tasks like clothing myself. It would have been so helpful to see someone in a wheelchair; I’m so happy that we’re finally coming around. Seeing someone like you matters; representation matters” says Rosa.
When Rosa saw Owens' comments, which included an image of Rosa modeling SKIMS, and heard the statement that it was "ridiculous" for a woman in a wheelchair to be part of a campaign, she was shocked. Rosa stated, “it’s so often assumed that the disability community should be felt bad for. The people I know that have disabilities are some of the most resilient people. Wheelchair users will not agree with [Owens’] views. If [Owens] truly wants to educate herself, she can reach out to me. I’m not one for cancel culture; I believe in the power of education. I’d love to have a conversation and educate Candace.”
Haleigh Rosa, model & disability rights advocate
Paula Carozzo, creator and disability rights activist, was also outraged by Owens' comments. Carozzo has garnered an audience of over 100,000 followers through her advocacy work and has worked with several high-profile brands, including Google, META, Clinique, and Tommy Hilfiger, to promote disability representation. Carozzo, who was diagnosed with a non-traumatic brain injury at the age of five, believes that attitudinal barriers are the most difficult to overcome for the disability community.
Carozzo stated “for the disability community, we are at the current peak of representation. Representation for us is as vital as the lungs we need to breathe. We’ve worked so hard for such a long time. No bully should be able to show-up and make “assumptions” of what we need and want.”
Haleigh Rosa, model & disability rights advocate
Helya Mohammadian, the founder of Slick Chicks, a company that designs accessible undergarments and apparel for disabled people, also spoke out against Owens' comments. Mohammadian started the company over a decade ago. “As founder of a company with a very clear and decisive mission, I do not stand with any agenda or statement where women attack other women for a sound bite or highlight reel, much less generalize about an entire community. It is hard enough to make it as a female in business and those who are in a position of power with a large audience should use it to speak on the merit of whatever topic is in question, not to minimize for the sake of doing so or speak without a basic set of knowledge. Personally, I started this company on the floor of my NYC apartment with not a single cent to my name over a decade ago; it is that struggle which has built these products, in tandem with the community who has built with us. That same community which is being called into question has also struggled. Together that is what has made us stronger. My hope is that we all feel actualized to have produced an original set of clothing, which I hope has made even the smallest of impact on those who are part of the Slick Chicks family. Basic necessities are not dubbed luxuries for the very definition of the word; basic necessities are a human right. We love, support, and champion an entire community of marginalized people that want and deserve to be seen and respected. That is how we started and how we will always use our platform. Our company was not built to check a box; it was people who inspired my first design and it has been those same people who have driven growth which Slick Chicks is proud to embody.” stated Mohammadian.
In conclusion, the disabled community has been working tirelessly to break down attitudinal barriers and create more inclusive spaces in all areas of life, including fashion. Owens' comments were harmful and demonstrated a lack of understanding of disability rights, accessibility and representation. Disability activists like Haleigh Rosa, Helya Mohammadian and Paula Carozzo have worked hard to promote disability representation in the fashion industry, and they demand an apology from Owens to the disabled community. Carozzo says, “attitudinal barriers really create our default setting of perceptions and behaviors, and these are the barriers that the disability community works day and night to shift.”
Candace Owens has been asked to comment and the story will be updated if a response is received.
Slick Chicks models showcasing accessible underwear
