Thumbs up…to ASOS, a UK fashion retailer who received praise for simply showing an earring worn by model, Natasha Ghouri, who just happened to be wearing her cochlear implant.
Source: asos.com
Thumbs up…to Toronto Raptors’ forward, Pascal Siakam’s “PS43 Foundation Canada,” which made a $100,000 donation to the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, ON to provide opportunities to children and youth with disabilities, no matter the barriers they face.
Source: ca.nba.com
Thumbs down…to fans of actor Jonah Hill, who have commented on his body. Superbad and Wolf of Wall Street star. The Oscar-winner, who has been vocal in the past about struggles with weight and body image, asked his 3.1 million instagram followers to stop, saying comments make him feel uncomfortable. The body-positivity champion received an outpouring of support online.
Source: CNN
Thumbs up…to the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for emphasizing participation that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion from people within Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2+ and disability communities. The NFB will shift its inner workings, operation teams and make changes to their organizational culture and recruitment.
Source: nfb.ca
Thumbs up…to Disney for its updated protocols which include allowing individuals to arrange accommodations from two and 30 days in advance of their trip to the park via a live video chat with a cast member. (Disney last altered its policies in 2013.)
Source: disabilityscoop.com
Thumbs up…to Barilla and Be My Eyes for joining forces to help blind and low-vision home cooks learn how to prepare and find new recipes.
Source: Bemyeyes.com
Thumbs down…to the Paralympic Games Committee for denying paralympic gold medalist Becca Meyers an aide. Meyers, who is a deaf-blind, was told there would be one staff assistant for her and 33 other Paralympic swimmers, nine of whom are visually impaired.
Source: disabilityscoop.com
Thumbs up…to JCPenney for its new line Thereabouts, designed to be an “inclusive line of kids apparel that celebrates diversity of shapes, sizes, styles and abilities.”
Source: jcpenney.com/m/thereabouts
Thumbs down…to Margaret Atwood whose recent tweets on use of the word “woman” have been called out for showing lack of respect for trans people.
Source: usatoday.com
Thumbs up…to eighteen-year-old high school student Avery Sanford who turned a hurtful situation into good after her estranged father emptied a trailer of 80,000 pennies onto the front lawn as “child support payment.” Avery decided to donate coins to a domestic abuse shelter and the resulting media story created a flood of additional donations to the shelter.
Thumbs up…to BC Parks for expanding accessibility through new projects in campgrounds, day-use areas, play-grounds and a new welcome sign that conveys the principle that nature is for all.
Source: news.gov.bc.ca
