Sex/uality Artifacts

In the beginning of the month, reality star Kylie Jenner, did an interview and photoshoot with Interview magazine that sparked much social media scrutiny. Kylie Jenner posed in a wheel chair wearing provocative clothing for the magazine spread. She essentially sexualized disability, which to some was contradictory to what society does to individuals who are actually disabled. Many disabled women spoke out arguing that society attempts to desexualize women with disabilities, yet when a celebrity poses in a wheelchair, she recieves praise and attention. So what happens when an individual who is actually confined to a wheel chair does the same pose? Erin Tatum, who suffers from cerebral palsy decided to make a statement by recreating Jenner’s pose to make a statement. Her point was that she is more often than not overlooked for being in a wheelchair, and the idea of making it to the front page of a magazine is extremely rare, but if being a wheelchair user is now a trend thanks to Kylie Jenner, then she has been a trendsetter for decades. It is unclear what type of statement Kylie Jenner was attempting to make, but many argue that it was not a positive one.

The double standard demonstrated by this photo is offensive, and perpetuates several of the myths discussed in class surrounding disability and sexuality. Many often believe that people with disabilities are asexual or are unable to have “real” sex, yet one of today’s sex icons decides to pose as a wheel chair user. The larger issue here is the representation of individuals with disabilities in the media. It is extremely rare, if seen at all. Since Tatum’s post, many disabled individuals have spoken out, and have also re created the wheelchair pose. These posts have been shared numerous times via Tumblr and other social media platforms.