Growing up, I never wore makeup and I was always more afraid of the mirror than anything else. I hadn't thought makeup was meant for me, a disabled woman, until I saw Ulta's new advertisement: a huge full-color photo of a model in a wheelchair.
The world of fashion and beauty is rarely related to disabilities, and even though Hollywood has made steps toward greater inclusion and clothing brand Aerie has featured women with disabilities in their advertisements, seeing disabilities in the mainstream is definitely unusual. The reason why these things make headlines is that they're so rare.
I learned from a very young age that because of my disability, I would never be connected with beauty or charm. I'd spent so long feeling separated from so many parts of society, but Ulta is sending a powerful message with a single photo：It's time to challenge conventional beauty standards because beauty comes in all forms.
We all want to feel included. When it comes to disabilities, it is so important, especially for children and teens with disabilities. I was well into my 30s when I rolled into a makeup store for the first time. I had no idea what I was doing and felt like entering a new world without a map；I felt like I was out of place, as if I was peeking at a club without being invited. Imagine how my experience would have been different if I had seen a model in a wheelchair, smiling, as if to say, "Welcome. Yes, you belong!"
That message of inclusion was loud and clear for Maren Anderson, a 4-year-old girl who has a rare genetic disease and just started using a wheelchair. The moment she spotted the advertisement was caught on camera by her mom Carolyn Anderson, and quickly spread last month on Facebook. "It's just really saying that she feels included, and she feels like she identifies with that, and belongs here just like everybody else. So, thank you, Ulta," said Carolyn Anderson.
