Since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2018, Selma Blair has publicly documented her experience on social media and even the red carpet. The actress has given an interview during an aggressive flare up, proudly used a cane at the Oscars, and now she has joined a Leonard Cheshire campaign which is demystifying what it means to be disabled. Today, the actress Instagrammed a photograph of herself wearing a T-shirt - designed by Instagram artist and activist Mimi Butlin (cantgoout_imsick) - which reads ‘Disabled Looks Like Me.’
‘I have a kind of disability that is not really understood,’ Selma wrote on Instagram. ‘Those with MS can have such different physical and cognitive presentations. I am very comfortable in my sense of self. But people with invisible illnesses or even more easily recognizable challenges are often left feeling isolated or even disconnected from disabled community as well. There is a stigma against those who don’t exactly fit some label . The ms I have is very unusual. I only just found that out a couple months ago. So I am not the same as another with MS , as you are not the same as Taylor Swift just cause you may be blessed with long legs. We all stand out, or stand crooked or strong or alone. #disabledlookslikeme. Just a person. Check out @cantgoout_imsick and click the link in her bio. Shirts are available until APRIL 5 so limp on over and buy a shirt to benefit a cause close to my heart ,and Also a fan of the illustrations. Talented one, that Mimi. ❤️
Grazia spoke to Mimi about her inspiration for the T-shirts and why she felt Selma was an important addition to the campaign. ‘Disabled looks like me is an inclusive slogan that breaks down disability stereotypes and says that you don't need to be a particular age, have a mobility aid, or any other visual signifies of disability to consider yourself disabled. It’s something that transcends gender or ethnicity,’ Mimi told Grazia over the phone, adding the narrative is about ‘taking ownership’ of the word disabled. 'When people say the word disabled to someone, the immediate reaction can be pity. But disabled people don’t want pity. They just want to feel confident about themselves and the fact that they are disabled.’
The slogan, Mimi adds, is 'very personal.' 'As someone with an invisible disability I am aware of my privileges in it, but it also sometimes means I feel disconnected from the disabled community. Sometimes not feeling like I am ‘disabled enough’ to receive adequate care and consideration. It's time we breakdown the stigma and hierarchies of what disability looks like because it looks like all of us. There is no one look.'
Mimi felt that Selma was a good fit for the campaign because of have a presence in the disabled community. ‘She is very down to earth and involved with lots of disabled people, especially within the MS community.’ Mimi explains, adding that it was a ‘massive moment’ when Selma used a cane on the Oscars' red carpet. ‘For everyone to see someone at an event like that using a cane, who is young and a celebrity and glamorous, I think it made us feel that we can all rock our canes.’
‘I really admire Selma,’ Mimi continues, adding that the actress has previously sent her messages of support and gratitude for her drawings about disability and chronic illness, which aim to make disabled womxn 'feel seen'. ‘She's helped me a lot in terms of being able to take ownership of my disabilities and feel proud to be part of this community, and this is the message of the campaign, so I had to reach out to her.’
Profits from the sale of these t-shirts will help Leonard Cheshire to 'continue supporting disabled people to live, learn and work as independently as they choose'. To order a T-shirt and find out more about the campaign visit this link.